Zoom Drain, a leading operator of drain and sewer services throughout the United States, announced today that it has appointed longtime franchising management expert Joseph Schneeweis as vice president of franchise operations to lead the company through its next phase of growth.

Schneeweis comes to Zoom Drain after serving several years as the franchise operations manager of ServiceMaster Corporation, an umbrella franchisor with seven brands consisting of more than 3,200 franchisees across 4,600 locations.

"We're excited to have Joseph join the Zoom Drain team," said Zoom Drain CEO Jim Criniti. "The professional experience he brings from inside the franchising world will be integral to the development of our franchise operations. Joe's consistent track record of building and managing franchisee programs will ensure that our franchisees have the systems, programs and communications they need to scale their businesses within the Zoom Drain system."

Criniti said the company's recent rapid growth necessitated the development of this new role with the organization, and Schneeweis is tasked with helping develop and guide Zoom Drain's franchise program.

Schneeweis's appointment will allow Zoom Drain President Ellen Rohr to complete her transition to a position on the company's board of directors, where she can provide guidance as Zoom Drain continues its franchising expansion. Criniti, Rohr and partner Al Levi worked together to build the company into a powerhouse franchisor, adding 48 new franchisees in 153 territories over the past 18 months.

"We wouldn't be who we are today without Ellen," Criniti said. "Ellen is a big-picture person. She is a visionary and her transition to our board of directors will be pivotal to the continued growth of our company."

Schneeweis's experience in the franchising industry is deep and varied. At ServiceMaster, he consulted with and managed more than 74 business owners who produced $48 million in annual revenue.

Before moving to ServiceMaster, Schneeweis served as the regional vice president of Clear Choice USA, a replacement window and window treatment company with more than 150 franchise locations across the United States and Canada.

"It's exciting to be coming into the Zoom Drain family at this time of accelerated growth," Schneeweis said. "This is a wonderful opportunity to put the skills I've learned with other franchising organizations to use in developing a program that will speak to the needs of our franchise owners while ensuring their experience within our organization is smooth and efficient."

Zoom Drain began in 1995 after Criniti borrowed $3,000 from his mother-in-law to start the drain cleaning business. It launched its franchising program in 2015 and partnered with a private equity firm, MPK Equity Partners, in 2020 to help grow its franchising business.