PHOENIX, February 19, 2024 – The International Franchise Association (IFA) today named John Villon and Nilo Quiroz, owners of three PuroClean locations, and one additional location opening soon within Texas, as a 2023 Franchisee of the Year. Villon and Quiroz, owners of PuroClean of Central Southwest, Sugarland South, The Woodlands, and soon Pearland, were honored at the 64th IFA Annual Convention in Phoenix, Arizona for being outstanding franchise establishment owner-operators.

“Franchisees of the Year exemplify what franchising is all about – providing opportunity, serving others, and fulfilling the American Dream,” said Matthew Haller, President and CEO of the International Franchise Association. “We are proud to recognize John Villon and Nilo Quiroz with the highest honor IFA awards to individual franchisees, and I have no doubt their work is changing lives and making a lasting community impact.”

The IFA’s Franchisee of the Year Award recognizes leading franchise owners from IFA member brands whose outstanding performance and contributions help protect, enhance, and promote the franchise business model. Nominated by their parent company, individuals are selected for their involvement in their communities, embodying the entrepreneurial spirit, fostering a strong and healthy culture with their workforce, and assisting their fellow franchisees when called upon.

For more than 20 years, PuroClean has helped home and business owners with their restoration and remediation needs, serving communities across the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico with a network of over 460 offices. Villon and Quiroz represent the entire PuroClean family and their commitment to providing top-tier restoration services to their community. The two are honored and humbled to accept this award which solidifies the fact that the environment that they have cultivated is something unique, special, and loved by their community.

“I am beyond proud of John Villon and Nilo Quiroz for this amazing accomplishment,” said Steve White, President and COO of PuroClean. “Their dedication, hard work, and commitment to excellence not only reflects their own success but also the strength of our franchise system as a whole.”

John Villon and Nilo Quiroz set out to introduce a concept that would positively impact their local community and change lives in the process. Hailing from Peru and Mexico respectively, John and Nilo brought their expertise from the oil and gas sector, before embarking on their entrepreneurial venture with PuroClean. Their journey is characterized by an unyielding determination to grow and excel, driven by the aspiration to create a lasting legacy for their families and to potentially involve the next generation in their endeavors.

Their exceptional trajectory of success began in 2021, when they shattered records within their first year of operation, earning the esteemed PuroClean Rookie of the Year Award. Within a short span, they expanded to three offices and set ambitious targets, showcasing their rapid and strategic growth. Their journey underscores a commitment to excellence and customer service, celebrating the fact that their locations are some of the highest-rated in the city of Houston. John and Nilo epitomize the entrepreneurial spirit that fuels exceptional achievements within the PuroClean network.

There are over 800,000 franchised businesses across the U.S., providing over 8.7 million direct jobs and generating over $850 billion in economic output. According to Oxford Economics, franchising on average provides higher wages and better benefits than non-franchised businesses, as well as greater entrepreneurial opportunities to minorities, women, veterans, and other underrepresented communities. 

About the International Franchise Association:

Celebrating over 60 years of excellence, education, and advocacy, the International Franchise Association (IFA) is the world’s oldest and largest organization representing franchising worldwide. IFA works through its government relations and public policy, media relations, and educational programs to protect, enhance, and promote franchising and the approximately 806,270 franchise establishments that support nearly 8.7 million direct jobs, $858.5 billion of economic output for the U.S. economy, and almost 3 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). IFA members include franchise companies in over 300 different business format categories, individual franchisees, and companies that support the industry in marketing, law, technology, and business development.

About PuroClean

PuroClean is a leading, world-class service brand for property water damage remediation, fire and smoke damage mitigation, mold removal, and biohazard clean-up services, working with both residential and commercial customers across the US and Canada. Founded in 2001, PuroClean is a diverse, fast-growing network of nearing 500 North American franchise locations, each independently owned and operated. With a commitment to respond within two hours, the professionals at PuroClean are thoroughly screened, insured, and trained in utilizing the latest cutting-edge mitigation technology to complete the remediation task at hand.