Clean the World founder and CEO Shawn Seipler received a huge honor on Saturday, Dec. 12, when he accepted the Excellence Award at the 18th Annual Don Quijote Awards in Orlando.

The Hispanic Business Initiative Fund of Florida, Inc. (HBIF) and the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando (HCCMO) host the awards. They recognize and celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit of individuals who have shown the character of great strength, courage, conviction, and determination, just as the beloved character of Spanish literature.

The Don Quijote Awards go to business and professional men and women whose efforts have translated into success, at a ceremony that has become the premier event in Central Florida´s Hispanic community.

Saturday’s gala at Epcot’s World Showcase Pavilion was especially meaningful because it recognized visionaries, dreamers, and business men and women who were willing to take risks to achieve those dreams. As Shawn said before the event, “This nomination honors my Puerto Rican heritage, and I share it with my family members who helped me start Clean the World in a tiny Orlando garage. We had a vision to save lives globally, but no more than potato peelers, grinders, and a few countertop cookers to get going. From that humble start, we created a global hygiene revolution.”

If the nomination was humbling for Shawn – then hearing his name announced as the winner of the Excellence Award was surreal. There to cheer him on were family members, friends, and colleagues who have been part of Clean the World from the beginning.

It was a fantastic night of recognition, and a celebration of manufacturing 30 million bars of recycled soap and providing hygiene education to at-risk people around the world – all in just six years. We want to thank the Hispanic Business Initiative Fund of Florida, Inc. and the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando for everything they do to serve the community, and for this meaningful award.

(below: Shawn with his wife and parents, and with longtime Clean the World supporter and board member Dr. Paul Skomsky.)