FASTSIGNS to Enter Puerto Rico With Five-Unit Franchise Deal

Calling it the "ultimate" franchise partnership match, Carrollton, Texas-based FASTSIGNS International Inc., the worldwide franchisor of FASTSIGNS sign and graphics centers, has announced a deal with a trio of prestigious business leaders in Puerto Rico to bring five locations to the island in the next five years.

Jose Corujo, Teresa Caballero and Juan Rivera—all business savvy entrepreneurs with impressive resumes offering extensive experience in marketing, accounting and operations—plan to open Puerto Rico's first FASTSIGNS center this spring in Guaynabo, just south of the capital city San Juan. Having a strong client base on the island already with a company that specializes in POP (point-of-purchase) marketing, the trio will convert their existing business into FASTSIGNS to benefit from brand recognition, operational support and expanded services for existing and new customers.

"Partnering with FASTSIGNS will allow us to expand our digital offerings and solve all of our clients' visual communication needs with a more consultative approach and comprehensive services," said Corujo, a CPA. "With the FASTSIGNS model, we can expand our client base with a storefront presence and capitalize on the trend of businesses investing increasingly more money into POP and less on traditional media advertising."

Before founding a marketing and communications firm with Caballero in 2001, Corujo spent eight years in public accounting, worked for the government of Puerto Rico and served as executive director of the Puerto Rico Tourism Company. In addition, Corujo serves on the board of directors of Sales & Marketing Executives International and is a former president of the Sales and Marketing Executive Association in Puerto Rico. Caballero has more than 25 years of experience in the industry as a renowned expert in developing and implementing marketing and PR strategies, working with such prestigious brands as Kellogg's, Pillsbury and Budweiser. Adding to the strength of the partnership is Rivera, who operated his own business that provided merchandising and sales services to clients for more than 12 years.