Leadership Team
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.
Ernie and Kathryn Padalino (Co-founders)
Co-founders of COOL-BINZ
COOL-BINZ was established by husband-and-wife-team Ernie and Kathryn Padalino in 2017, after Hurricane Irma devastated their neighborhood in Naples, Florida. “The heat, humidity, and storage just weren’t a good mix,” said Ernie, “so we knew we needed to develop a better solution to help people.”
Since then, the Padalinos have researched and developed the best methods to create a fully insulated storage bin with properly functioning climate control, and they continue to develop new ways to improve their COOL-BINZ products. Most recently, Ernie, Kathryn, and their COOL-BINZ team experienced a full-circle moment when they were able to help neighbors throughout the Southwest Florida community rebuild in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian.
The Padalinos share a strong passion for helping others in need and providing innovative solutions to homeowners and business owners. With that in mind, they decided to partner with BELFOR Franchise Group, one of the world’s largest residential and commercial services franchisors. The Padalinos are ecstatic to offer aspiring entrepreneurs a rewarding franchise opportunity that will soon provide communities across the country access to their climate-controlled portable storage bins.
Stephan Taub
Director of Franchise Development, COOL-BINZ
Stephan has decades of relatable experience working in various business leadership and development roles in the investment banking industry. He is passionate about using the skills and insights he has gained through his career to help others achieve their business ownership goals through franchising.
