Stratus Building Solutions Expands to San Diego with New Master Franchise in California

Online, January 10, 2011 (Newswire.com) - Stratus Building Solutions, the nation's fastest-growing international brand in the building services and maintenance franchise industry, has entered the San Diego market by awarding another new Master Franchise to brothers Mark and Jayson Bashforth called Stratus Building Solutions of San Diego, LLC. This marks their second Master Franchise location in the United States and they also lead an international endeavor in Panama.

Dennis Jarrett, CEO of Stratus Building Solutions, said, "Mark and Jayson Bashforth's new Master Franchise exemplifies the growth potential in the Facility Maintenance industry. They have expanded to over 2 states and internationally in less than two years. That increase is a testament to their abilities and professional ways of doing business."

Pete Frese, President of Stratus Building Solutions, added, "Mark and Jayson have proven to be successful business executives who have helped us with the shared vision of job creation through establishing new unit franchises, serving building owners and managers in San Diego."

The Bashforth brothers will operate Stratus Building Solutions of San Diego from headquarters at 5465 Morehouse Drive, Suite 190, San Diego, CA 92121.

Mark Bashforth said, "Stratus Building Solutions has provided us great opportunities in the building services and maintenance franchise industry through their proven franchise model." Jayson Bashforth added, "We are truly excited to see our continued expansions. There is no limit to where we can go being in Stratus Building Solutions' Master Franchisor successful network.."
Stratus Building Solutions of San Diego officially opens on January 10, 2011, and plans to hire six employees immediately and establish 50 unit franchises by year-end 2011, creating more than 100 new jobs. Financial terms of the agreement with Stratus Building Solutions were not disclosed.

Mark Bashforth is a Senior Sales and Marketing Executive with over 20 years of international and domestic experience creating growth and maximizing shareholder value in the energy, technology and publishing industries. He is a member of the British American Business Council of Houston, the Norwegian American Chamber of Commerce and earned a B.B.A. and Computer Science degrees from California Lutheran University. Jayson Bashforth previously served as a top sales executive in telecommunications and advertising industries in Los Angeles. He graduated from the University of California-Los Angeles with a B.A. in Psychology. In addition to their business success, the Bashforths are experienced deep water sailors and have sailed in oceans around the world.

Stratus Building Solutions offers 16 different building service franchise plans providing state-of-the-art "environmentally green" cleaning systems, products, services and marketing support. These include the unique "Stratus GreenClean" program which uses environmentally-friendly products to help sustain healthier, more productive facilities. The firm also offers an exclusive "Stratus Sani-Proof" program that kills bacteria, including Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA), and other germs found in schools, health clubs, daycare centers, gyms, dormitories, medical offices and hospitals.

A division of Stratus Building Solutions called Stratus Affiliated Services, LLC provides landscaping, energy audits, recycling, pest control, hard-surface cleaning, and related services to complement the company's successful building service and maintenance franchise programs.

Stratus Building Solutions won four "top ten" spots in Entrepreneur magazine's 30th Annual Franchise 500® ranking published in the 2010 along with being awarded a place in the 2010 Inc 500-5000. Other awards include Franchise Times Fast 55, World Franchising's 50 Top Franchises for Minorities, Black Enterprise's Top 40 Best Franchises for African Americans and Poder 360's Top 25 Franchises for Hispanics.

Jarrett and Frese founded Stratus Building Solutions after each worked as top corporate executives for more than ten years in commercial cleaning franchise industries. With that experience, Stratus Building Solutions currently offers franchises in Connecticut, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, New Jersey, North and South Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Virginia, in addition to Maryland. In May 2009, Stratus Building Solutions of Canada was established to serve all ten provinces in that nation. The company's near-term plans include expansion into Europe, South America and the Middle East.

Stratus Building Solutions franchise benefits include orientation and training; customer referrals; administrative and accounting support; pre-arranged credit lines; access to insurance and surety bonds, financing options, promotional support; and other turn-key advantages. The firm's headquarters are at 1976 Innerbelt Business Center Drive in St. Louis, Missouri.

For more information, please see the website www.stratusclean.com or call Stratus Building Solutions at 314.731.2000 or toll-free at 877.731.2020. Media contact: Dennis Jarrett.