PuroClean's President & COO Steve White Wins Gold for Ethical Leadership in the 2025 International Business Awards®

PR Newswire

TAMARAC, Fla., Aug. 28, 2025

Global Recognition Honors White's Integrity-Driven Leadership and PuroClean's Trailblazing Growth

TAMARAC, Fla., Aug. 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- PuroClean, one of the country's leading property restoration and remediation franchises, is proud to announce that its President and COO, Steve White, has earned the coveted Gold Award in the Ethical Leadership of the Year category for the 22nd Annual International Business Awards^®.

The International Business Awards are the world's premier business awards program. All individuals and organizations worldwide – public and private, for-profit and non-profit, large and small - are eligible to submit nominations. The 2025 IBAs received nominations from organizations and individuals in 78 nations and territories.

White's career is rooted in service, from his time as a U.S. Army Captain to decades of leadership in franchising. Guided by principles of integrity, accountability, and teamwork, he has built a leadership style defined by discipline and a commitment to others' success. Since joining PuroClean in 2013, he has rebuilt trust, aligned teams around a shared vision, and positioned the company for sustained growth. Under his leadership, PuroClean has doubled its franchise locations, tripled average unit sales, and quadrupled system-wide profitability.

In addition to driving growth at PuroClean, White has been a national voice for the franchising industry, advancing initiatives that promote responsible franchising, veteran empowerment, and franchisee success. His leadership roles include:

Member, International Franchise Association (IFA) Board of Directors
Past Chair, IFA Foundation and the IFA's VetFran Committee
Founding Member, IFA Foundation's Franchise Ascension Initiative
Representative for PuroClean on the IFA's Education and Advocacy team, meeting with members of Congress on key franchising issues

"Steve's leadership is rooted in integrity and compassion," said Mark W. Davis, CEO and Chairman of PuroClean. "He has inspired our entire organization and set a standard of excellence that drives everything we do. We are thrilled to see him recognized on an international stage for these values. This is truly a well-deserved honor."

Long before "Responsible Franchising" became an industry focus, White and PuroClean's Executive Leadership Team established transparent selection processes to attract the right candidates who align with the brand's mission to deliver quality, consistency, and trust.

White is no stranger to recognition from the IBAs. Previous honors include:

2021 – Silver IBA for Executive of the Year in the Business or Professional Services category, celebrating his 35 years of leadership; alongside a Silver for Management Team of the Year awarded to PuroClean's Executive Leadership Team.
2022 – Gold IBA Lifetime Achievement Award in the Consumer Services category.

This year's IBAs drew over 3,800 nominations from organizations across 78 nations and territories, spanning sectors and sizes from virtually every industry and a wide range of categories. This recognition places PuroClean and its leaders on the global stage, spotlighting the company's role not only as an industry frontrunner but as an example of how ethical franchising can scale intentionally.

Stevie Award winners were determined by the average scores of more than 250 executives worldwide, who participated in the judging process in May - July. Winners will be celebrated during a gala banquet at the Corinthia Hotel in Lisbon, Portugal on Friday, 10 October.

"The 2025 International Business Awards have set a new benchmark for excellence," said Stevie Awards President Maggie Miller. "Our winners have demonstrated remarkable ambition and achievement in reaching their goals. We congratulate them on their well-earned recognition and look forward to honoring them on stage in Lisbon on 10 October."

Details about The International Business Awards and the lists of Stevie Award winners are available at www.StevieAwards.com/IBA.

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 over 500 North American franchise locations across the United States and Canada, 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. For more information about PuroClean, call 800-775-7876 or visit www.PuroClean.com.

About the Stevie Awards
Stevie Awards are conferred in nine programs: the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, the German Stevie Awards, the Middle East & North Africa Stevie Awards, The American Business Awards®, The International Business Awards®, the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, the Stevie Awards for Great Employers, the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service, and the Stevie Awards for Technology Excellence. Stevie Awards competitions receive more than 12,000 nominations each year from organizations in more than 70 nations. Honoring organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Stevies recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide. Learn more about the Stevie Awards at www.StevieAwards.com.