Davon Barbour
President & CEO, City of New Orleans Downtown Development District, New Orleans, LA, United States
Davon is President and CEO of the Downtown Development District for the City of New Orleans. He has led economic development for several cities, including Los Angeles, Miami, Orlando and Baltimore. During the COVID-19 global pandemic, he led the development and administration of more than $150M in COVID-19 economic recovery programs for small businesses.
Davon has created and administered retail attraction and retention programs to expand opportunities in under-retailed and underserved markets. He established the first retail incentive program for Downtown Orlando. His strategic recommendations led to the creation of The Commissary in Downtown Rochester, New York. As Director of the City of Hollywood’s Community & Economic Development Department, he led the city to win three consecutive annual awards from the National Community Development Association. Davon has served in numerous volunteer leadership roles, including ICSC’s Western Division P3 Public Chair, past Eastern Division P3 Public Sector Chair, and a former University of Shopping Centers faculty member. Davon also serves on the Board of Directors of the International Downtown Association.
Lacy Beasley
President, Retail Strategies, Birmingham, AL, United States
Lacy Beasley is the President of Retail Strategies, a full-service advisory firm that works with municipalities on business recruitment through commercial real estate connections. Her experience with The Shopping Center Group and the Dickson County Chamber of Commerce prior to joining Retail Strategies provides her with the insight to understand the connections needed between the public and private sectors.
A graduate of Lipscomb University, Lacy earned her bachelor’s degree in business management. She has served in many ICSC volunteer roles, including the National Advisory Committee for P3 Retail, the PAC Board, Alabama Government Relations Co-Chair, Tennessee P3 Co-Chair and Southeastern Conference Co-Chair. The Birmingham Business Journal named Lacy to the “Top 40 under 40,” nationwide “Top 100 Influencers in Commercial Real Estate,” one of Birmingham’s “Eight Emerging Influencers,” “Top 40 under 40 for the Decade,” “Who’s Who of Commercial Real Estate” and “Women to Watch.” Lacy has spoken on retail at hundreds of events across the U.S. and Canada and her articles have been published in Shopping Centers Today, Site Selection Magazine and the Alabama Retail Federation.
Thomas Bolen III
Director of Leasing and Brokerage, Rappaport, McLean, Virginia, United States
Thomas Bolen III plays an integral role in the day-to-day prospecting, canvassing and business development of Rappaport’s portfolio and brokerage assets. Prior to Rappaport, Thomas played an instrumental role in the growth and development of Florida-based Crossman and Company. With over seven years in the retail real estate industry, he has closed over $75M+ in lease and sales value. Thomas received his bachelor’s and master’s in Business Administration from Florida A&M and was a percussionist for the Florida A&M University’s Incomparable Marching 100 Band. He has earned the distinguished 2015-2016 ICSC Foundation Fiala Fellowship, where he helped increase ICSC Student Memberships among diverse student populations. Thomas is committed to growing and influencing the Commercial Real Estate industry. Locally, Thomas serves on the Young Leaders Committee with DCBIA and is very active with AAREP and DMV Black Restaurant Week. Thomas is professionally licensed in Virginia, Washington, DC, Maryland and Florida.
Joe Brady
Former CEO - Americas, Real Estate, The Instant Group, Chicago, IL, United States
Joe Brady is a highly experienced professional in the real estate industry, with expertise in the impact of technology and consumer behavior on the sector. He has held significant roles in several companies, with a particular focus on portfolio optimization, global rollouts and property technology leadership in retail, banking, technology, bio-pharma and consumer-oriented companies.
Brady served as the CEO – Americas for The Instant Group, leading the company's growth through the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent Future of Work period in both North and South America. Prior to The Instant Group, Brady was the head of real estate for Walgreens, managing a vast 150 million square feet portfolio with an annual budget exceeding $3 billion. Brady has held senior positions at Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) and was also a founding partner of The Standard Group, which was later acquired by JLL in 2008.
Over his 35-year career, Brady has become a thought leader in the real estate industry. He is a prolific writer and speaker, often sharing his insights on the Future of Work and its implications for communities and retail. Brady serves an ICSC Trustee and is a member of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and CoreNet, reflecting his commitment to sharing knowledge and shaping the future of the real estate sector.
Anthony F. Buono
CEO, Buono Family Office, San Diego, CA, United States
Anthony F. Buono is currently the CEO of Buono Family Office, a private investor focusing on commercial real estate, retail brands and real estate operating companies. Prior to that, he was the Global President of Retail for CBRE, the world’s largest commercial real estate services company. He led more than 800 professionals in providing advisory and transaction solutions to 1,300 retailers and larger institutional real-estate investors across the globe. Since joining in 1985, Mr. Buono is credited with catapulting CBRE into a diverse group of successful retail business sectors, including logistics-supply chain, predictive science, food and beverage, luxury, street and urban environments, retailer restructuring, consumer experience and international cross border expansion.
