LaSalle Group to expand operations to North Carolina
Puerto Rico-based LaSalle Group, a consulting firm focused on ongoing improvement and transformation processes to develop leaders and high-performance organizations, announced the expansion of its operations to North Carolina.
Puerto Rican Executive Mayra Márquez has been appointed COO of the new stateside office.
LaSalle officials also confirmed their plans to export a new digital tool aimed at fostering innovation led by employees called Murmuratto. This digital tool is already being used by companies based both on the island and in the US mainland. It is expected to have “great acceptance” in the US market, including North Carolina, the executives said.
The 12-year-old firm has offered services to clients in markets including France, China, Ireland, Mexico, Canada, and the United States.
“This background has given our local professionals a broad perspective of organizational models. North Carolina is a market with a strong background in manufacturing, research and development that has seen significant growth in industries such as automotive manufacturing, biotechnology, and pharmaceuticals. LaSalle Group’s strength in manufacturing makes North Carolina an ideal location for our services,” said LaSalle President Yolanda Lassalle.
Márquez, is an industrial engineering graduate from University of Puerto Rico Mayagüez Campus and has a master’s degree in business. She also has a Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt certification. She has more than 25 years of experience in the manufacturing industry in sectors including medical devices, biotechnology, and pharmaceutical manufacturing of solids, among others. Márquez has excelled in the areas of project management, supply chain, business transformation and is an expert in process improvement.
For the past two years, she has worked as a consultant for LaSalle Group helping pharmaceutical and medical device companies in Puerto Rico and the United States. Her work contributed to an increase in capacity for these companies that exceeds $30 million and a reduction in potential losses estimated at $75 million.
LaSalle Group’s collective experience and expertise will be extremely valuable for companies established in North Carolina,” Márquez said.
In this market, the firm will have a greater emphasis on manufacturing, research and development, continuous improvement, and professional development, including best practices of diversity and inclusion. In its initial phase, LaSalle will create synergies between the team established in Puerto Rico and additional resources based in North Carolina, executives noted.
“Two of the strengths of that market are its academic offerings, as a host to prestigious universities, and the growth of its manufacturing industry. LaSalle Group has earned experience in the academic sector through multiple collaborations and projects with the Medical Sciences Campus of the University of Puerto Rico, the Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico, University of North Carolina, and the Research Center for Minority Institutions,” said Márquez.
“In addition, the firm has advised more than 30 manufacturing companies — including pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical devices — operating on the island. Our past experiences will showcase how we can contribute to the region’s economic pillars,” she added.
