Jalal Farooq Discusses how Al-Farooq Corporation is preparing for 2018 hurricane season

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With storms Irma and Maria on their minds, CEOs preparing for 2018 hurricane season

Q: Are you doing anything differently to prepare your business for this hurricane season, following last year’s season?

 

As a business, the most important thing to make sure is that our data is secure, and we’ve done that. Al-Farooq Corporation specializes in engineering for impact-resistant windows, doors and building envelopes, and I would remind everyone that South Florida has the toughest hurricane codes in the country. With that in mind, if I were in an older building, I would have it checked out by a structural engineer.

Jalal Farooq, principal, Al-Farooq Corporation

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While Community Care Plan was well prepared for last year’s hurricane season, for this hurricane season, we implemented full redundancy in all of our critical operating systems through the use of cloud technology. Where we are preparing differently is for disasters that occur on an everyday basis. With the tragic shootings that happened this year at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, we learned that as a healthcare company, we need to be prepared to deal with aspects beyond operations, including the physical, mental, and emotional issues that our employees and members might deal with, on any day.

John Benz, president, CEO, Community Care Plan

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We have always had a strong hurricane season protocol, but this year we are probably going to enhance it even more. We can operate for a week on our generator system without having to refuel. We purchase emergency supplies, water, and plywood for our employees to be able to maintain them at work, yet we want to make sure that their homes and loved ones are kept safe as well. We have an entire step by step program of all that has to be done in the event of a storm.

Armando Caceres, CEO, founder, All Florida Paper

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When dealing in the international marketplace, we cannot allow local issues, like hurricanes, to interfere with our ability to service our clients. By relocating our operations to a site with a backup generator, securing redundant internet service from multiple providers and switching to a cloud-based software system, we are now better prepared to face the consequences of a natural disaster.

Ralph De La Rosa, president, CEO, Imperial Freight

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Yes, we recently launched our new Business Continuity program on June 1. This effort is part of our One Community One Goal initiative to support community resiliency during and after the hurricane season. According to FEMA, 40 percent of small and medium size businesses do not survive the economic impact of a severe storm. This initiative has been created to provide the necessary tools for businesses to prepare prior to the storm and continue operating after the storm has passed.

Michael A. “Mike” Finney, president, CEO, Miami-Dade Beacon Council

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Just as we do every year, the University of Miami has comprehensive plans in place to protect our students, faculty, and staff should a hurricane reach our area. As soon as hurricane season begins, we ensure that everyone in our community receives the most up to date information through a variety of mediums to help them prepare for a possible storm.

Dr. Julio Frenk, president, University of Miami

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Yes, this season we are stocking up on more merchandise from our factories because if a hurricane hits Central America or the Caribbean, it takes the region quite a long time to recoup and not being prepared could negatively impact our inventory.

Kaizad Hansotia, founder, CEO, Gurkha Cigars

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I think we had all gotten a bit complacent when it came to hurricane season and Irma was a rude awakening. Needless to say, we’ve gotten an early start in examining our preparedness plans.

Javier Holtz, chairman, CEO, Marquis Bank

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We are negotiating contracts and pricing with top restoration firms in advance of storm season in order to have the needed emergency personnel on sites following any damage. We are also in the process of designing flood panels for some of our sites to reduce future water damage, where appropriate. In addition, we are continuing to improve our policies and procedures with the goal to prioritize the safety of our employees, residents, guests and properties.

Camilo Miguel Jr., founder, CEO, Mast Capital

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As a lifelong Florida resident and someone who huddled in a bathroom with my four small children during Hurricane Andrew, I take every hurricane season seriously. This year will be no different.

Noreen Sablotsky, founder, CEO, Imalac

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The museum has a very detailed and extensive Hurricane Preparedness Plan that we just completed reviewing as we do each year prior to hurricane season. We follow the Miami-Dade County Evacuation Plans and remain open as long as possible to serve our families. Being in contact with all of our team members is very important through the evacuation and recovery, so we keep our telephone tree updated with at least two numbers per person.