Mr. Buono received his B.S. in Business Administration from San Diego State University. He is an active member of the ICSC PAC and an Independent Director of JC Resorts in La Jolla, CA.
Jenny Chang McMullen
Senior Vice President, Store Development, Lululemon Athletica Inc., Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Jenny Chang McMullen has over 25 years of experience in Retail Real Estate and currently is responsible in leading lululemon’s North American store portfolio, with revenues over $6B. Since she has been at the helm, she has been leading impressive growth for the company, delivering year-over-year, double-digit growth in comp sales, square footage and store count. She has a wealth of experience in North America (as well as EMEA and Asia) and has led real estate and store development for large-scale retailers including Levi’s, Dockers, Gap, Athleta, Old Navy, Banana Republic and Intermix. Jenny is known in the industry for her ability to drive and manage strategic growth, which includes developing experiential store concepts, managing a portfolio of brands in a mix of retail formats as well as being able to asset manage and restructure lease terms ensuring fleet profitability.
She is recognized as a compassionate people leader who supports her team in achieving their own personal goals and potential. In addition to her experience, she identifies as a member of the BIPOC community and one of the few female leaders in her industry who happens to also be a working mom.
Steve Cogan
Senior Vice President, Real Estate & Store Development, Albertsons Companies, Inc., Boise, ID, United States
Steve Cogan is Senior Vice President of Real Estate and Store Development for Albertsons Companies, which has grown from 192 stores in 2012 to nearly 2,300 stores in 2021. He oversees Real Estate, Design and Store Planning, Construction and Property Administration for all retail and non-retail facilities.
Prior to joining Albertsons in 2013, Steve was Senior Vice President of Real Estate and Store Development for OfficeMax in Chicago, overseeing all aspects of a multinational real estate portfolio, store design and construction. An ICSC member since 1993, Steve entered the corporate real estate business in 1988 with Fred Meyer in Portland, Oregon, as a site selection and market research analyst. Steve holds a bachelor’s degree from Portland State University in Finance, Law and International Business.
Charles P. DiGiovanna
Vice President, Real Estate, Macy’s, Inc., Cincinnati, OH, United States
Charles P. “Chuck” DiGiovanna was named Macy’s, Inc., Vice President, Real Estate, in April 2016, leading the real estate team and overseeing the real estate interests on all Macy’s retail, distribution and office properties nationally. DiGiovanna has 14 years of experience at Macy’s, Inc., and its predecessor companies. He has held various roles, including regional real estate positions for Macy’s divisions as well as Bloomingdale’s, Macy’s office portfolio and Macy’s Logistics and Operations. DiGiovanna has held numerous real estate positions throughout his 28-year career in the industry, including Senior Vice President, Region Leader for Westfield USA in New York City (2005-2010). In that role, he was responsible for development, leasing, operations and marketing for six regional malls in the northeast as well as the redevelopment of the retail mall at the World Trade Center.
DiGiovanna is a member of ULI’s Gold Retail Product Council and The Network and serves on ICSC’s Board of Trustees. He is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and received his M.B.A. from the University of North Carolina. In the community, DiGiovanna has served as a board member for the Downtown Cincinnati Improvement District, the Cincinnati Regional Economic Development Initiative and on the Finance Committee for 3CDC (the Cincinnati Center City Development Corporation).
John C. Dolson
Senior Vice President — Store Development, Nordstrom, Inc., Seattle, WA, United States
As Senior Vice President of Store Development for Nordstrom, John Dolson supports the teams that are responsible for store development strategy, site selection, lease negotiation, design, construction, remodeling, asset management, facilities and energy management as well as non-retail real estate.
John began his career with Nordstrom in 1999 as an intern in the real estate department and has had increasing levels of responsibility since then. Prior to working for Nordstrom, John worked in the former Rich’s/Lazarus/Goldsmiths division of Federated Department Stores, which is now collectively called Macy’s. John earned his BA and MBA from Vanderbilt University.
Andrea Drasites
Senior Managing Director, Real Estate Group, Blackstone, New York, NY, United States
In her role as Senior Managing Director in the Real Estate Group at Blackstone, Ms. Drasites is responsible for the asset management and oversight of retail, gaming, digital infrastructure, and
tradeshow investments in the US including ShopCore, Edens, QTS, Phoenix Towers and International Market Centers. Prior to joining Blackstone, Ms. Drasites was responsible for asset management, acquisitions, and dispositions at Equity One, Inc. She began her real estate career at Woolbright Development.
