Execs named in auto, retail, health and distribution industries
This edition of Climbing the Corporate Ladder features appointments at Toyota de Puerto Rico, the Puerto Rican Association of Shopping Centers, Centers 330 and B. Fernández Holding.
New leadership at Toyota de Puerto Rico
Toyota de Puerto Rico (TDPR) announced the appointment of Jaycie Dane as its new president as current President George Christoff retires after 35 years of service in various positions and markets.
Dane joined Toyota de Puerto Rico in 2023 as vice president and general manager of operations. Before this role, she served as Lexus Division general manager at Toyota Motor North America.
During her 32 years at Toyota, Dane has held several positions with the Toyota, Lexus and Scion brands in North America and the Latin America Caribbean Region. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville and an MBA from California State University.
“My 11 years at Toyota de Puerto Rico have been rewarding. I had the unique opportunity to work with the industry’s most valuable and respected professionals while having the honor to immerse myself in the local culture and society. As I retire, I’m confident [Dane] and her team will take Toyota and Lexus to their next level of excellence,” said Christoff.
“I accept this new position with happiness and humbleness. Puerto Rico is an important market for us, with many loyal customers who love Toyota and Lexus,” said Dane.
“This is a great responsibility to continue serving our Toyota dealers and customers. This new position provides me the opportunity to develop new initiatives to strengthen our position in the market and continue providing our customers with the products, technology and reliability they expect,” she said.
The Puerto Rican Association of Shopping Centers (ACCP, in Spanish) announced that Marnie Marquina will be the new chairwoman in 2025. Her plans will focus on continuing the work carried out since 2020, which has united the shopping center industry under one voice.
Marquina, who was named president-elect at the 2023 Annual Meeting, will begin her duties as chairwoman in January. Adolfo “Tito” González, who chaired the ACCP for the past four years, will continue to serve on the board of directors as past chair, supporting the board as needed.
“It’s a real honor for me to take the reins of an association that has achieved great changes in such a short time and has become a very strong group that immediately addresses the issues that affect us as an industry,” said Marquina.
“It’s a challenge that I accept with great responsibility to continue actively contributing to the government, our partners, tenants, employees and the communities that visit us,” she said.
The new board of directors is as follows:
- Chairwoman – Marnie Marquina, general manager of The Mall of San Juan
- Vice chairman – Edwin Tavárez, general manager of Plaza Las Américas and Plaza del Caribe
- Secretary – Francis Xavier González, president of Curzon PR, owner of nine shopping centers, including Plaza Río Hondo and Plaza del Sol
- Treasurer – César Vázquez, president of Plaza Guayama Inc., parent company of Céntrico shopping center
- Former chairman – Adolfo “Tito” González, president of Empresas Caparra, owner of San Patricio Plaza, Liberty Square, T-Mobile Center and Galería San Patricio
330 Primary Health Centers appoint new board chair
The Puerto Rico Primary Health Association (ASPPR, in Spanish), which represents 330 centers throughout the island, announced the appointment of Tania Rodríguez as chairwoman of its board of directors, effective this month.
Rodríguez, who has more than 20 years of experience in health care, serves as the executive director of Migrant Health Center Inc., one of the oldest and fastest-growing 330 Centers in Puerto Rico.
“At this institution, she has played a key role in the creation and implementation of integrated projects that provide primary health care, mental health, HIV prevention and substance abuse treatment, targeting historically marginalized populations. Her leadership has been key in structuring and optimizing the center’s care model, which has allowed for the expansion and improvement of services for thousands of patients” said ASPPR Executive Director Darielys Cordero-Rosario.
With a doctorate in industrial and organizational psychology and a master’s degree in health services administration, Rodríguez is recognized for her innovative approach and commitment to the well-being of underserved communities.
Throughout her career, she has led projects funded by organizations such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the Health Resources and Services Administration, and AIDS United.
“My main goal in this new role will be to continue promoting excellence in primary health care in Puerto Rico,” said Rodríguez. “In addition, my focus will be to inspire and motivate all the collaborators of the 330 Centers to provide health services based on equity, quality and respect, ensuring that our communities receive care, free of discrimination.”
B. Fernández announces new president
The board of directors of B. Fernández Holding Co., through its CEO, José Teixidor, announced the appointment of Ángel E. Vázquez as president of the business conglomerate, which includes B. Fernández & Hnos., Pan Pepín, Marvel International and B. Fernández Investment.
“At B. Fernández & Hnos., we’re extremely grateful that Ángel E. Vázquez has accepted this new assignment. We know that with his vast experience and leadership in our company, he will continue the commitment we have not only with our clients but also with Puerto Rico, positioning the B. Fernández Holding Group among the best in the industry,” said Teixidor.
Vázquez joined the group 21 years ago as general manager and was later named president of B. Fernández & Hnos., the oldest food, beverage and household products distributor in Puerto Rico.
In that role, he led the establishment of a new operational and sales structure that drove sustained business growth, doubling sales, positioning Busch Light as the second best-selling beer in Puerto Rico, and diversifying its portfolio with the addition of lines such as Altria (Philip Morris), Smuckers, Pringles, Keebler and Mars.
In 2021, following its internal leadership development model designed to expose talent to the different facets of its businesses, B. Fernández Holding and its board of directors entrusted Vázquez with leading Pan Pepín as its president.
Over the past three years, Pan Pepín has expanded to the Dominican Republic through the acquisition of two leading companies in that market and the modernization of operations. At the same time, Pan Pepín, a leading brand in Puerto Rico, has accelerated innovations in line with new consumer trends, including the development of new product platforms such as “Ñaquers.”
