SCC Division of Securities and Retail Franchising Chief Examiner Tim O’Brien and Senior Investigator Stephen Arrighi offered many regulatory insights and updates on the world of Virginia franchising last Thursday night at the Virginia Franchise Forum’s quarterly meeting at the Westwood Club.  An unprecedented number of franchisors are currently registered to sell franchises in Virginia, which bodes well not just for franchising, but the overall business climate as well.  Aside from recent registration statistics, O’Brien and Arrighi provided a glimpse into both the franchise registration and investigation processes.  An engaged audience of current and prospective franchise owners, franchisor executives, consultants, accountants, bankers, and attorneys peppered the officials with questions throughout the evening.  Anytime you have a regulated industry like franchising, it is always encouraging to see interaction and open lines of communication between industry leaders and government officials.  The VFF, now in its 8th year of existence as the only educational and networking forum in RVA focused on franchising, will be hosting two more events in 2015–September 25 and November 19.  Mark your calendars and stay tuned for more details.