FASTSIGNS taps Newark franchisee for national D&I committee

FASTSIGNS International Inc. has tapped Newark franchisee Denise Acquaye for its eight-person national diversity and inclusion committee.

The committee, announced Sept. 2 by the Texas-based company, was created to foster an environment that promotes and prioritizes diversity and inclusion within not only the FASTSIGNS system but also the broader signage and franchising industries.

“Every company should value diversity and inclusion because of the richness and strength it brings to their business. Over the years, the signage and franchising industries have become more diverse and inclusive, but there’s more we can do — and as the leader in our sector, FASTSIGNS is proud to lead the way,” said FASTSIGNS CEO Catherine Monson, who also leads parent company Propelled Brands and is chair of the International Franchise Association.

“Diversity and inclusion needs to extend beyond personalities, professional backgrounds, and other life experiences, and encompass all of an individual’s unique characteristics and experiences, including race, gender, ethnicity, age, religion, disability, national origin, and sexual orientation. Supporting and building diversity and inclusion is the right thing to do for our employees, our franchisees, our franchisees’ teams, our stakeholders, our customers, and our industry,” Monson said.

The committee is tasked with increasing the number of minority franchisees within the FASTSIGNS system, promoting more open dialogue and collaboration, workplace environments, training protocols, education, and other topics with the goal of creating more inclusive initiatives.

Acquaye owns the Newark FASTSIGNS with her husband Robert. They started the business in October 2011, according to the New Jersey Small Business Development Center at Rutgers-Newark website.