restoration and reconstructions services

DALLAS — Scott Whitaker, owner of Restoration 1 Spokane, Wash., has partnered with Traction Capital, an investment firm dedicated to helping entrepreneurs in the Western U.S. Private equity firms have recently begun investing as franchisees in the restoration industry, signaling a new era of business growth and opportunity. The influx of funds across the industry will allow local businesses to expand their services as well as provide more resources for those impacted by natural disasters.

Whitaker opened his first Restoration 1 franchise in 2017 while serving as Captain of the Spokane Valley Fire Department. Over the last five years he has experienced strong growth, expanding into additional territories in Central Washington and garnering the attention of Traction Capital. With this investment, Whitaker’s franchises will be able to reach new milestones and provide more support across multiple communities.

“I am excited to partner with Traction Capital as we grow our business to the Tri-Cities and Yakima area and look to other opportunities beyond the state. I believe a key component of our success thus far is the fact that we have built a team of great people and helped them succeed individually. Traction shares this philosophy and will allow us to develop even further,” said Whitaker.

“On behalf of everyone at Traction, we are excited to partner with Scott and the Restoration 1 team in Dallas to continue to provide best in class services to customers in the Western U.S. Whitaker has developed a great team, and we look forward to working in the background to help provide the resources and systems necessary to continue to grow the business into multiple states,” said Justin Turner, Managing Partner at Traction Capital.

Based in Dallas, Restoration 1 has rapidly expanded to 313 locations open and in development across the U.S. to become one of the fastest-growing brands in the $210 billion property restoration industry.

“Over the last several years, we have been focused on developing our franchisees’ individual businesses and providing resources to help them grow their financial performance,” said Sherry Rose, CEO of Stellar Service Brands. “My vision is to empower franchisees to serve more customers and enter into new markets, so that they, too, can achieve the American Dream. Whitaker’s partnership with Traction is a testament to his persistence and dedication to both his team and the surrounding community.”

To learn more about opening a Restoration 1 franchise, visit restoration1franchise.com.

About Traction Capital
Traction Capital Partners LLC is a Seattle-based investment firm which focuses on acquiring businesses based in the Western U.S. that present opportunities for long-term growth. When they acquire a business, they do so with the intention of owning it for the next 20 years. For more information, please visit: www.tractioncp.com

DALLAS — Restoration 1^®, one of the fastest-growing and most-trusted restoration franchises in North America, has announced the franchisees selected to serve on the company’s 2022-2023 Franchise Advisory Council (“FAC”). The council facilitates transparency within the network on important topics within the Restoration 1 nation by having constructive open two-way communication between corporate and franchisees.

Members of the 2022-2023 FAC include:

• President – Scott Whitaker – Spokane, WA
• Vice President – Ron Jones – Greater Charlotte, NC; Winston-Salem, NC
• Franky Burciaga – Austin,TX; San Antonio; Corpus Christi, TX
• Brad Jeffries – Jackson, MS
• Chris Kushmaul – Metro Detroit
• Ryan Klis – Suffolk County, NY; Cape Cod, MA

“Transparency is a quality we aim to achieve within our growing network, and as a core value to Restoration 1 we’re prioritizing clear and honest communication through the participation and leadership of this new FAC. The members named to this council are outstanding leaders and business owners who exemplify the Stellar standard,” said Tom Gissler, President of Restoration 1. “As the company evolves and we experience rapid growth, we don’t want any of our franchise owners to feel left behind. The council helps ensure that everyone is heard, valued and understood as we navigate this growth together.”

The council includes franchise owners from three regions, with two representatives elected from each region. Each of the members were selected by their fellow Restoration 1 franchisees to represent them and have a voice in important operational decisions such as marketing, vendor relations and more. The FAC collects information to help Restoration 1 improve and grow the brand, while simultaneously sharing information with franchisees to help them understand initiatives and ways to strengthen and promote the brand.

“As president of the FAC, I am grateful to have the opportunity to facilitate open communication between Restoration 1 leadership and the franchisees and to be a positive voice to share any and all concerns or ideas from the field,” said council president Scott Whitaker.

To learn more about opening a Restoration 1 franchise, visit restoration1franchise.com.

Self-proclaimed Redneck CEO dresses the part and tackles dirty jobs.

WACO, Texas — Restoration 1® CEO Gary Findley will be featured on the Emmy Award-winning, hit television series “Undercover Boss,” Friday, March 11 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network and available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+.

