Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson announces launch of ‘Mayor’s Franchise Initiative’ to foster economic growth
DALLAS — Mayor Eric Johnson on Thursday announced a new initiative to increase business franchising in the city — particularly in historically underserved and overlooked communities.
Mayor Johnson, who has made workforce development a top priority, tapped Carlos White — a Dallas attorney who specializes in franchise law — to serve as Franchise Impact Ambassador and chair the Mayor’s Franchise Initiative. Through the initiative, White hopes to make Dallas a global hub for franchising by forming partnerships that can help teach the city’s 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. “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. I am thrilled about this idea, and I am grateful to Carlos White for his willingness to lead this exciting business effort.”
White has been recognized four times by D Magazine as one of the city’s best lawyers. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s Carey Law School, he is a partner at Lathrop GPM LLP. He previously served on the boards of Southern Dallas Economic Development Board and Dallas County Big Brothers Big Sisters.
White plans to begin engaging stakeholder organizations soon. He has met with the mayor’s Workforce Czar, Lynn McBee, and discussed how to move the program forward. The franchising initiative will target a different population than McBee’s Workforce Dallas effort, but the goals are essentially the same: work to increase the economic mobility and viability of southern Dallas residents by guiding them to programs that help provide the skills they need to become more financially successful.
“I am grateful to Mayor Johnson for this opportunity and for his relentless focus on increasing entrepreneurship, economic development, and workforce development in southern Dallas,” White said. “Through the Mayor’s Franchise Initiative, I know we can make a real difference in the lives of Dallas families and in our communities.”
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