---
title: "Stratus Building Solutions CEO Joins with IFA to Promote Diversity in Franchising"
url: https://burnaze.com/article/3c5cdce0-8f3e-4edd-bf94-2eadee93bf96
source: "Franchising.com"
original_url: https://www.franchising.com/news/20201229_stratus_building_solutions_ceo_joins_with_ifa_to_promote_diversity_in_franc.html
category: "Cleaning & maid"
industry: "Home Services"
segment: "Cleaning & maid"
topics: ["Development & multi-unit","People"]
published: 2020-12-29T12:00:00.000Z
modified: 2026-11-01T02:30:39.940Z
image: https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1554469384-e58fac16e23a?w=1600&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop
---

# Stratus Building Solutions CEO Joins with IFA to Promote Diversity in Franchising

**TL;DR:** Afshin Cangarlu, CEO of Stratus Building Solutions, is working with the International Franchise Association to promote diversity in franchising. Cangarlu is a member of the IFA's Diversity Institute Board of Directors and is passionate about making franchising opportunities available to everyone.

*originally published in Franchising.com on 2020-12-29. [Read the original](https://www.franchising.com/news/20201229_stratus_building_solutions_ceo_joins_with_ifa_to_promote_diversity_in_franc.html).*

## Story

LOS ANGELES (PRWEB) December 29, 2020 - Afshin Cangarlu, CEO of Stratus Building Solutions, the nation’s leading green commercial cleaning franchise, is actively working with the International Franchise Association to promote diversity in franchising and is hoping to make meaningful progress in 2021.

Cangarlu is a member of the IFA’s Diversity Institute Board of Directors which is made up of influential players in the franchise community. The Diversity Institute’s mission, on behalf of the IFA, is to make franchising the most diverse sector of the US Economy by 2030.

“I really love the franchising community and I think we can be leaders in advancing diversity over the next decade,” said Cangarlu.

In 1980, at age 13 as an immigrant, Cangarlu came to the United States with his family. He eventually went on to build an executive career in the technology and software development at DreamWorks and Quovadx, which afforded him the ability to start his own business.

He joined Stratus Building Solutions as a Master Franchisee in 2008, and eventually rose to become the company’s CEO in 2015.

“I am someone who has truly benefited from the American dream and that’s why I am so passionate about diversity,” said Cangarlu. “We need to do what we can to make these kinds of opportunities available to everyone, not just a select few.”

“At the IFA Foundation our volunteer leaders are the heart of our initiatives,” said Earsa Jackson, Diversity Institute Chairwoman. “From his first day in service to the Diversity Institute Board, Afshin has been a meaningful contributor to our work supporting diversity and inclusion in franchising and raising awareness of the positive impacts of the franchise business model. We cannot thank Afshin enough for his continued service to minority communities within franchising.”

The IFA Foundation’s Diversity Institute works to provide outreach and education about the benefits of franchising to those in minority communities. There is already a good foundation in franchising as 30 percent of all franchised businesses are owned by minorities compared with 18 percent of non-franchised businesses.

## Entities

- Franchising.com (publication)
- Home Services (sector)
- IFA (company)
- International Franchise Association (company)
- Stratus Building Solutions (company)
- franchise community (topic)
- minority ownership (topic)
- diversity in franchising (topic)

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Originally reported by Franchising.com (https://www.franchising.com/news/20201229_stratus_building_solutions_ceo_joins_with_ifa_to_promote_diversity_in_franc.html). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/3c5cdce0-8f3e-4edd-bf94-2eadee93bf96).