Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson launched a new initiative Thursday to increase business franchising in the city, especially in historically underserved communities.
Johnson appointed Carlos White—a Dallas attorney who specializes in franchise law—to serve as the first Franchise Impact Ambassador and chair of the ‘Mayor’s Franchise Initiative’ to foster economic growth.
White’s goal? The Ivy League law-trained expert aims to make Dallas “a global hub for franchising” by forming partnerships that can help teach city residents how to create, systematize, and scale successful businesses.
“To grow Southern Dallas, we cannot afford to focus on real estate development alone. We must also invest in the people of Southern Dallas,” Mayor Johnson said in a statement. “Through the Mayor’s Franchise Initiative and our continuing focus on upskilling our city’s workforce, I know that we can finally meet our full potential as a city.”
White has already met with Lynn McBee, the mayor’s Workforce Czar, to discuss how to advance the program, and he plans to begin engaging stakeholder organizations soon. Like McBee’s Workforce Dallas effort, the Franchise Initiative aims to increase the economic mobility of southern Dallas residents by guiding them to upskilling programs.
White appreciates the mayor’s “relentless focus” on increasing entrepreneurship, workforce development, and overall economic development in Southern Dallas.
“Through the mayor’s Franchise Initiative, I know we can make a real difference in the lives of Dallas families and in our communities,” White said.
A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s Carey Law School, White is a partner at Lathrop GPM LLP, where he counsels businesses of all sizes in all matters relating to franchise and distribution systems.
White, whose law firm notes he’s “HBCU-bred” and considered a business optimizer, has served on the boards of the Southern Dallas Economic Development Board and Dallas County Big Brothers Big Sisters.
White is also involved in the B.U.I.L.D. Collaborative, which is a coalition of Dallas ecosystem partners that promotes equitable and inclusive entrepreneurial growth.
Quincy Preston contributed to this report.
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