Ms. Drasites received a BA in International Business from Rollins College and an MBA from the University of Florida. Ms. Drasites is a leader in the Blackstone Diversity & Inclusion Task Force and a member of the University of Florida’s Real Estate Advisory Board as well as the ICSC Board of Trustees and Executive Board. She is a Founding Member of the Board of Core Giving.
George L. Drummey
Executive Vice President, Real Estate and Property Development, The TJX Companies, Inc., Framingham, MA, United States
George Drummey is executive vice president of real estate and property development at TJX Cos., Framingham, Mass. As head of real estate, he is responsible primarily for the growth of the U.S. brands. Besides being a member of ICSC, he serves on the board of Cardinal Cushing Center, in Hanover, Mass., and was chairman of the High School Building Committee of Framingham, Mass.
Jeffrey S. Edison
Chairman & CEO, Phillips Edison & Company, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
Jeff Edison co-founded Phillips Edison & Company and has served as a principal since 1995. He currently serves as Chairman and CEO. Mr. Edison received his bachelor’s degree in mathematics and economics from Colgate University in 1982 and a master’s degree in business administration from Harvard Business School in 1984. In addition to serving on ICSC’s Board of Trustees, he is also a board member of the Utah Chapter of The Nature Conservancy.
Scott Eisen
Executive Vice President & Chief Investment Officer, Invitation Homes, Dallas, TX, United States
Scott G. Eisen has served as Executive Vice President and Chief Investment Officer of Invitation Homes since August 2023. Eisen has more than 26 years of experience in real estate investment banking, mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance and business development. Prior to joining Invitation Homes, he was Head of North American Real Estate Investment Banking for Citigroup from 2016, responsible for business planning, client interaction and transaction execution for multiple real estate sectors. Previously, he was Director of Real Estate Banking at Merrill Lynch & Co. and Special Assistant to the Secretary of Commerce at the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Mr. Eisen is a member of the ICSC Board of Trustees, the NAREIT Board of Governors and the Urban Land Institute. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Princeton University’s School of Public and International Affairs and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business.
Conor C. Flynn
President & CEO, Kimco Realty Corporation, Jericho, NY, United States
Conor Flynn was named Chief Executive Officer of Kimco Realty and appointed to the company’s Board of Directors in January 2016. Mr. Flynn joined Kimco in 2003 as an asset manager and has held a variety of senior leadership roles within the company, including that of President, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Investment Officer and President, Western Region.
Mr. Flynn holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from Yale University and a master’s degree in Real Estate Development from Columbia University. Mr. Flynn is a member of National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (NAREIT), serves on their Audit and Investment Committee, and is a founding member of Nareit’s Dividends Through Diversity, Equity & Inclusion CEO Council. He is also a member of Real Estate Roundtable, Urban Land Institute (ULI), a trustee of ICSC and a member of ICSC’s executive board.
Jordan M. Fried
Principal, Investments, Sterling Organization, West Palm Beach, FL, United States
Mr. Fried is a Principal for Sterling Organization and its related companies. Mr. Fried is responsible for the identification, analysis and execution of new retail real estate investment opportunities and the disposition of retail properties. Additionally, he oversees the capital markets group, which spearheads the firm's debt financing and refinancing efforts. Mr. Fried sits on the Investment Committees for all the firm’s investment vehicles.
Previously, Mr. Fried served as Senior Vice President of Operations for Sterling, a role in which he was responsible for the operations and property management activities for Sterling’s shopping center portfolio. Prior to joining Sterling in 2013, Mr. Fried worked for Wells Fargo Securities in its Investment Banking group and in FTI Consulting’s Real Estate Financial Services practice in New York City. Mr. Fried holds a BBA from George Washington University and received an MBA with honors from Emory University’s Goizueta Business School.
Ted Frumkin
Senior Vice President of Store Development, Heritage Grocers Group, Ontario, CA, United States
As Senior Vice President of Store Development for Heritage Grocers Group (HGG), Ted Frumkin leads a team responsible for store development strategy, site selection, lease negotiation, asset management and subtenant leasing for all brands that are part of HGG. HGG currently operates in 4 states: California, Nevada, Arizona and Illinois, with a total of 58 stores under the Cardenas Markets banner, 19 stores under the Tony’s Fresh Market banner and 7 stores under the Los Altos Ranch Market banner.
Prior to joining HGG, Ted was the President/CEO of TBF Strategic Realty Advisors, Inc., a consulting company he founded in 2020 that provided advice, guidance and best practices to companies looking to develop a new strategy for, or to ramp up, new store expansion. Before that he was Group Vice President of Real Estate, Development & Construction for The Fresh Market. Sprouts Farmers Market’s. Other roles he fulfilled in his career were Chief Development Officer for Sprouts Farmers Market; Vice President of Real Estate for Staples, Inc.; Vice President of Real Estate and Construction for Rubio’s Restaurants, Inc., a fast-food retailer; Director of Real Estate for Office Depot; Real Estate Manager for Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.; and Real Estate Manager for Taco Bell. Ted has been part of the planning committee for ICSC+OAC for the past three years. He is a licensed real estate broker in Massachusetts. Ted holds an MBA in Finance from Florida International University and a BFA from Texas Christian University.
