We had the opportunity yesterday to get together with the ULI Women’s Leadership Initiative (WLI). The event was called “Developing your Entrepreneurial Leadership.” It was held at Stantec’s office in downtown Miami. The half day ULI event included three parts: Panel Discussion, Case Study, and Speed Networking Roundtables. Lisa Neumayer, Chair of ULI WLI, kicked off the forum with a warm welcome and special thanks to Stantec, the main sponsor.
The panel discussion included three accomplished entrepreneurs: Arden Karson of Karson and Companies, Adriana Jaegerman of Stantec, and Jay Massirman of Rivergate Companies. It was moderated by Adam Greenfader Chairman of AG&T. The discussion included questions on education, creating boundaries between personal life and work, dealing with failure, opportunities to champion women entrepreneurs, mentorship, and what it takes to become a successful entrepreneur.
The live case study featured an interactive question and answer session with Amanda Staerker who shared her vision of transitioning from landscape architecture to the development of boutique Caribbean hospitality projects. The ULI team reviewed her business plan and collaborated in better defining her vision with several helpful suggestions for the expansion plan.
The day’s events concluded with a speed networking forum where all the panelist and participants had the opportunity to meet, exchange ideas, and share contact information.
Special thanks to Sydney Ramirez, Senior Director at ULI SE Florida/Caribbean and the whole team at ULI.
Why Puerto Rico Now interview with Adam Greenfader of AG&T and Robbie Karver of PR Consultants. The interview was held in San Juan, Puerto Rico at the recent Investor Mastermind conference.
Together they discuss investment opportunities in Puerto Rico. In this interview, Adam and Robbie discuss why the island is ready for great growth. They also explain why the island’s economy may provide insulation from some of the global economic issues causing the recession. Below are some excerpts from the book. Coming soon and launching in September 2022.
In every crisis, there is an opportunity.
Today, we find ourselves recovering from a worldwide pandemic. Supply line challenges caused by COVID 19 has made the production, distribution, and storage of critical supplies a top national priority. Puerto Rico, with over 70 years of critical manufacturing experience, is in an ideal position to lead the fight against COVID 19 for the United States. In the midst of all these challenges, there are silver linings.
Today, Puerto Rico is about to receive the largest allocation of Federal relief funds in U.S. History.
In what is being called Operation Bootstrap 2.0., Puerto Rico will receive over 80 billion dollars. This includes money to construct homes, critical infrastructure, renewable energy, and other vital projects.
In addition to relief funds, Puerto Rico and the Internal Revenue Service have created a series of tax incentives. Their goal is to bring in new businesses and people to the island. Act 20/22 (now Act 60) had the unintended consequence of attracting a new breed of entrepreneurs – blockchain and crypto investors. Suddenly, Puerto Rico finds itself leading a technological revolution with thousands of people bringing new ideas, connections, and capital to the island.
Discover Puerto Rico Tourism video (2:45 s) highlights Puerto Rico’s unique selling proposition for tourism in 2022 and beyond. Interviews with Adam Greenfader of AG&T and Federico Stubbe of PRISA Group discuss the island’s rich culture, robust infrastructure, great airlift, and other benefits such as Federal tax incentives. Watch the video to learn how you can be part of Puerto Rico’s booming hospitality and tourism industry.
Puerto Rico means business. The island’s supportive ecosystem empowers entrepreneurs’ forward-looking vision with a spectrum of assets, including smart tax incentives, a highly skilled bilingual workforce, U.S. legal & financial frameworks, and an advanced network infrastructure.
Andrew was previously Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Insignia Financial Group, Inc. – which went public after three years and after merging with CB Richard Ellis became the largest owner/ operator of multifamily residential housing in the United States with approximately 275,000 apartments and over 200 million square feet of commercial space. Today, Andrew Farkas is currently Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Island Capital which presently owns a controlling interests in approximately $5 billion assets including C-III Capital Partners, NAI Global, PZR, andIsland Global Yachting or IGY.IGY is the largest owner, operator and developer of yachting oriented resorts in the world.Mr. Farkas is also dedicated philanthropist with a specific focus in the arts, children, and the environment.Today, Andrew is committed to ESG (Environment Social Governance) investments in housing, hospitality, and infrastructure, that address key social imperatives. He is particularly interested in helping the Caribbean address its migration challenges caused by economic hardship.
