The President
Dr. Andrew Strenk
Dr. Andrew Strenk is President of Strategic Planning Concepts International and brings 26 years of real estate strategic planning, site assessment, demographic analysis and asset analysis to his assignments. His specialty is particularly in the assessment of retail locations and trade areas in diverse, multi-cultural areas. He is able to draw upon diverse cultural experiences gained from an additional eighteen years of work as a researcher, writer, historian and news reporter in Ecuador, Germany, France, Russia, México, South Korea and Singapore.
Dr. Strenk earned a PhD in Modern European Political History at the University of Southern California in 1983. His dissertation was on "The Politicization of International Sport." As an undergraduate at USC, he was a Phi Beta Kappa history scholar. He was a German Academic Exchange (DAAD) Scholar at the University of Wuerzburg in the Federal Republic of Germany from 1972-1974, where he earned a master's degree degree in East European History. His exposure to México began as a member of the U.S. swimming team at the 1967 Pre-Olympics and 1968 Olympic Games in México City. Following several years as a journalist and five years as a lecturer in modern political history at USC, he worked at the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee (LAOOC) from 1983-1984 as staff historian, staff writer, researcher and public speaker. He also served the Seoul Olympic Organizing Committee in 1988 as the AIPS media relations coordinator for all aquatic events.
From 1985-1990, Dr. Strenk worked with The Fransen Company of Santa Monica, California, a well-known international retail and real estate consulting firm, serving clients among the USA's largest retail developers and department stores. Activities included a wide variety of research and consulting projects involving regional fashion malls, community shopping centers, resorts, commercial office buildings, sports and recreational facilities and mixed-use projects. He was also a consultant with the ARCO Olympic Training Center project in Chula Vista, California. Beginning in 1986, he worked consistently with El Puerto de Liverpool and CEO Max Michel in assessing many markets and sites in México. In that time frame, Liverpool grew from a small regional department store with ten stores, mostly in México City, to a national chain of over one hundred department stores.
Dr. Strenk is a member of the Urban Land Institute (ULI), the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), the National Association of Industrial and Office Parks (NAIOP) and the Koroibos Foundation. He has traveled to over fifty countries, working in twenty of them, speaks and writes excellent German and has a working knowledge of French and Spanish. He is a long-time resident of Southern California.
​
His focus is on current and future trends, historical causes and effects, and possible strategies for properties and projects.
Meet The Rest Of The Team
SCOTT KLEIN
FIELDWORK MANAGER
Scott Klein is the Fieldwork Manager and Research Associate of Strategic Planning Concepts International. As Fieldwork Manager, Mr. Klein has traveled extensively in Mexico, having conducted fieldwork in 22 Mexican states. He is, however, knowledgeable about Mexico as a whole. Fluent in Spanish, Mr. Klein also assists the president in interfacing with clients, having conducted meetings and presentations on behalf of SPCI. He joined SPCI in mid-2002 and is a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC).
Mr. Klein is a graduate of the University of California San Diego with a BA in political science. His understanding and appreciation of other cultures and languages originated at the age of 14, when he traveled around Europe for 6 months with his family. At 15, he was an American Field Service exchange student on a year program with a host family in Santiago, Chile. Years later, he spent his third year in college abroad, studying at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, with all of his course work in Spanish. In 1993, a year after graduating from the University of California San Diego, Scott returned to Madrid, Spain to work as an English teacher, teaching businesspeople the necessary language skills in order to be successful in the global business environment. During his time in Madrid, he applied and was accepted to the Diplomatic School of Spain, where he obtained an MA in International Relations in 1996. Following eight years as an English teacher in Spain, Scott returned to California in the winter of 2001.
In addition to his fluency in Spanish, Mr. Klein has some basic knowledge of French. He is also a member of two local Toastmasters clubs and has developed his public speaking skills through his participation in this international organization. Scott is the type of well-traveled, culturally sensitive employee that SPCI seeks out. He resides in Fullerton, California.
PATRICK ESCOBAR
ASSOCIATE
Patrick Escobar is a member of the board of directors of SPCI and has been an associate since 1992. He serves as Strategic Planning Concepts International's master strategist. Born in Quito, Ecuador, Patrick Escobar came to the USA at an early age with his family. He graduated from the University of California with a B.A. in economics in 1973, and from Whittier College School of Law in 1981 with a J.D. He is a member of the California State Bar Association. From 1974-1982, he worked at the Los Angeles Times as Research Supervisor. In this capacity, he planned and supervised all stages of consumer survey work, including questionnaire design, methodology and analysis. He supervised the preparation of presentations for sales staff. He initiated the Times' efforts to research the Latino markets of the greater Los Angeles area, and developed a widespread network of contacts with area advertising agencies and retailers as well as an excellent grasp of the socio-demographic factors that are of interest to retailers.
From the Times, he moved in 1982 to the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee (LAOOC) under Peter Ueberroth, where he served as Associate Vice President/Publications Manager. He managed the editorial and final production of hundreds of publications associated with the LAOOC, including bilingual newsletters, technical sports manuals, the Olympic Village newspaper and a four-color bilingual international magazine from 1982-1984. While at the LAOOC, he first worked with Andrew Strenk. That association has endured ever since.
From 1985-1988, Patrick Escobar served as Operations Manager and Senior Associate of The Fransen Company, a well-known Santa Monica retail real estate consulting firm. He developed and implemented marketing strategies for a wide variety of clients in the retail field, including The Irvine Company, JMB/Urban, Montebello Town Center, Nordstrom, Southmark Pacific, Rfeef and El Puerto de Liverpool. He is a resident of Los Angeles, California. Patrick provides long term strategy assessment for SPCI and helps set objectives.
Eduardo Treviño
ASSOCIATE
Eduardo Treviño remains a valuable associate of Strategic Planning Concepts International. He offers twenty years of managerial experience both in México and in the United States. He provides a variety of consulting and research services in California and Central México.
In México, he served as a Project Manager for developer Gerald D. Hines and then for American Express. Mr. Treviño was instrumental in the joint venture agreement of two major Mexican and U.S. real estate developers. He moved on to work as Director of Development for a U.S. subsidiary of Bancomer which develop a number of resorts in México. Then, at Wang Laboratories, Mr. Treviño served as Western Region Real Estate Manager, Interior Office Design Manager, Space Planning Manager, and was involved in industrial plant acquisitions. This was followed by service as Assistant Vice President, México Business Development for The Price Club (later Price-Costco).
He currently is President of the Irvine World Trade Corporation, which imports a variety of Mexican products for sale in the USA and represents companies wishing to expand internationally. He continues to work closely with SPCI on certain assignments.
Born in México City, and a graduate of the Universidad Anáhuac, Mr. Treviño has maintained close relationships with the business community of that country and his bi-cultural and bi-lingual skills have allowed him to be very effective both in México and the USA. He has studied and evaluated many of the major markets of México and brings a thorough understanding of ethnic markets to his work in the USA.
Mr. Treviño holds a graduate degree in administration and management from Harvard University and a Bachelor's degree in Architecture from Universidad Anáhuac in México City. He is a resident of Irvine, California. Eduardo provides context for much of SPCI's strategic vision.