Justin Cruz has been promoted to chief operating officer at Cruz Companies, one of the country’s largest Black-owned construction and real estate development and management firms.
His ascension in the company comes amid other promotions, including John Teixeira to the role of project manager, Jennifer Then to regional property manager and Cherelle Spencer to senior property manager. The company also added other professionals who specialize in the construction, real estate development and property management sectors. The new faces at the company include Isabel DeAndrade, who was hired as executive assistant.
“These professionals embody the range of skills, insight and experience that has long made Cruz Companies a valued partner in the communities we serve — and their success proves that explicitly prioritizing diversity and representation among our own staff is both a social imperative and good business,” said John B. Cruz III, the company’s president and CEO, according to a press release announcing the changes.
Justin Cruz has a distinguished record at the company. As director of Cruz Management for nearly 10 years, he expanded the organization’s portfolio to include more than 1,200 primarily affordable residential units across dozens of properties in the Northeast, officials said.
He spearheaded the development of an updated brand identity for Cruz Companies, led external and corporate communications campaigns, and oversaw the implementation of state-of-the-art property management software across Cruz Management’s entire portfolio, the announcement said.
He also played a significant role in planning the company’s new headquarters, which officials said will bring all of the organization’s corporate divisions under one roof for the first time.
Justin Cruz is closely involved in leading Cruz C.A.R.E.S., the organization’s dedicated 501(c)3 nonprofit arm which sponsors youth trips, paid summer internships and scholarships.
These new appointments come as Cruz Companies, which recently won the global “Brands That Matter” award from Fast Company Magazine, celebrates its 75th anniversary and expands its reach with significant new projects, officials said.