Some of the questions in this Video:
Puerto Rico and The Bahamas have been recently devastated by major hurricanes. What impact has this had on your lending?
Is ESG important to your fund?
Do you look at a project’s sustainable elements when making funding or acquisition decisions?
How has the Caribbean region recovered from the COVID pandemic? Do you see any long-term changes to travel, tourism, or hospitality in the Caribbean?
Do you work with island governments, with local Caribbean banks?
How important is it for you to have local players as part of your management team or funds?
IGY announced plans to achieve carbon neutrality at all facilities in the IGY network by 2025.
Can you explain this program and how you help your guests to participate in carbon offsetting of their own commercial and recreational activities.
If you could wave your proverbial magic wand for the Caribbean (Puerto Rico) what would you like to see change?
The Governor of Puerto Rico Pedro Pierluisi made the historic announcement at The Puerto Rico Symposium in Miami that Puerto Rico was officially out of bankruptcy. The message was well received by over 250 industry leaders from both the public and private sectors. The event was organized by The Urban Land Institute South East Florida / Caribbean and The Puerto Rico Builders Association.
Governor Pedro Pierluisi makes historic announcement
The Symposium was kicked-off by Scott McLaren, President ULI SE Florida / Caribbean. Scott spoke about the longstanding relationship and collaboration between ULI and the Puerto Rico Builders Association. He highlighted the work on the ULI National Advisory Services Panel on social, economic, and physical resilience in Toa Baja, Puerto Rico. https://seflorida.uli.org/toa-baja-puerto-rico-panel/
Scott Maclaren finished his remarks by recognizing Vanessa de Mari, the new President of the Puerto Rico Builders Association and the first women president in the organization’s 70 year history. The Symposium was dedicated to this historic accomplishment. In attendance were some of Puerto Rico’s top government leaders. This included the Honorable Pedro Pierluisi, Governor of Puerto Rico, Manuel Laboy, COR3 Executive Director, Maretzie Diaz, Deputy Director PR Housing Department CDBG-DR, Natalia I. Zequeira, Commissioner of Financial Institutions, and in attendance, the Secretary of Housing of Puerto Rico, William Rodríguez Rodríguez. The keynote address by the Honorable Pedro Pierluisi, Governor of Puerto Rico’s highlighted the island’s economic accomplishments, the end of Puerto Rico’s population exodus, and the conclusion of the bankruptcy which was officially announced the day of the Symposium.
In the private sector, Ricardo Alvarez-Diaz, CEO, Alvarez-Diaz & Villalon discussed some of progress of the island’s rebuilding after the 2017 hurricanes Irma and Maria. The reconstruction of the island was a constant theme throughout the day with specific examples of over 900 started projects.
The first panel, “Why Puerto Rico: Stories of Success, was a testament to the resiliency of the development community. Moderated by Andrew Carlson, SVP Country Manager, of JLL the discussion highlighted the historic growth of the island’s hospitality sector with the construction and/or renovation of over 3,000 new room keys from El Conquistador, Grand Reserve (formerly known as Coco Beach), Sheraton, AC , and many others. The panel included Federico Sanchez, President & CEO, Interlink Group.
Dan Kodsi, Brad Dean, Rafael Rojo, Andrew Carson
Dan Kodsi, CEO, Royal Palm Companies, Rafael E. Rojo, President & CEO, VRM Companies. Also in attendance was Brad Dean, CEO, Discover Puerto Rico who highlighted the island’s impressive tourism growth (ADR and occupancy rates) during the Covid 19 pandemic and new expansion of tourism throughout all U.S. feeder markets.
