HiON Board Member Steve Wazny Elected to International Franchise Association Board of Directors
A restaurant franchisee for more than three decades, Wazny is one of 16 franchise leaders named to the IFA’s 2027 board.
HiON Franchise Group
HiON, an electric vehicle charging infrastructure franchise, today announced that HiON Board Member Steve Wazny was elected to the Board of Directors of the International Franchise Association (IFA). The IFA announced Wazny on October 15 as one of 16 new franchisor, franchisee and supplier directors. He will serve as a franchisee member for an initial three-year term beginning at the 2027 IFA Annual Convention in Las Vegas, February 22–24, 2027.
Founded in 1960, the IFA is the world’s oldest and largest organization representing franchising. Its board of roughly 75 franchise executives, drawn from franchisees, franchisors and suppliers, guides the association’s advocacy, education and work on behalf of the franchise industry.
Wazny, Principal of Wazny Management Group, has spent 35 years in the restaurant industry. He started as an hourly employee at Bob’s Big Boy at age 16 and worked his way up to district manager before becoming a franchisee. Today he owns and operates 47 Jack in the Box restaurants in the Seattle region, 64 Arby’s restaurants across California, Oregon, Washington and Utah, and 7 Jimmy John’s restaurants in Olympia, Washington. He is also an investor in and board member of HiON and encouraged his children to become franchisees. They became HiON’s first franchisees and are developing charging sites in high need markets, including the company’s flagship station at Denver Tech Center, which opened in July 2026.
The IFA board is where franchising gets its voice in Washington and sets its standards for the whole industry. I’ve spent most of my career as a franchisee, and I intend to bring that operator’s view to the table, including what I’m learning as an early franchisee in a new category.
For HiON, the election places an experienced multi-unit franchisee and HiON Board Member at the center of the franchise community the company was built to join. HiON franchisees build and own fast-charging stations open to every EV, while HiON supports site selection, construction and operations.
“Steve’s experience and judgment have been invaluable as we build HiON’s franchisee-first model and expand EV charging infrastructure through a proven franchise framework. The IFA is gaining a director who understands what franchisees actually need. We are fortunate to have him as a partner.”
The IFA’s full announcement and board member biographies are available at franchise.org.
Sources
- International Franchise Association Announces New Board LeadershipInternational Franchise Association, October 15, 2026
About HiON
HiON Franchise Group is an electric vehicle fueling infrastructure franchise. HiON franchisees build and own fast-charging stations on the national network known for reliability, open to every EV. HiON’s flagship station, Denver Tech Center · 7600 E Orchard Rd, opened in July 2026, with multiple sites opening soon. Learn more at franchise.hionev.com.
This post is for informational purposes only and is not an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, a franchise. Franchise offerings are made only by Franchise Disclosure Document, and only in states where HiON is registered or exempt.