ServiceMaster Restore Celebrates System Excellence at 2026 Annual Conference & Awards

From March 9 to 11, franchisees, leadership and partners from across the ServiceMaster Restore system came together at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas for the brand’s 2026 Annual Conference. For Austin Yoder, chief operating officer of ServiceMaster Restore, the event serves as both a celebration and a catalyst for what’s next.

“The conference was an exciting time for us all to get together and share our vision for the future,” Yoder said. “It’s also a time to award, recognize and celebrate our franchisees who had a great year.”

The annual conference is a cornerstone moment for alignment across the entire franchise network.

“We kicked it off with sharing where we’ve been, where we are at, and where we want to be over the next five years,” Yoder said. “It’s something that we really want to share with our franchise network because without them we won’t be able to succeed and hit our combined goals.”

That transparency and collaboration are critical in an industry evolving rapidly. “Our industry is highly tech-driven, so being able to change at a faster rate is very important for us to stay competitive and continue to offer value to our clients,” he said.

The event also featured a keynote from William H. McRaven, Air Force veteran, whose message centered on resilience and leadership. “He really talked about dealing with challenges that he faced not only in the military but also in life, and why you have to buckle down and think positively,” Yoder said. “It was a really inspirational message.”

The conference also gave ServiceMaster Restore a chance to recognize franchisees who had delivered strong results and helped set the standard for the rest of the system. “We celebrate our top-performing locations,” Yoder said. “We’ve outlined a playbook that shows franchisees the areas to focus on, and those are correlated with growth and profitability.”

Winner: DSI Holdings — ServiceMaster Restoration by DSI (Downers Grove, Illinois)

This award goes to a franchise that performs well across the business, including operations, financial results, leadership and brand alignment. DSI Holdings earned the honor after another strong year, with its sales organization generating more than $50 million in revenue in 2025. Its sales team also logged more than 30,000 activities with commercial and insurance partners across its markets.

Winner: Mark Cyganiak — ServiceMaster Recovery Services (New Berlin, Wisconsin)

The AWE Leadership Award recognizes leadership during catastrophic events. Cyganiak earned the award for both his performance and his proactive approach. He was willing to raise his hand early, ask for support and work closely with the broader network, helping his team respond more effectively during high-pressure, large-scale events.

Winner: John Cooke — ServiceMaster of Ottawa (Ottawa, Ontario)

This award honors franchisees who put the brand before themselves and serve as champions of the system. Cooke was recognized for going above and beyond to strengthen ServiceMaster Restore not just locally, but across the broader network. He is the chairperson of the Canadian Restore NFC/Steering Committee, helping guide the network through meaningful progress.

Winner: Damon Kuhn — ServiceMaster by Rite Way (Columbus, Ohio)

Hero of the Year is voted on by fellow franchisees and corporate leadership, and it recognizes an employee — not an owner — who lives out ServiceMaster Restore’s values on the job. Kuhn’s award points to the role frontline team members play every day, especially those who consistently “do what’s right” for customers and communities.

Winner: Terri Philibert and Jacob Philibert — ServiceMaster Cleaning & Restoration by Cleaning Masters (Watertown, Connecticut)

Philibert and her team were recognized for their work supporting the Connecticut Burn Care Foundation through their annual “Restore the Hope” event — a community-driven fundraiser designed to support burn survivors and their families. The event, structured as a fun fair with raffles, vendors and family-friendly activities, has made a tangible impact, raising $9,000 in its first year and $11,000 in its second. Proceeds help send children to The Children’s Burn Camp, where they receive support, confidence-building experiences and a sense of community — all free of charge.

As ServiceMaster Restore continues to scale, the annual conference serves as a powerful reminder of what drives the brand forward: a combination of operational discipline, innovation and a deeply rooted commitment to service.

“Overall, it was a great time to share our strategy for the future and our focus on what we are looking to do as a franchisor,” Yoder said. “We all look forward to it throughout the year — it’s really our Super Bowl.”

With a clear vision, a strong network and a culture that celebrates both performance and purpose, ServiceMaster Restore is positioning itself and its franchisees for continued growth in the years ahead.