General News

Richardson, Texas – September 14, 2026 -- Trey Thomas-Piazza, the first-ever franchisee of Service Experts, has been named a 2026 Franchisee of the Year by the International Franchise Association (IFA), marking a milestone for the residential HVAC company's year-old franchise system.

Service Experts launched franchising in 2025 after three decades as a corporate-owned business

Thomas-Piazza, who previously served as General Manager of the company's Tulsa market after years in maintenance, installation and operations leadership, became the system's inaugural franchisee when the program launched. His transition gave Service Experts an early test case for refining franchise infrastructure while maintaining continuity for employees, customers and vendor partners in the market he already managed.

Newport Beach, Calif. – September 14, 2026 -- Maksim Markevich, Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer of PVFARM, has been named a finalist in the Rising Star Individual category of the 2026 Platts Global Energy Awards, organized by S&P Global Energy. Winners of the 28th annual awards will be announced on September 14, 2026, following review by an independent panel of international energy experts.

Markevich is one of finalists selected from 36 countries, with more than 57% originating outside the United States. Other nations represented among finalists include Belgium, Denmark, Spain, Turkey and China, across 19 award categories spanning the global energy and chemicals value chain.