Crocker Partners Hires Infectious Disease Expert Dr. Walter Okoroanyanwu As Director Of Environmental Health, Overseeing Health & Safety For 11 MSF Portfolio
CROCKER PARTNERS BECOMES THE FIRST COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE COMPANY TO BRING A MEDICAL EXPERT INTO OPERATIONS ON A PERMANENT BASIS
BOCA RATON, Fla., July 14, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Crocker Partners, one of the largest vertically integrated commercial real estate companies in the Southeastern United States, has hired Dr. Walter Okoroanyanwu, MD, MPH, MBA as their Director of Environmental Health. In this position, he will be responsible for applying his extensive experience in healthcare operations and infectious disease to develop a program that will ensure that Crocker's properties meet the highest standards for safety and sustainability.
"This is an unprecedented partnership of the commercial real estate and the medical community. As office property owners and developers, there is only so much we can definitively know about the best methods to protect our tenants, visitors, and employees from COVID-19, and we knew that we needed that expertise as a long-term part of our organization," said Angelo Bianco, Managing Partner at Crocker Partners. "Although we are the first company in our industry to do this, we are confident that supplementing traditional office building staff with medical, health, wellness and environmental expertise will soon be commonplace."
Although the role was created in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Crocker expects that the position will promote healthier indoor environments in its properties on a permanent basis. In the coming months and years, Dr. Okoroanyanwu will develop a comprehensive Environmental Health, Sustainability and Wellness Program to be implemented across the Company's 11 million-square-foot portfolio.
"Dr. Okoroanyanwu is here not only to guide us through this current crisis, but also to ensure that we exceed the highest standards of health, wellness and quality of workplace to create a safe and secure environment for our tenants, their employees and visitors," said Chris Eachus, Partner at Crocker Partners.
Dr. Okoroanyanwu's immediate mission will be to develop and enhance the comprehensive strategy already developed by Crocker Partners Remobilization Task Force, which established a series of operational protocols and physical changes to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Among the Task Force's considerations are enhanced air quality systems, pathogen reducing fixtures, and extensive training for security and maintenance personnel in order to reduce the risk for disease transmission.
Dr. Okoroanyanwu brings an extensive epidemiological background, including a fellowship with Bronx Lebanon Hospital Center's Division of Infectious Disease and leadership positions with the HIV/AIDS Planning Councils in both New York City and the Newark Eligible Metropolitan Area. He will also leverage a deep network of colleagues at the Center for Disease Control (CDC), Emory University of Public Health, Rutgers University, and others to exchange medical recommendations in real-time as the pandemic evolves.
"Because we are learning more about the virus each day, the single most important aspect of my role is my ability to actively collaborate with my peers in the medical community," Dr. Okoroanyanwu said. "The pandemic will likely go away eventually, but the importance of being prepared will not. At Crocker, we will focus on improving the health of indoor public space in perpetuity."
ABOUT CROCKER PARTNERS
Active in the commercial real estate business for over 35 years, Crocker Partners has established a reputation as a premier owner, operator, and developer of office and mixed-use projects throughout the Southeast and Southwest United States. Since 1986, Crocker Partners has acquired and managed over 154 properties, totaling 45.9 million square feet and representing $5.4 billion invested. They are currently Florida's largest office landlord and rank 39th largest in the United States. Headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida, they have regional offices in Miami, Jacksonville, and Atlanta.
Learn more at crockerpartners.com
Media contact: Giana Pacinelli, [email protected]
SOURCE Crocker Partners
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