Ivy Greaner
Executive Vice President & COO, Bedrock, Detroit, MI, United States
As Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President at Bedrock, Ivy Greaner leads the company’s day-to-day administrative and operational functions, ensuring a seamless experience for visitors, residents and tenants. Bedrock’s portfolio totals more than 18 million square feet of office, retail and residential space. Ivy’s career as a real estate executive and investment leader spans more than 30 years and includes broad experience in the retail, commercial and multifamily industries across U.S. Prior Bedrock, Ivy served as the EVP and COO of Chicago-based InvenTrust Properties. She was also Partner and COO of Ram Realty Services, Detroit, and was on the leadership team that developed the city’s first Whole Foods Market in Midtown. Previously, Ivy was Regional Vice President of FivePoint from 2016 to 2018 and served as the EVP and COO of Lennar Commercial. She merged her company, Gadinsky and Greaner, with Ram in 1999.
Ivy attended Boston University. She is an active member of ICSC, serving on the National Economic Committee and its Infrastructure Task Force. She has served as the Government Chair for ICSC’s Florida Government Relations Committee and was a member of ICSC California. Ivy serves on Florida State University’s Real Estate Advisory Board, is a founding member of 100+ Women Who Care’s South Florida chapter, and supports a variety of other charitable causes.
Alison M. Hallberg
Executive Director, PGIM Real Estate, Madison, NJ, United States
Alison Hallberg is an executive director at PGIM Real Estate and is the U.S. Retail Asset Management sector head. Alison is responsible for overseeing the firm’s 21+ million square foot national shopping center portfolio. Alison is PGIM’s senior retail specialist involved with open-air shopping center and mixed-use investment strategies.
Previously, Alison oversaw the Northeast retail asset management functions that comprised of over 5.8 million SF and $1.7 billion. Prior to that, Alison led the retail asset management team for PGIM Real Estate’s flagship core equity real estate fund where she oversaw strategy, new asset selection and asset management for the fund’s $4.7 billion retail portfolio totaling 13 million SF.
Alison is the Chairperson for PGIM’s Real Estate’s Retail Innovation Council and the co-lead for the NY/NJ ILN Committee focusing on DEI initiatives. Alison also serves on the VTS Retail Advisory Board and a member of ULI’s CRC Green Council. She is active with ICSC, serving as a member on the Board of Trustees (2021-2023) and named by ICSC as a 4 Under 40 honoree in 2021. Alison has a bachelor’s degree in finance, with a minor in international business, from Pennsylvania State University and MBA from New York University.
Paul Hilliard
Vice President, Global Real Estate, Whole Foods Market, Austin, TX, Unites States
Paul Hilliard is Vice President of Global Real Estate for Whole Foods Market, the leading all natural and organic supermarket chain in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. His team’s responsibilities include real estate strategy, site selection and repositioning for all retail and non-retail locations, lease negotiations, acquisitions, asset management, real estate research and sales forecasting and lease administration. Mr. Hilliard has been with the company for 24 years, starting his career there in corporate finance, and has held several roles. He’s been an instrumental part of the company’s expansion from 75 stores in 1997 to 530 stores today.
Prior to joining Whole Foods Market Paul spent 10 years as a banker with JP Morgan Chase and holds a BBA in Finance. He has held several advisory board positions with local Austin non-profit organizations. He has been a member of ICSC since 2003.
Nicholas G. Hodge
Chief Executive Officer, Essential Growth Properties, Cincinnati, OH, United States
Nicholas Hodge is the CEO of Essential Growth Properties, a private investment fund focused on building a grocery anchored retail center portfolio. Prior to this role, Mr. Hodge was vice president, Corporate Real Estate for The Kroger Co., where he was responsible for executing the company’s real estate strategy and overseeing all new storing, capital deployment and value creation for the company’s 2,800 grocery stores and over 200 retail shopping centers nationally. Mr. Hodge began his career with ProLogis Trust, an industrial REIT, in their acquisitions, leasing and marketing departments. Mr. Hodge has been a member of ICSC since 2002 and a member of the Board of Trustees since 2017. He is a member of Urban Land Institute, as well as a member of the Financial Policy Committee for Cincinnati Center City Development Corporation and serves on the board of the Downtown Cincinnati Improvement District. Mr. Hodge received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Washington & Lee University in Lexington, VA, and his Master of Business Administration from The Ohio State University in Columbus, OH.
