ServiceMaster Clean Awards Most Recent Shane Battier Franchise Scholarship to Devie Basuki of Los Angeles

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Finance professional sent job hunting after bank closes, but finds renewed hope in landing his own commercial janitorial business.

Memphis, Tenn. (Vocus/PRWEB ) January 28, 2010 -- ServiceMaster Clean announced today that Devie Basuki has been awarded one of the company's distinguished Shane Battier Franchise Scholarships. Selected from hundreds of applicants, Basuki completed a 1,500-word essay detailing how he would utilize ServiceMaster corporate objectives in his business. He is the 11th recipient of the minority franchise award since the program's inception in 2007.

"Like so many other displaced professionals, I really had to take a look at every viable option out there, and then I came upon ServiceMaster Clean at a job fair in Los Angeles," said Basuki. "Given my educational and professional background, I really started thinking that I could run my own business. And once I dug deeper into what the company offered in terms of marketing support, I knew I had to pursue this opportunity."

The purpose of the Shane Battier Franchise Scholarship is to expand the ServiceMaster Clean franchise ownership base among women and minorities throughout the United States. Championed by professional basketball player and former Duke star, Shane Battier, the program was designed to help individuals overcome some of the obstacles of starting and running their own business by being a part of a franchise organization. The Shane Battier Franchise Scholarship allows individuals interested in starting their own business an opportunity to be awarded their own commercial cleaning franchise license – a $31,900 value.

"We recognize that, beyond being good for our business, reaching out to expand ownership opportunities for minorities and for women is a very meaningful way for us to live our faith-based corporate mission. That is why we have committed to diversity in our franchise network," said Michael Isakson, president and chief operating officer, ServiceMaster Clean.

ServiceMaster Clean has committed $1.3 million over four years in direct grants and private financing to its Shane Battier Franchise Scholarship initiative, as part of its continuing pledge to diversity, business development and community outreach across the United States.

Currently residing in Los Angeles, Basuki looks forward to operating his franchise in that area and building his new customer base with his commercial janitorial services. Prior to winning the franchise scholarship, Basuki held a number of finance positions in his homeland of Indonesia and in the Caribbean. He most recently worked for the Bank of Danamon in the Cayman Islands, where he prepared quarterly balance sheets and income statements for the firm and reported on regulatory and banking law. After being laid off this past June after eight years of service, he obtained a real estate license in California to support his family as he pursued other career options.

Basuki earned a bachelor's degree in management information systems from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona in 1992. Four years later, he secured a master's degree from the University of Indonesia.

"ServiceMaster Clean impressed me with its business model, and I realized the company's core principles were in tune with mine," added Basuki. "As my father is an ordained minister, he instilled the importance of leading a faith-based life in me, my brother and my sister. I firmly believe that the company's long record of success lies in the fact that it is committed to doing what's right with every decision it makes."

About ServiceMaster Clean

With more than 4,500 franchise locations around the world, ServiceMaster Clean serves customers through a global network of franchises that provide janitorial services, commercial carpet cleaning, hard surface floor care, residential carpet cleaning and upholstery, and disaster restoration services. The company has more than 60 years of history as a market leader.

ServiceMaster Clean is part of the ServiceMaster family of brands, one of the world's largest and most versatile service networks. The company's brands include TruGreen®, TruGreen LandCare®, Terminix®, American Home Shield®, ServiceMaster Clean®, Merry Maids®, Furniture Medic®, and AmeriSpec®. ServiceMaster Clean is committed to its franchise owners. Our ability to offer qualified prospects up to 80 percent financing to start their cleaning business is only one of the benefits of our program.

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