PuroClean, a fire and water damage restoration franchise owned by Fort Lauderdale, Florida-based PuroSystems LLC, has added a franchise here spearheaded by local residents.

Jerome Matthews and Kevin Rybak will head a group of insurance agents to help home and business owners with fire, mold, water, and biohazard damage to property.

PuroClean will serve Spokane, Spokane Valley, Cheney, Deer Park, and Liberty Lake.

“We’re thrilled to represent one of the leading restoration and remediation franchises in Spokane and excited to help PuroClean expand into new markets across the country,” Rybak says.

Rybak has a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from Western Washington University and currently is pursuing a master’s from Washington State University’s Carson College of Business.

He began his career as an engineer for a heavy truck manufacturer specializing in chassis design and emissions compliance. He’s also worked as a marketing operations manager helping sales reps design vehicles to meet their customers’ needs.

Matthews started his career in the banking industry as a teller and was later promoted to corporate trainer and eventually junior executive. He then moved his career into the health care field and spent the past decade managing wellness clinics.

The two men claim they pursued an entrepreneurial opportunity that would allow them to create a legacy for their families and have a positive impact on Spokane and surrounding communities.

PuroClean was founded in 2001 and today has more than 290 franchise offices across the country. Each office is independently owned and operated.

The company provides new franchisees with an office and territory, as well as the tools and training to get started, says PuroClean’s website.

Franchisees typically pay an initial fee of $50,000 and are offered leasing options for equipment and vehicles, says the company’s website.