FFor more than eight decades, the Florida Retail Federation has been advocating for and protecting Sunshine State retailers. But how did FRF get to be the influential organization it is today?

In the 1930s, a wave of anti-business legislation swept through Florida, culminating in a 1935 law that created one of the most discriminatory business taxes in the nation.

In that year, the Florida Legislature levied an occupational tax on retailers ranging from a $10 license fee plus a half-percent tax on gross receipts for a single store, up to a $400 license fee and 5 percent tax on gross receipts for chain stores. A small group of dedicated businessmen rose to the challenge of fighting this injustice. In 1937, the Florida Chain Store Association, which would eventually become the Florida Retail Federation, was born. In the decades since then, the Florida Retail Federation has grown into a statewide organization universally recognized as The Voice of Florida Retailing.

In March of 2017, FRF announced its most recent President and CEO, as Scott Shalley took over leadership of the organization. Scott’s focus is on growing FRF’s membership and enhancing the benefits and services offered to members but making sure FRF stays true to its core values and mission.

“From its founding, the Florida Retail Federation has been driven by companies and individuals who are passionate about defending the retail industry,” says Scott Shalley. “Today’s retailers are carrying on that proud legacy by advocating for the free market principles that allow our industry to thrive.”

Check out our Annual Reports page to learn more about the growth, accomplishments and impact the Florida Retail Federation has had on the Sunshine State for more than 80 years.