2011 Affiliate of the Year Carlos Villarreal

Carlos Villarreal, Senior Vice President of Commercial Real Estate Operations with SecurAmerica, LLC, was the 2011 Affiliate of the Year.

What services does your company provide and what benefits do they provide to the commercial real estate industry?  SecurAmerica provides a complete suite of security services to the commercial real estate community.

What are some trends in your industry that impacts commercial real estate the most? Within the security space, having the ability to deliver first-class service on a consistent level is extremely important to the image of a property. Technology such as hand-held devices and internet based video management systems are also creating opportunities for security departments to run more efficiently, reducing operating expense.

What are some of the challenges facing your industry? One challenge buyers of security services are going to be faced with in the near future is the increase in minimum wages. As minimum wages continue to rise, it is going to become harder to attract unskilled labor to work in the office building environment. Employers must provide a better than “market average” to recruit and retain the right person.

What would you share with other professionals who are interested in joining BOMA/Chicago? BOMA/Chicago provides the best opportunity to network with real estate professionals and provides the educational programs to grow within the field.

How do you spend your free time? I like to ride my Harley way beyond the posted speed limit.

What would surprise our members most about you? I wanted to join my high school basketball team, but was told that standing at 5’3 I was too short, so I joined the Marines. I graduated number 1 in my class at a non-commissioned officer’s academy and rose to the rank of Sergeant, where I served as part of a specialized helicopter emergency evacuation team.