PuroClean President Wins Gold for Ethical Leadership in International Business Awards

PuroClean’s President and Chief Operating Officer Steve White earned the Gold Award in the Ethical Leadership of the Year category for the 22nd Annual International Business Awards (IBA).

All individuals and organizations worldwide are eligible to submit nominations, with the 2025 IBAs receiving over 3,800 nominations from across 78 nations and territories.

Since joining PuroClean in 2013, White 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.

White has previously earned Gold for Lifetime Achievement Award for Consumer Services in 2022. In 2021, he also claimed Silver for Executive of the Year in Business or Professional Services, as well as Silver for Management Team of the Year to PuroClean’s Executive Leadership team.

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.

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

Click here for more details about The International Business Awards and the list of winners.