Christopher P. Hoffmann
Managing Director, Eastdil Secured, Santa Monica, CA, United States
Mr. Hoffmann joined Eastdil Secured in 1988 and is a senior member of the firm’s retail group. Mr. Hoffmann is one of the nation’s leading intermediaries in retail real estate capital markets, with over 400 transactions totaling over $150 billion, including some of the most significant sales, mergers and joint ventures to have occurred in the retail industry over the last three decades.
Mr. Hoffmann has held various positions with ICSC, including Western Region Conference Co-Chair and Southern California Government Relations Chair. He is currently a member of ICSC’s Board of Trustees. He is a member of ULI and is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin with a Bachelor of Science degree in English and Economics.
Salvatore Iacono
Executive Vice President, Operations, Cadillac Fairview, Toronto, ON, Canada
Sal Iacono brings more than 30 years of experience to Cadillac Fairview with senior roles in real estate development, investments and asset management. He is a successful entrepreneur with extensive expertise in developing commercial, retail and multi-residential projects comprising of several million square feet in Canada. In his current role, he is responsible for providing operational leadership to manage Cadillac Fairview’s 38 million-square-foot retail and office portfolio in Canada. Sal holds a Master of Business Administration degree from McGill University and a Bachelor of Engineering degree from Concordia University.
Parham Javaheri
Chief Property Development Officer & Executive Vice President, Life Time, Inc., Chanhassen, MN, United States
Parham Javaheri, Life Time’s Chief Property Development Officer and Executive Vice President, is the driving force behind the location growth of the nation’s premier healthy lifestyle brand. As Life Time continues to differentiate itself with its one-of-a-kind model for healthy living, healthy aging and healthy entertainment, PJ is guiding real estate acquisitions, developments, partnerships and government relations to bring the company’s athletic resorts, Life Time Work shared workspace and Life Time Living high-end residences to cities across the U.S. and Canada. He leads a team of talented professionals in real estate, development, architecture, design and construction out of the company’s corporate headquarters in Chanhassen, MN.
PJ, who studied civil engineering and applied mathematics at McGill University in Montreal, joined Life Time in 2004 and has led the real estate and development team since 2014, becoming Executive Vice President in 2017.
Chris Johnson
Senior Vice President, Principal Financial Officer, Dillard’s, Inc., Little Rock, AR, United States
Chris Johnson is a CPA and has served as Senior Vice President, Principal Financial Officer for Dillard’s, Inc., since January 2015. He oversees the Finance, Real Estate, Risk Management, CDI Contractors and Maintenance departments. He has served as Vice President of Real Estate for Dillard’s from 2012 to 2015, and from 2006 to 2012 he served as Vice President of Accounting for Dillard’s. Chris has also served as CFO for CDI Contractors, LLC, since 2008, a wholly owned subsidiary of Dillard’s.
Prior to joining Dillard’s, Chris was a Senior Manager for Ernst & Young in their Northwest Arkansas office. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for Baptist Health Foundation, Easterseals Arkansas and the University of Arkansas’ Walton College of Business Advisory Board for the Accounting Department. Chris received his BSBA degree in Accounting from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville in 1994. He also serves on the Board of Directors of Encore Bank, a privately owned community bank in Central Arkansas.
John A. Kite
Chairman & CEO, Kite Realty Group, Indianapolis, IN, United States
John A. Kite is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Kite Realty Group Trust. Mr. Kite is responsible for the strategic direction and operating results of the company. He serves as the head of the company’s capital allocation committee, which is responsible for major capital transactions.
Prior to becoming Chief Executive Officer of Kite Realty Group upon its initial public offering in August 2004, Mr. Kite was President of Kite Companies from 1997–2004. In 1994, Mr. Kite was named President of KMI Realty Advisors, an affiliate of the Kite Companies. KMI Realty Advisors is a full-service, SEC-registered real estate advisory firm. Mr. Kite joined the Kite organization as Chief Financial Officer of Kite Development in 1990. Mr. Kite was a Business Development Officer in the Commercial Lending Department of Harris Trust and Savings Bank in Chicago, Illinois, from 1987–1990. Mr. Kite holds a BA in Economics from DePauw University.
David G. Krueger
Senior Vice President, Growth and Development, ULTA Beauty, Inc., Bolingbrook, IL, United States
David Krueger is Senior Vice President of Growth and Development at Ulta Beauty, the largest beauty retailer in the United States with more than 1,350 stores, 350 Ulta Beauty at Target shops and 14 million square feet of retail. In his role, Mr. Krueger is responsible for leading Ulta Beauty’s store development strategy, site selection, lease negotiation, construction, remodeling, maintenance, energy management and corporate real estate planning. Prior to joining Ulta Beauty, Mr. Krueger was Vice President of Real Estate at Carter’s and Senior Vice President of Corporate Real Estate at Calere's (Brown Shoe Company).
