March 18, 2025 – San Juan, Puerto Rico – Governor Jenniffer González-Colón hosted a meeting with private sector leaders and government representatives to discuss reshoring strategies with the goal of positioning Puerto Rico as a key player in the U.S. industrial sector and strengthening manufacturing on the island. During the meeting, the Governor signed Executive Order 2025-012, formalizing efforts to incentivize the return of manufacturing to Puerto Rico and establish the island as a key destination for production and export within the United States.
“Puerto Rico is ready to welcome additional multinational companies, further solidifying its role as a critical component of the national supply chain thanks to our well-established manufacturing infrastructure, highly skilled workforce, strategic location, and the most competitive incentive ecosystem for investment and industrial growth. With this Executive Order, we are doubling down on reshoring, ensuring that more companies recognize Puerto Rico as an ideal site to establish and expand their operations within the United States. We are taking concrete steps to streamline processes, eliminate barriers, strengthen our economy, and provide our people with greater and better job opportunities,” stated Governor González-Colón.
Per the Executive Order, reshoring is the process by which a company makes investments to relocate its operations back to the jurisdiction of origin or, in the case of capacity expansion, prioritizes the home jurisdiction over alternatives locations. In other words, it refers to the relocation of manufacturing and service companies from other jurisdictions.
U.S. national security heavily depends on strengthening and securing its supply chain. Puerto Rico plays a fundamental and strategic role in the U.S. supply chain, as well as in trade expansion efforts in the region, due to its highly specialized manufacturing sector. Therefore, reshoring efforts not only boost the local economy but also protect U.S. national security interests and enhance emergency response capabilities.
The Executive Order establishes the Reshoring Task Force, led by the Secretary Sebastián Negrón-Reichard, of the Puerto Rico Department of Economic Development and Commerce (DDEC), and includes representatives from DDEC, Invest Puerto Rico, the Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company (PRIDCO), the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration (PRFAA), the Puerto Rico Science, Technology & Research Trust, and other key private sector stakeholders with the goal of facilitating and accelerating strategic investment on the island.
Secretary Negrón-Reichard highlighted the importance of this initiative to strengthen Puerto Rico’s position on global manufacturing. “Puerto Rico is already a leader in sectors that include biopharmaceuticals and medical devices. Through this Executive Order, we are better positioning ourselves to attract even more investment at a critical time for reshoring of U.S. manufacturing. We are ready to welcome more companies and facilitate their growth on the Island,” stated the Secretary.
“Manufacturing is a strategic pillar for both U.S. national security and Puerto Rico’s economic development, serving as a source of employment and investment on the island. With a robust industrial infrastructure, a highly skilled workforce, and a competitive incentive ecosystem, Puerto Rico is well-positioned to further drive reshoring in the United States. At PRFAA, alongside Governor González-Colón and our administration, in coordination with Congress and federal agencies, we continue to promote initiatives that encourage manufacturing investment in Puerto Rico, streamline the establishment of new businesses, and strengthen the island’s role in the national supply chain. The signing of this Executive Order is a concrete step toward attracting more investment, expanding operations, and generating greater employment opportunities for our people,” said Gabriella Boffelli, PRFAA Executive Director.
Executive Order 2025-012 was signed alongside key government officials in attendance, including Francisco Domenech, Chief of Staff to the Governor; Sebastián Negrón Reichard, Secretary of DDEC; Eric Santiago Justiniano, Executive Director of PRIDCO; and Gabriella Boffelli, PRFAA Executive Director, who joined virtually.
Private sector leaders included, Luis E. Pizarro Otero, President of the Puerto Rico Chamber of Commerce; Mariandrea Villareal Sainz, Principal at Boston Consulting Group; Ella Woger, Chief Operating Officer of Invest Puerto Rico; John Bozek, Chief Strategy Officer of Invest Puerto Rico; Anthony Ruiz, Senior Finance Director at Medtronic; Carlos Rivera Vélez, CEO of The Foundation Global Group; Waleska Rivera, President & CEO of Danosa Caribbean, Inc.; Carlos Serrano, Capital Partner at Reichard & Escalera; Edwin Betancourt, VP of Manufacturing at Baxter Healthcare; and Pedro Costa, Senior Director of Government Affairs for the Americas at Johnson & Johnson.
Also attending the meeting were Roberto Monserrate, Director of Government Affairs at AMGEN; Néstor Ortiz, Esq., Director of Government Affairs at AbbVie; Liz Pérez, Tax and Government Relations Consultant at Lilly del Caribe, Inc.; Efraín Rodríguez, Chief Operating Officer at Copan Industry; Félix Negrón from Medtronic Puerto Rico; Rolando Torres, Chief Operations Officer at CooperVision; Gabriel Font, Senior Operations Manager at Stryker; Iliette Frontera, Vice President of Operations and Engineering at Boston Scientific; Luis Ramos, Engineering and Technology Director at Honeywell; Janine Ellin, Customer Support Representative at Collins Aerospace; Josy Acosta, Senior Director at Pratt & Whitney; Iván Lugo, Executive Director at the Industry University Research Center (INDUNIV); Yandia Pérez, Executive Vice President of the Puerto Rico Manufacturing Association (PRMA); Kenneth Rivera, Esq., Tax and Business Consultant at Galíndez LLC; Ramón Vega, Executive Director at Primex; José Luis Rivera from the PRUSACC Reshoring Group; and Felix Plaud, Associate Manager at Stryker.
The Executive Order also includes the following initiatives:
Additionally, the Governor announced a new Industrial Leaders Advisory Group, composed of industry executives who attended the meeting and represent key sectors such as biopharmaceuticals, medical devices, aerospace, and advanced manufacturing. The group will identify investment opportunities and serve as ambassadors for Puerto Rico in the global market.
Through this initiative, Governor González-Colón’s administration reaffirms its commitment to Puerto Rico’s economic transformation, ensuring the Island continues to prepare for the future of manufacturing.
Since the beginning of her first term as Resident Commissioner, González- Colón has consistently advocated for strengthening and expanding Puerto Rico’s pharmaceutical industry. Since 2019, she has pushed for domestic pharmaceutical production to be recognized as a matter of national security, supported legislative initiatives toward this goal, and presented proposals to the White House, U.S. Congress, and multiples stakeholders on the island.
For more information on this initiative and investment opportunities in Puerto Rico, visit www.desarrollopr.gov.
