The International Franchise Association (IFA) named Jerome Philips of A Place At Home – South Portland as Franchisee of the Year. Philips was honored at IFA’s 62nd Annual Convention in San Diego, California, for being an outstanding franchise establishment owner-operator.
“Franchisee of the Year Awards are the highest honors presented to individual franchisees,” said Matthew Haller, President and CEO of the International Franchise Association. “These local business owners, like Jerome, represent some of the best entrepreneurs in the country. We are proud to recognize his contributions to his community, his employees, and all those he serves.”
The Franchisee of the Year Award recognizes leading franchisees who exemplify at least one of IFA’s “Open for Opportunity” core pillars: Community, Workforce, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and Veterans.
Philips Committed to Change
Philips is passionate about keeping seniors in their homes longer, with a better quality of life. That mission means providing his clients with safe and effective care and ensuring that his caregivers have a safe and inclusive environment with which to provide that service.
Over the years, Portland has struggled with racial and cultural disparity within its local healthcare system. This has made providing safe and quality care difficult. In the past, clients and other customers have had the option to say they don’t want care provided by someone with an accent or from a particular ethnic background. And healthcare agencies have had the option of accommodating those requests.
Jerome’s stance on these issues goes beyond how he operates A Place At Home. He’s committed to seeing a change from a higher level. He partnered with the Oregon Healthcare Association (OHCA). Together, they’ve advocated for their caregivers. They’ve had discussions with legislators at a state-level expressing their concerns. “We’re talking to them and giving them very real stories. They really don’t understand what it’s like for our employees.” He is working to break down roadblocks and navigate barriers to lift up the people in his community. Read the complete story here.
Beyond advocating for inclusion, Jerome is the first owner to add an additional office strictly for training his caregivers. His commitment to providing compassionate care with passionate professionals won him Home Care Pulse’s Top Client and Top Caregiver Satisfaction awards. He is passionate about improving his community, building his caregivers up, and creating long-term, quality relationships. On winning the award, Jerome said, “It has been an incredible journey, and couldn’t imagine a better team to guide the ride with. This award is shared with every A Place At Home location, new and old, as they have all provided the mentorship and guidance to improve our processes on a daily basis.”
Franchising Opportunities
A recent IFA study showed that franchising helped lead U.S. economic recovery in 2021, with exceptional job and business growth across all franchising sectors. The industry on average provides higher wages, better benefits, and more leave than non-franchised businesses, as well as greater opportunities to underserved communities and aspiring entrepreneurs, according to Oxford Economics research. Franchisee of the Year recipients are examples of change-makers in the franchising world. If you are interested in learning more about an A Place At Home Franchise opportunity, complete our inquiry form.