Mr. Krueger received his bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and his MBA from Cardinal Stritch University.
Shannon Letts
Senior Vice President of Real Estate Development, Big Lots Stores, Columbus, OH, Unites States
Shannon Letts is currently a Senior Vice President at Big Lots, Inc. In her role, she manages real estate and construction for the new store growth, as well as facilities maintenance, energy, property management and procurement for 1,400 existing store locations.
Prior to Big Lots, Shannon was the Head of Property Management for Walton Enterprises, the family office of the Walton Family. In this role, she led a team managing acquisition, construction, property management, insurance and security. Shannon started her career at Walmart, where she spent 23 years primarily in real estate roles as Director, Vice President and Senior Vice President overseeing new store real estate growth, procurement and facilities maintenance.
Shannon has a degree in finance and real estate from the University of Arkansas, Walton College of Business. She is on the board of the Boys and Girls Club of Benton County, and an active member of the Color of Hope Committee, benefiting the Arkansas Children’s Hospital.
Whitney Livingston
President, Centennial Real Estate, Dallas, TX, United States
After joining Centennial in 2018 as Chief Operating Officer, Whitney was named President in 2021, leading the company’s strategy, growth initiatives and operations. Whitney works closely with the executive and property teams to develop and execute accretive operating, repositioning and redevelopment plans that create long-term value for Centennial’s partners and clients.
Prior to Centennial, Whitney spent nearly 13 years at Madison Marquette in various leadership roles. Most recently, she served as head of management and property services overseeing over 20 million square feet of real estate. During her tenure at Madison Marquette, Whitney successfully project managed the visioning, branding, merchandising and redevelopment or repositioning process for assets owned by the company’s highest priority clients and partners, including PGIM, Blackstone, Principal Financial and UBS. She has a proven track record of building, motivating and leading teams to achieving property and corporate strategic plans.
Whitney holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Psychology from Wesleyan University, NE. She currently serves as State Director for Texas and on the Red River States Conference planning committee. She is a past Chair of the ICSC Texas Convention and in 2019 was named by ICSC as a 4 Under 40 honoree.
Laurie Mahowald
Vice President, Real Estate, Target Corporation, Minneapolis, MN, United States
As vice president of real estate for Target Corp., Laurie Mahowald oversees new-store growth strategy and roughly 1,800 existing stores across the country. Before this, she was director of property development for Target Canada, where she led property management, construction and store design. She is an ICSC Foundation board member and a member of the ICSC OAC Summit Program Planning Committee, as well as a member of the Urban Land Institute.
Terrence Maiden
Chief Executive Officer & Managing Partner, Russell Glen, Dallas, TX, United States
As Chief Executive Officer for Russell Glen Company, Terrence Maiden draws on over two decades of real estate experience to lead the company’s growth and implementation of real estate development/investment strategy.
Terrence is widely recognized as a rising leader within the development industry. His most signature projects include the award-winning Shops at RedBird, Glen Oaks Crossings, Canyon in Oak Cliff, Alexan West Dallas and The Avenida. Before launching Russell Glen, Terrence served as Executive Vice President of Development at Corinth Properties. He subsequently managed the development and expansion strategy for Panda Express and Panera Bread throughout the central United States as Director of Real Estate.
Terrence received a Bachelor of Science and Engineering degree from Texas Christian University. He is Chairman of the Maiden Foundation, which invests in educational and community revitalization projects, and is involved in many charitable/civic organizations. For three consecutive years, D CEO listed Terrence as Dallas 500 most influential leaders and “Power Broker of the Year” in 2019. For 10 successive years, Terrence has been named to D Magazine real estate's Power Broker list.
Melvin Mance
Founder & CEO of Enrichment Partners, LLC, Tampa, FL, United States
As Founder and CEO of Enrichment Partners, Melvin leads the development company’s growth strategy, while directing the daily operations. Previously, he served as US Development Director for McDonald’s Corporation. As a U.S. Development Director, his role combined providing construction direction, executing national program rollouts, strategic sourcing, and people development. Melvin played a vital role supporting teams throughout the U.S., accelerating new development and modernization as part of the corporate initiative Bigger Bolder Vision.
Prior to joining McDonald’s, Melvin served in the U.S. Navy Reserve, Construction Battalion. He has an array of construction and development experience in educational, retail and industrial manufacturing. Previous organizations that Melvin has led construction/development projects include Proctor & Gamble, Mead Johnson, Chicago Public Schools and Waffle House Corporation. Melvin graduated from Michigan State University with a Bachelor of Science degree. He serves on the board of Michigan State University, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources Alumni Association. He is involved in his community and is an active supporter of Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) of Tampa.
