The Puerto Rico Chamber of Commerce (PRCC) honored Christiansen & Portela, a leading local real-estate firm, with the Zenit Award for its excellence in commercial development. It could not have come at a better time, since the firm is celebrating its 10th anniversary in the commercial and industrial real-estate industry.

“We are very grateful for the award; it is a very special tribute. The acknowledgement is not only for us, Christiansen and Portela the partners, but for our staff and executives, especially Gerald Christiansen Jr., vice president of industrial sales; Ryan Christiansen, office & commercial sales specialist; David Pérez, land sales specialist; and Myrna Fuentes, COO,” said Christiansen & Portela Principal Gerald Christiansen.

Christiansen & Portela’s relationship with the PRCC has been productive, according to Christiansen. “The PRCC has always been a facilitating agent in Puerto Rico’s business scene. We are very proud of being members, especially when the PRCC has demonstrated its strong capacity to attract foreign businesses to the island,” he said.

Christiansen refers specifically to the “First Summit Doing Business in Puerto Rico” event, held earlier this year in New York, which brought local companies together with big industry players, such as Wal-Mart and Amgen, among others. “The way in which the private sector united was amazing. It was an important and fruitful event,” Christiansen said.

Although the local economic recession has slowed down growth in the commercial and industrial sectors, the PRCC has served as a vehicle for finding opportunities in Puerto Rico as well as in foreign countries, according to Christiansen. “Manuel [Mejía, current PRCC president] has an infectious and productive energy. He goes out of his way to put together tremendous performances…the kind of things that motivate people to be part of the PRCC,” Christiansen said.

Regardless of the island’s political and economic situation, Christiansen & Portela sees opportunities in the industry. “The situation truly poses a challenge. It forces you to come up with innovative ideas, explore new markets and make products accessible to the consumer,” he said. The firm currently has more than one million square feet of space available for manufacturing, ready to operate.

Among the firm’s plans is the relocation of its headquarters to Roosevelt Avenue in December. Within 10,000 square feet, every department (advertising, sales, financial services, etc.) will share the same office space, consolidating Christiansen & Portela’s operations.

Property disposition and acquisition, site search and selection, relocation, location consulting, project evaluations, marketing plan design and leasing are among Christiansen & Portela’s real-estate solutions for commercial and industrial customers. Its knowledge, experience, aggressive sales and marketing and innovative solutions to real-estate problems have earned the company an enviable position with the local commercial and industrial real-estate brokerage community.