As Puerto Rico seeks to build back its tourism and other industries, the financial sector will invariably play a major role. One of the goals of the Puerto Rico Symposium was to facilitate the conversation of growth in both traditional banking as well as new Fintech, IFEs, and other debt/equity players. Natalia I. Zequeira, Commissioner of Financial Institutions, explained the ease of regulations and process for new financial institutions as Puerto Rico shares many of the same regulations of the U.S. states on the mainland. Ms. Zequeira also mentioned that International Financial Entities (IFE) can now participate in special opportunity projects.
Michael McDonnell, Executive Vice President, First Bank, that recently re-opened its construction division, was bullish on the island’s economic prospects and announced that the Puerto Rico will achieve positive economic growth (GDP) this year– something it has not done in over a decade. Banesco USA announced the U.S. Department of the Treasury, will invest more than $8.7 billion through ECIP in institutions across the country – Banesco USA is the only bank recipient located in Florida or Puerto Rico.
Over the last few years, we have all hear about the 80 billion dollars of relief aid that has been allocated to Puerto Rico and is coming. In the “Myth versus Reality panel: Federal Funding Opportunities on The Island,” moderator Ella Woger Nieves of Invest Puerto Rico helped lift-up the proverbial transparency veil. Manuel Laboy, the COR3 Executive Director spoke with detailed facts of the funding by agency with FEMA authorizing 5 billion for temporary work, 21 Billion for 9,000 permanent projects and 800 that are currently under construction today. He also discussed the next wave of over 900 projects that are currently under engineering and design. Much of this work will be channeled through CDBG-DR and the PR Housing Department. Maretzie Diaz, the Deputy Director PR Housing Department, explained the process for companies wanting to participate in the island’s rebuilding of housing and infrastructure. Mahdu Beriwal, Owner/founder of EIM provided first-hand knowledge of the rebuilding work in Puerto Rico.
Adam Greenfader, Ricardo Alvarez-Diaz, Pamela Pautenade, Vanessa de Mari, Alfredo Martinez, Emilion Colon
Keynote Speaker Pamela Pautenade, Ex. Deputy Secretary of HUD, was also on hand to share her experiences about the collaboration with the Puerto Rico Builders Association during the 2017 hurricanes crisis. In a moving conversation with Ricardo Alvarez-Diaz, Mrs. Pautenade explained the dedication of the island’s public and private sectors and dispelled any rumors about misuse of relief funds.
Andrew Farkas, Adam Greenfader
Puerto Rico, like much of the Caribbean is in the process of bouncing back from the Covid 19 pandemic. Adam Greenfader, who chairs the ULI Caribbean Council had a high level sit down conversation with keynote Speaker Andrew Farkas, CEO Island Capital Group. The conversation was focused on social equity and specifically what role the financial sector has in supporting the region with a particular focus on sustainability, ESG, and helping economic migrants return back to their island homes.
In the last few years Puerto Rico has become known as blockchain capital of the world. While thousands of tech savvy individuals have moved to the island to take advantage of federal tax incentives they have inadvertently created a new economic driver for the Puerto Rico.
In our “Fintech & Financial Innovation panel in Puerto Rico, Moderator Nathan Whigham, Founder & President, EN Capital discussed the growth of this huge industry. Rodrick Miller, CEO, Invest Puerto Rico, explained what his group is doing to change the paradigm in Puerto Rico from selling tax incentives to focusing on the island’s quality of labor, education system, and proficiency in bio science and other innovations. Stephen Inglis, CEO, Importal explained his new portal to monetize tax credits and Yael Tamar, CEO & Co-founder, SolidBlock explained how her company is integrating real estate and blockchain.
After a marathon day of conversation it was amazing to see the room still full for our last panel “Growth Industries and Tax Incentives” moderated by Carla Campos and an all-star team including Jorge Ruiz Montilla, McConnel Valdez, Francisco Luis, of Kevane Grant Thornton and Rogelio “Roy” Carrasquillo, of the Carrasquillo Law Group. In this panel, specific programs like the Tourism Tax Incentive were explained in detail and there was robust conversation regarding how these incentives have created new jobs in manufacturing, life sciences, construction, and agro-science.