Manuel Martin
Managing Partner, Azora, Miami, FL, United States
Manuel Martin joined Azora in 2023 to lead all Commercial Real Estate verticals across the United States. Previously, he was heading Nuveen Real Estate’s retail vertical globally. As a member of the Nuveen Investment Committee and the Executive Leadership Team, he was involved in the firm growth for the past decade.
During his 20 years experience, Manuel oversaw investment activities and asset operations across the United States and Europe, structured large portfolio deals, and started up and grew several investment platforms and teams. Manuel has also been active in capital raising for individual investments and long-term mandates across several jurisdictions, gaining equity and debt support for the platform.
Manuel has an MBA from the Bradford University School of Management and is a lecturer at the Madrid IE Business School. He is an active a member of the University of Miami Business School Advisory Board and an ICSC trustee.
Marty Mayer
President & CEO, Stirling Properties, Covington, Louisiana
Marty Mayer joined Stirling Properties in 1986 and has served as President and Chief Executive Officer since 2002. Under his leadership, Stirling Properties, located in the Gulf South, has continually grown as one of the most diversified full-service commercial real estate companies in the country.
Mr. Mayer is affiliated with numerous industry, business and charitable organizations, as well as economic development and entrepreneurial movements across local, regional and national levels. He has served in many roles for ICSC, including Chairman of PAC, Vice President of Southern Development, Special Committee on Public Policy, and Chairman of the Open-Air Center Committee. He has also served on ULI’s Small Scale Development Council–Black Flight and Silver Flight as past Chairman.
Mr. Mayer holds a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering and an MBA in finance from Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Mark McDonald
Partner & Founder, The Cinema Bridge, Leawood, KS, United States
During a forty-plus-year executive career at AMC Theatres, Mark McDonald held executive positions in Operations, Finance, Real Estate, International, and M&A. In addition to extensive real estate experience domestically and internationally, AMC’s billion-dollar European subsidiary reported to Mark. Mark’s BA degree is from the University of Southern California, and his MBA from the Anderson School of business at UCLA.
Kenton H. McKeehan
Chief Revenue Officer, Big V Property Group, Charlotte, NC, United States
Kenton McKeehan is the Chief Revenue Officer of Big V Property Group. Prior to Big V Property Group, Mr. McKeehan oversaw Hines’ retail activities worldwide including acquisition, disposition, retail and mixed-use development, redevelopment and asset management. Mr. McKeehan also worked for MG Herring and LaSalle Partners overseeing retail leasing activities and spent time working for himself as a developer, restaurant consultant and leasing advisor.
Mr. McKeehan has experience across all retail asset classes including grocery-anchored centers, power centers, lifestyle centers, malls and complex mixed-use assets on behalf of some of the largest institutions in the world.
Jodie W. McLean
CEO, EDENS, Washington, DC, United States
Jodie W. McLean is Chief Executive Officer of EDENS, one of the nation’s leading private owners, operators and developers of retail real estate. With a tenure of more than 25 years, she has been a key player in EDENS’ growth and expansion to its current marketplace leadership, capitalized by blue chip investors and assets valued at $6.5 billion.
McLean is responsible for EDENS’ strategy to move the portfolio to major urban centers and first-ring suburbs, creating a portfolio of assets that are the center of community life. She was named Chief Investment Officer in 1997, President in 2002 and CEO in 2015. Overall, she has been responsible for the development, redevelopment, acquisition and disposition of more than $20 billion in retail assets.
McLean serves on several boards, including Cushman & Wakefield, the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, Wofford College and Milhaus. She is also a Trustee of ICSC, the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and The Real Estate Round Table. McLean is a member of the Liberty Fellowship (Aspen Institute), Class of 2009. A native of Chicago, IL, Jodie McLean holds a B.S. in Finance and Management from the Moore School of Business, University of South Carolina, and a degree from South Carolina Honors College.
Scott A. McPherson
Managing Partner, Merlone Geier Partners, San Diego, CA, United States
Scott McPherson has been with Merlone Geier and its predecessor entity since 1995. He is a Managing Partner and member of the Investment Committee and Management Committee. McPherson shares broad firm oversight responsibilities with a primary focus on urban mixed-use redevelopments, entitlement processing, leasing and coordinating personnel to ensure the execution of the firm’s strategy for each asset.
McPherson is a graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles. He is a current member of the ICSC Board of Trustees, a member of the Urban Land Institute and a licensed real estate broker in California. He is also a past member of the Board of Directors and past President of the Monarch Ambassador Council of the Monarch School in San Diego and a past member of the Board of Trustees of The Bishop’s School in La Jolla, California.
