Meet the Team
HOODZ franchise is led by an experienced team who are committed to franchisee success
Rusty Amarante
President of BELFOR Franchise Group
Rusty Amarante, CR, has over 40 years of experience in the restoration industry. He is the President of BELFOR Franchise Group and the Director of Operations for BELFOR Property Restoration, the global leader in disaster recovery.
Whether handling a loss that affected a family of three or a major catastrophe requiring teams of 3,000+, he knows every situation is its own unique challenge. Rusty is responsible for coordinating the BELFOR National Catastrophe Team’s logistics, manpower, equipment, and resources in the aftermath of national disasters on a daily basis.
Rusty was past-President of the Restoration Industry Association (RIA) and served as Vice Chair to the development of the IICRC S500 Standard for Professional Water Damage Restoration. He is a sought-after speaker in the restoration industry and has conducted hundreds of training classes throughout his career to encourage passionate restorers for the future.
Nathan Willard
President of HOODZ International
Nathan has been part of BELFOR Franchise Group and the HOODZ team for 6 years, providing HOODZ owners with the expertise and support needed to grow their businesses. During Nathan’s tenure with the brand, he has developed many support services including the Safety Talk sessions, action plans, enhanced SOP, and developed and presented new training material.
Prior to HOODZ, Nathan worked for A&E Factory Service as a Regional Manager. Nathan was the leader of Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan areas where he had responsibility for driving revenue, productivity, and customer satisfaction. He also led 40 unionized service technicians in HVAC, refrigeration, laundry, dishwasher, and other services. In 2014, Nathan ranked in the top 10% tier of Regional Managers in the United States.
Before this, Nathan worked 8 years for Service Brands International with positions at Molly Maid, 1-800-DryClean and Mr. Handyman, including running the Mr. Handyman location in Ann Arbor, MI. Nathan took on various roles with increased responsibility while at Service Brands, being promoted four times throughout his eight years there.
Doug Smith
Senior Vice President of Franchise Development
Doug Smith, Senior Vice President of Franchise Development at BELFOR Franchise Group, has decades of experience in the industry. He has a strong track record working in franchise sales and development leadership roles to help franchise systems grow their footprint.
Doug has been an integral part of BELFOR Franchise Group’s acquisition of HRI and the expansion of the group’s strong community of residential and commercial service brands. He leads an experienced franchise development team focused on helping aspiring entrepreneurs take control of their future through franchise business ownership.
Ken Osness
Vice President of Franchise Development
Mr. Osness has served as Director of Franchise Development for BELFOR Franchise Group, whose main offices are located in Ann Arbor, MI from December 2015 to the present. Mr. Osness also served as Director of Franchise Development for 1-800 WATER DAMAGE, located in Ann Arbor, MI, from September 2015 to the present. Prior to that, Mr. Osness served as Franchise Development Manager for HOODZ, from June 2006 to December 2015. Mr. Osness also served as the Franchise Development Manager of DUCTZ, from June 2006 to January 2015.