On behalf of all of us at the Puerto Rico Builders Association and The Urban Land Institute SE Florida/ Caribbean, thank you to all of the people and sponsors that made The Puerto Rico Symposium possible. We are all hopeful that together both the public and private sector can create long lasting sustainable economic growth.
For more information about investing in Puerto Rico visit our web site or contact us.
Adam Greenfader, Managing partner of AG&T (7 minute video) speaks on new opportunities in Puerto Rico. Learning this video about the the island’s history and how you can learn from the past to generate real value and long term economic growth. The video includes new information about tax incentives, the tourism tax incentive, Act 20/22, and other tax credits for real estate development. Contact us for more information and to learn about Why Puerto Rico Now
The ULI Webinar has an incredible array of information crammed into 90 minutes and it gives a great snapshot for the many initiatives being introduced and planned to help the Puerto Rican economy and create more quality jobs. If I had to some it up in three words, Mo is back. Mo of course being momentum.
Each of the speakers brought a different perspective. Congresswoman Gonzalez Colon noted her primary mission is the reconstruction of the Island and to shephard the many supporting bills recently introduced in the US Congress. Former Governor Luis Fortuno brought an informed Wash DC think tank perspective, Adam Greenfader is one of Puerto Rico´s most passionate advocates, Andy Carlson of JLL (Jones Lang LaSalle) brings experienced commercial insights from the world´s second largest public brokerage firm, Dr Deusch stated his case for the reasons he brought his Swiss/German manufacturing business to Puerto Rico because of a need for precision and reliability, while Noel Zamot has a finger on the ethical pulse of developing new business in Puerto Rico.
The conversations were upbeat and positive. For instance, Congresswoman Colon made a presentation on MMEDS which was introduced last month to Congress under the bill H.R. 7527. This bill provides tax incentives and tax credits for companies creating manufacturing plants and jobs in economically distressed areas in the US and its territories. The criteria for distressed is even stricter than the recent Opportunity Zone legislation passed in late 2017. When the Congresswoman showed the MMEDS qualifying maps there were smaller areas in very non desirable locations in the US whereas Puerto Rico literally had a much larger proportional area in some desirable locations. And she stated very clearly that MMEDS is one of the very few legislative items that is drawing bi-partisan support from both sides of the aisle.
The entire panel then weighed in on the competitive advantages that Puerto Rico has when competing with the mainland U.S. including much lower labor costs by as much as 60% lower in some cases, an experienced manufacturing labor force going back 100 years, the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez which is a top 10% engineering school for the entire U.S. and which is very much geared to provide the engineering and chemistry talent to support Puerto Rico´s manufacturing base. That even today five of the top ten selling drugs internationally are produced in Puerto Rico and 12 of the top 20 pharmaceutical companies have plants in Puerto Rico. Luis Fortuno noted that Puerto Rico had more than $40 billion USD in pharmaceutical exports in 2019 but has the capacity to increase this substantially. The panel noted that some closed down plants are almost in turnkey conditions should manufacturers wish to return or expand capacity. It would not take much. Maybe a recession of the Jones Act, or at least an exemption for an extended period of time, might be the necessary catalyst. There are some interesting new developments on this front as was evidenced last week by Hawaii noting that 85% of their informed populace is all for rescinding the Jones Act as it costs that Island 1.2 billion USD in additional transportation and cost of goods fees.
Progress is being made on seeking some type of exemption under the taxing provisions of GILTI as it adds a 10%+ tax on profits for CFCs (controlled foreign corporations) which unfortunately applies to the US territories since the do not fall under the IRC (Internal Revenue Code). On May 1, 2020, Congresswoman Stacey E. Plasket, representing the US Virgin Islands, filed Bill HR 6648 – the Territorial Economic Recovery Act, that if becomes law, it will exclude our territories from much or all of the GILTI taxation, under certain provisions.
On April 3, 2020, Congresswoman Jennifer González, resident Commissioner for Puerto Rico, introduced Bill HR 6643, the Securing National Supply Chain Act of 2020, to provide various tax credits to Economically Distressed Zones, including a tax credit on the amount of wages paid by an employer to employees in such a zone. The proposal has some overlap with HR 7527 noted above.