Deborah Spiegelman, CEO, Miami Children’s Museum

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Like most South Florida companies, hurricane preparedness is a normal part of what we do, and we look to minimize impact to our business, our customers and our employees. As an organization that provides home protection and warranty services to customers across the country in times of need, Cross Country Home Services (CCHS) has made hurricane preparedness a way of life. And with call center operations being a significant part of our business, we have learned to look at preparation differently and more efficiently to ensure less wear and tear on our business and our people. With a well-documented Business Continuity Plan that’s tested and enhanced regularly, we have been able to continue normal business operations during the major storms with no noticeable impact to our customers.

Steve Upshaw, CEO, Cross Country Home Services

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Al-Farooq Corporation’s Jalal Farooq Selected for Miami Herald CEO Roundtable

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Twice a year, the Miami Herald goes on the hunt for new members for its CEO Roundtable. As chief executives at small businesses, large corporations and nonprofits in a range of industries, the Roundtable business leaders are intimately familiar with the local economy and the topics that affect companies and their workforce.  

Principal and Senior Project Engineer, Jalal Farooq was selected among twelve other executives to be featured in the Herald’s weekly discussion regarding the gender gap in management, hurricane season preparation in South Florida, tariffs, work-life balance, and more.  

Jalal Farooq is a principal and leader of Al-Farooq Corporation’s team of engineers who specialize in engineering, product development, and product consulting for building envelopes and impact-resistant windows and doors. He has a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Florida International University and has a master’s degree in structural engineering and geomechanics from Stanford University.

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John Benz is the president and CEO of Community Care Plan. Benz has more than 40 years of experience in the healthcare industry, working to strengthen the community by focusing on accelerated performance in service, quality, finance, people, and growth. He has a proven track record of developing and implementing transformational strategies and fostering collaboration by establishing clinical alliances and securing strategic partnerships in order to create highly integrated models of care.

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Armando Caceres is CEO and founder of All Florida Paper. The company, based in Medley, has about 100 employees and distributes throughout Florida, the Caribbean and Latin America. The company also celebrates its 25th anniversary this year.

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Ralph De La Rosa, who was born and raised in Miami, is building upon his late father’s pioneering legacy in international trade. Under De La Rosa’s direction for the past 20 years, Imperial Freight has grown into a full-service logistics firm with a global reach. Imperial Freight Brokers, founded in 1971, is based in Doral.

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Kelly-Ann Cartwright represents corporate clients in general civil and commercial litigation, with an emphasis on business torts and labor and employment law. She is the executive partner of Holland & Knight’s Miami office and chair of the firm’s Directors Committee. Cartwright was born in Guyana and came to the U.S. with her parents at age 11. She is a graduate of the University of Florida and University of Florida Levin College of Law.

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Michael A. “Mike” Finney is president and CEO of the Miami-Dade Beacon Council. He was previously senior adviser for economic growth and president & CEO of the Michigan Economic Development Corp. Finney also has been president and CEO of Ann Arbor SPARK; president and CEO of Greater Rochester Enterprise, Rochester, N.Y.; vice president, Emerging Business Sectors, MEDC; senior vice president and general manager, Thomson Saginaw Ball Screw Company; and assistant city manager, Saginaw, Michigan.

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Dr. Julio Frenk became president of the University of Miami in 2015. He was previously dean of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and minister of health of Mexico. He is the founding director-general of the National Institute of Public Health of Mexico and has held top positions at the World Health Organization and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, among others. He holds an M.D. from the National University of Mexico, and a master of public health and joint Ph.D. in medical care organization and sociology from the University of Michigan.

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Kaizad Hansotia has almost 30 years experience in the cigar business since launching the premium luxury cigar brand Gurkha Cigars. In launching Gurkha, Hansotia created what is known today as the ultra-premium cigar category and has set industry standards in the packaging of cigars. Gurkha Cigars produces millions of cigars per year that are sold in more than 70 countries worldwide.

