Family History

In 1980 the Ortiz family moved from New York City to the Dominican Republic to explore a booming industrial opportunity in the Northwest Region of the island (Monte Cristi).

"Monte Cristi, located approximately 135 km west of Puerto Plata, sits among desert-like surroundings on the northwestern tip of the Dominican Republic. Founded in 1506, the town was an important trading port until the 19th century - exporting sugar, mahogany and other crops to Europe. Presently most of the 25,000 inhabitants make their living from farming, fishing and the salt flats to the north. There is not a lot of tourism in this Victorian-style town, but those that visit can enjoy Cayo Cabrita and El Morro beaches, as well as very good diving. From El Morro , you can swim 300 meters out to Isla Cabrita , an island housing a lighthouse. Divers enjoy investigating the several shipwrecks, which include colonial-era galleons. Many come to the area to visit the National Park, Parque Nacional Monte Cristi , consisting of subtropical dry forest, lagoons and a 900 foot high Mesa. The Mesa overlooks the spectacularly clear sea below and several small islands located just off shore, known as Los Siete Hermanos (The Seven Brothers), where large sea turtles lay their eggs. There are over 160 species of birds and over 10 species of reptiles that occupy the park. The people of Monte Cristi are a big celebrators of Carnival , the days leading up to Easter Sunday, and May 30th, the Patron Saint festival in honor of San Fernando. " (Hispaniola.com)

After 18 months of extensive research, planning and due diligence, the family gave birth to Factoria Rosa Liliana, proudly named after our mom, Rosa Liliana Ortiz (the real McCoy!). The plant site was chosen for many reasons in addition to its natural setting. The northwest region, less humid and sunnier, provided a much better climate to grow sugar cane and dry rice grains out on the open floor. Only minutes to the border of Haiti granted easy access to both countries. In keeping with their ecological philosophy, the family was able to retrofit a pre-existing facility, hence, saved energy, materials and the environment. The facility was equipped with an array of solar panels, which at the time were not as efficient but were enough to power essential utilities during power outages.

With several warehouse/distribution centers strategically positioned throughout the island, an in-house fleet of 180 units, and a proprietary in-line bagging system in place, Factoria Rosa Liliana was the largest in the region and the second largest of its kind in the country.

In 1994 the family forecasted an inevitable shift in the country’s political powers that would have a negative impact on its economy and industry. Equipped with this knowledge, the family made a  decision to sell its operation and several months later Factoria Rosa Liliana was acquired by Department of Agriculture (Banco Agricola).

Back at home, they prepared to embark in the entertainment business. Wayne Huizenga was making the headlines with the possible Viacom merger.  He had taken Blockbuster Video from a 7 million dollar operation to 4 billion in just seven years. Adding one store every 17 hours on average from 1988-1994. Blockbuster was at the crowning point of its success and Viacom was determined to take it to the next level.

After researching these phenomena, the family realized that one of the major strengths of this explosion was not just the incredible super sized store locations, the multitude of video selections and the conveniently located neighborhood store locations. But that at its very core, Blockbuster had made an ethical commitment to deliver a 'clean' 'family-oriented' 'child- friendly' environment that allowed families to bring their children and loved ones without the worry of an unpleasant encounter with indecent adult images and content for the first time in video store history.

For these reasons, the family joined the network of franchisees for the mega video store and opened multiple store locations all over the southern parts of New Jersey. In 2000, the family received the 'WOW' award for "Best Customer Service, Best Operation & Best Revenue  for the entire Blockbuster franchise system. The stores still operate today under Ortiz Entertainment, Inc.  

Since early 2007 the family has been preparing to go back to its' roots and has branded Ecologistics®;  the world's first Sustainable Logistics Company (SLC). Headquartered in Mays Landing, NJ, the company provides 3PL services throughout North America.