SAN JUAN-DERFUL FORWARD-LOOKING JORGE PEREZ MAKES AN ISLAND IMPACT IN PUERTO RICO’S RECOVERY
Jorge Perez points from the San Juan Convention Center across the street where The District is under construction to serve as the newest entertainment complex in the city.
walked into a driving and howling wind before he safely reached a room at the Sheraton across the street, a place he would call home for himself, wife Mily, and son Andres Fernando, for some 45 days. The convention center would swell by another 200 to 250 people who walked in to the facility before Maria made landfall. “It was scary just leading up to it and knowing it was coming,”
Perez said. “I knew it was going to hit pretty hard. If it does I’m not going to be able to make it to the building if I’m not close. “As I walked to the hotel that night, I thought, God bless the build-
ing, our employees, and our families,” Perez said. “You get really emotional because this is something major about to happen. You already feel it and there is nothing you can do because it is hours away. I was praying. I hope everyone is well and our building holds up. It was a constant wind that never stopped.” A Jeep arrived the next morning to drive Perez to the conven- tion center about 9 am. What Perez saw revealed that many of his prayers had been answered. “The building passed all the major wind tests, the 180-200 mph water come in even though we had sandbags. It was about three “The people here were in a very good situation. We had hot meals, air conditioning, water. We had more than enough cots.” The local National Guard prepared portable shower stations in the loading dock area so that up to 30 men could shower at one time or 30 women at one time. Everything funneled through FEMA as it rented out the building for three months before leaving on Decem- ber 24.
“One of the best memories is to see how people came together
and how communities came together,” Perez said. “One of the rea- sons we were able to get on our feet so quickly was the communities coming together. One family would be in charge of the bread, an- other the gasoline. They all came together. “The biggest thing I learned is the capability we have to have em-
pathy. When you know somebody is going through the same thing, have electric power. You have to move in the same direction. That
28 Facility Manager Magaziner Magazine
brought people together.” center taking care of the needs of government personnel, military personnel, evacuees, and really anyone needing help. “Our employees were just amazing,” Perez said. “You see what
kind of character people have when they are under adversity. It’s a slept here, literally sleeping here to keep the building running.
they made it here coming up to the building. ‘I’m here, how can I have very easily stayed home but you had people going out of their way to get here to help. to 10,000 meals served each day? If we weren’t able to serve hot - TION CENTER FAILS. But we had our generators working, a food inventory, and employees. If any of those in that triangle don’t go well everything collapses.” Instead, the venue was in full operation some 48-72 hours after the
hurricane. Two meeting rooms were prepared to host Puerto Rico While the venue quickly became operational, many parts of the island have not been so fortunate. Perez estimates that today some 10 percent remain without electric power, mostly in nether remote locations. “I had a reporter ask me where I was during it all,” Perez said. “I
answered that I was right here but that I was not in the role of just a general manager. Our team is key in this reconstruction. We know that. We hosted the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association in Jan- was not a given considering the extreme conditions we faced. Now, we are excited and looking forward.” As Jorge Perez always does.
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