“Participating on the show was beyond anything I could have imagined,” said Findley. “It was an incredible experience. Not only did I meet amazing people and hear their stories, but I also got to experience some of the dirtiest and most essential jobs in our business from the viewpoint of those on the front lines who are doing the work and representing the brand every single day.”

Dressed in a mullet wig, dyed beard and mustache, ripped western shirt and fake tattoos, Findley geared up and went to work in four different cities, including Dallas, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, and Denver. He was disguised as someone looking to get into the restoration industry and performed jobs including service calls for mold treatment, wet insulation removal, biohazard waste cleanup and more.

“I witnessed the emergency nature of this business firsthand and the critical need for dedicated service technicians who embrace 24/7 demands even in a pandemic,” Findley said. “At every turn, I saw the skilled training of these employees and the customer service that they provide as the glue that holds our network together.”

Viewers can follow and engage with the episode on Gary Findley’s Twitter, and LinkedIn pages as well as “UNDERCOVER BOSS” social media on Twitter at @Undercover_CBS and Facebook at @UndercoverBossCBS. The official show hashtag is #UndercoverBoss.

About “Undercover Boss”
“Undercover Boss” is a two-time Emmy Award-winning reality series that follows high-level executives as they slip anonymously into the rank-and-file of their own organizations. Each week, a different leader will sacrifice the comfort of their corner office for an undercover mission to examine the inner workings of their operation.

WACO, Texas — Restoration 1^®, one of the fastest-growing and most-trusted restoration franchises in North America, was recognized as one of the top 500 franchises in Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500®, the world’s first, best and most comprehensive franchise ranking. The 43rd annual Entrepreneur Franchise 500® is a highly sought-after honor in the franchise industry. Recognized as an invaluable resource for potential franchisees, the 2022 Franchise 500® ranks Restoration 1 as 322 for its outstanding performance in areas including unit growth, financial strength and stability, and brand power.

Over its 43 years in existence, the Franchise 500® has become both a dominant competitive measure for franchisors and a primary research tool for potential franchisees. Restoration 1’s position on the ranking is a testament to its strength as a franchise opportunity.

“Restoration 1 is honored to be positioned once again on Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 list,” said Gary Findley, CEO of Restoration 1. “Being named to this list is always an honor. Our entire network has worked tirelessly to overcome obstacles and expand our operations across the country. We’re excited to see what 2022 has in store for us.

In Entrepreneur’s continuing effort to best understand and evaluate the ever-changing franchise marketplace, the company’s 43-year-old ranking formula continues to evolve as well. The editorial team researches and assesses several factors that go into the evaluation, including costs and fees, size and growth, support, brand strength, and financial strength and stability. Each franchise is given a cumulative score based on an analysis of more than 150 data points, and the 500 franchises with the highest cumulative scores become the Franchise 500® in ranking order.

“The past year has been one of the most challenging for businesses in recent memory, which made putting together our 43^rd annual Franchise 500 list more enlightening than ever,” says Entrepreneur Editor in Chief Jason Feifer. “The companies named to this year’s list showed us how being resilient, supportive, and nimble can help navigate extraordinary challenges and also underscore the grit and innovation that define entrepreneurship.”

To view Restoration 1 in the full ranking, visit www.entrepreneur.com/franchise500. Results can also be seen in the January/February 2022 issue of Entrepreneur, available on newsstands January 11th.

To learn more about opening a Restoration 1 franchise, visit restoration1franchise.com.

Recognized for making significant contributions to building a Weather-Ready Nation.

WACO, Texas — From wildfires to hurricanes, tornadoes, and torrential rain, weather extreme events are becoming the norm. Restoration 1®, one of the fastest-growing and most-trusted restoration franchises in North America, has not only helped customers recover from these significant events, but through various channels regularly promotes weather awareness, safety and preparedness.

In recognition of the significant contributions Restoration 1 has made to building a Weather-Ready Nation, the NOAA and the National Weather Service has designated Restoration 1 as a 2021 WRN Ambassador of Excellence.

“We are extremely proud of this recognition and the important work we are doing to inspire others to take action and become weather-ready,” Sherry Rose, COO of Restoration 1. “Our teams all stand ready 24/7 and can scale quickly to address storm damage for both residential and commercial properties. We are highly trained in helping our communities recover from these extreme weather conditions.”

For more information and for a list of Restoration 1 locations, visit www.restoration1.com.