A company specializing in water and fire damage, as well as mold and biohazard removal, has won the North Coast Chamber of Commerce Business of the Year award.

PuroClean owner Trey Bell said, "We are very humbled to receive the award."

Bell defined the company's philosophy as "always out front, always trying to be a part of the community, whether it might be a food drive, sponsoring local golf tournaments, or being staff volunteers for Boy Scouting or other fundraisers for youth sports."

Bell said he has been in business with PuroClean since May 2014. Prior to obtaining a franchise from the company, Bell said he was a facility manager in family entertainment. He produced shows such as Disney on Ice and Ringling Bros.

He also worked for Spectrum, the cable company, out of Philadelphia, then transferred to Cleveland to work as assistant general manager at the Wolstein Center. But Bell wanted to be self-employed.

"I finally found a self-employment opportunity my wife would agree to," he laughed. "She didn't even roll her eyes at this one. We like the opportunity to build something as a part of the community."

According to PuroClean's company information, PuroSystems LLC is in the franchise restoration industry. They say PuroClean "has become one of the fastest-growing property damage remediation franchise organizations in North America."

Their website reflects more than 250 offices and a deep bench of professionals with decades of experience in the industry. The company also does duct cleaning and odor removal.

Bell's wife, Janice, does the accounting and finance end of the local business. They also have a marketing person and six technicians. But Bells says customer service is the top priority.

"With property damage mitigation, it's all about customer service," he said. "We try to do the right thing all the time. Every decision can be very important."

This news item was originally shared here.