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Javier Holtz was named chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Marquis Bank in 2010. Holtz has more than 30 years of banking experience with state and nationally chartered banks. Under his leadership, Marquis Bank has seen consecutive profitable quarters that include assets reaching over $580 million and recently earned its 21st consecutive five-star Bauer Financial Rating. Holtz is vice mayor of Indian Creek Village, where he has been a council member since March 2008.

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Camilo Miguel Jr. founded Mast Capital in 2006 and is its chief executive officer. He has ultimate responsibility for Mast Capital’s investment strategy, risk management, and operations. Mast Capital is an investor and developer of high-end for-sale residential, hospitality, office and retail projects, with a particular focus on high barriers-to-entry markets. Before founding Mast, Miguel was founder and president of Vertica Group, a land investment, and repositioning company, where he oversaw all aspects of the businesses, including acquisitions, entitlements, operations and asset management.

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Noreen Sablotsky is founder and chief executive officer of Imalac, a technology company focused on increasing the efficiency and practicality of breast pumping for lactating women by coupling breast massage either in conjunction with the use of an electric pump or as a stand-alone milk-expression system. She is also a limited partner in NGT3 (Nazareth, Israel). NGT3 is the second-generation fund of NGT (Next Generation Technology). NGT was founded in Nazareth in 2002 following a government resolution to establish a technological incubator in the Arab sector and encourage Arab and Jewish collaborative entrepreneurship.

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Deborah Spiegelman is the CEO of the Miami Children’s Museum. She is a nonprofit specialist with over 35 years of experience. Under her leadership, the museum has seen over 5 million visitors since opening in 2003 on Watson Island. The institution includes an onsite preschool and charter school serving 400 children a day, after-school programming in Liberty City for 200 students, and programs for children with autism and special needs.

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Steve Upshaw was appointed CEO of Cross Country Home Services in June 2015. He is a veteran in business transformation, with an emphasis on advancements in human capital, revenue diversification, company culture transformation, innovation, and technology. Upshaw is also experienced in developing and delivering consumer solutions through direct affinity partnerships and direct-to-consumer applications using multichannel marketing techniques.

Porcelanosa’s KRION® Ventilated Facade System

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We’ve recently been working with Porcelanosa, a global leader in the innovation, design, manufacture, and distribution of tile, kitchen and bath products, to engineer an updated ventilated façade system, and the product is now available in the Florida market.

The unique KRION® ventilated façade system is a new generation solid surface material that is warm to touch and similar to natural stone. Made of two-thirds natural minerals including aluminum trihydrate and a low percentage of high-resistance resins, the unique composition makes the “super panel” easy to clean and hard-wearing. It is also highly resistant, easy to repair, and requires minimum maintenance. The external cladding system allows for seamless sections to be created and prevents liquids from being absorbed – making it perfect for rainy climates.

Our engineers worked directly with Porcelanosa USA’s national director as we worked to get the product approved and made available for the Florida region.

“Working with Al-Farooq Corporation has not only been an excellent experience but an educational one as well,” said Ignacio Vidal, architect and national director at Porcelanosa USA. “They were always available to walk me through the process and what I learned from them about how to educate clients regarding the product has proven to be invaluable.”

Al-Farooq Corporation also engineering the KRION® façade system at Porcelanosa’s new headquarters located in Doral, FL.

A Valued Resource for The University of Miami

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For more than 20 years, Al-Farooq Corporation has been a valued engineering source for the University of Miami. Throughout the years, we have worked closely with the University, manufacturers, architects, and glazing contractors to provide engineering services for several of the University’s buildings on and off campus including The Frost School of Music, The Lennar Foundation Medical Center, The Newman Alumni Center, and The Richter Library.

Most recently, we worked to test the UM School of Architecture’s curtainwall design and have provided a one-time approval for the CS1325 Curtainwall system. From the project’s inception, we have worked closely with the manufacturer, ESWindows and the project’s glazing contractor, Ready Windows. The brand-new School of Architecture designed by Arquitectonica features 17 feet of single span framing with Casement window inserts and glass. The project was completed in the first quarter of this year, and we look forward to many more projects with the University of Miami in the years to come.