Zach Minteer
Vice President, Real Estate, Five Below, Philadelphia, PA, United States
In his role as Vice President, Zach runs the Real Estate Department for one of the fastest-growing retailers in the country, Five Below. In this role, he has guided the company’s new store growth from 300 to 1,250-plus stores over the past 8 years across 42 states. Zach oversees all facets of Five Below’s real estate strategy from new store expansion to existing store portfolio management and data analytics. He joined Five Below when it was as a 23-store chain across 5 states and has held various positions within Real Estate during his 17-year tenure. Zach has also participated on the ICSC Open Air Planning Committee since 2018 while serving as a Summit Conference Co-Chair in 2020.
John R. Morrison, CRX, CDP
ICSC Past Chairman | Director, Hines Securities, Toronto, ON, Canada
John R. Morrison is a Past ICSC Chair. He currently serves as Director, Hines Securities and President of JRMF Holdings Inc. He is the former Vice Chair, President and Chief Executive Officer of Choice Properties Real Estate Investment Trust, a position he held for 7 years. He has over 40 years of experience in the commercial real estate industry. Mr. Morrison was President and Chief Executive Officer of Primaris Real Estate Investment Trust from 2009 to 2013. Prior to serving in that role, Mr. Morrison was President, Real Estate Management, at Oxford Properties Group.
Mr. Morrison has been an active volunteer member of ICSC for over 40 years. He has served as a Trustee of ICSC since 2008 and currently serves as Past Chair on the Executive Board. He is a Director of the ICSC Foundation and Chair of the ICSC Foundation Canada. He is also former Vice Chairman of the Urban Land Institute Toronto District Council and is Past Chair of the Toronto Metropolitan University Real Estate Advisory Committee. Mr. Morrison also serves on a number of corporate boards, including Automotive Properties Real Estate Investment Trust, Forum Real Estate and Impact Fund. He is also a member of the Dean’s Advisory Council at the Ted Rogers School of Management at Toronto Metropolitan University in Toronto. Mr. Morrison is an institute-certified director (ICD.D) with the Institute of Corporate Directors.
John B. Mulleady
Chief Development Officer, Dave & Buster’s, Dallas, TX, United States
John Mulleady has more than 33 years of experience in Real Estate, Design, Construction and Maintenance of retail and commercial facilities. Currently, he is the Chief Development Officer of Dave & Buster’s responsible for all phases of Development and Expansion of the company. Prior to Dave & Buster’s, he was Senior Vice President of Development responsible for the expansion of BJ’s Wholesale Club, Circuit City and as Director of Construction for Home Depot in Argentina, Chile, Mexico, and the USA regions of the Southwest, Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. John started in the industry working for several general contractors on the West Coast, building residential, commercial, state and federal projects. He has obtained two BS degrees from the University of the Pacific (Summa Cum Laude/ Valedictorian) and an MS from the University of California Berkley.
Hessam Nadji
President & CEO, Marcus & Millichap, Calabasas, CA, United States
Hessam Nadji joined Marcus & Millichap in 1996 as vice president of research and advisory services and was named CEO in 2016. During those years, he assumed various responsibilities, including chief marketing officer, launching the company’s IPA division, overseeing all specialty division sales, and leading its IPO in 2013 as Chief Strategy Officer. Prior to that, he was senior vice president of research and technology for Grubb & Ellis, where he started his career in 1986. He is frequently quoted as an industry trends spokesperson in major media, including CNBC, Fox Business, Bloomberg, Yahoo Finance, the Wall Street Journal, and various real estate publications.
Chris Noble
Principal – Deerfield Capital LLC, Arlington Heights, IL United States
Chris Noble is a Principal at Deerfield Capital, a boutique commercial real estate investment company specializing in the retail real estate sector.Chris previously spent over 20 years at Walgreens, most recently serving as Group Vice President — Property with responsibility for a 300-person team that managed all aspects of Walgreens’ 10,000 property portfolio spanning 140 million square feet across the United States and Puerto Rico. At Walgreens, Chris held roles in real estate, finance, portfolio management, mergers and acquisitions, construction, investor relations and corporate strategy.
Chris has also founded a led a highly successful real estate private equity investment firm specializing in the single-tenant net-lease sector and led a real estate development company focused on the grocery and drugstore sectors. Throughout his career, Chris has been known for combining key insights from multiple disciplines to create new and innovative ways to create shareholder value.
A graduate of Augustana College in Rock Island, IL, Noble has earned the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation as well as the Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) designation. He previously served as trustee of Walgreens Profit-Sharing Retirement Trust, a $6 billion employee retirement plan, and is currently a member of Urban Land Institute’s Commercial & Retail Development Gold Council.
Alex Nyhan
CEO, First Washington Realty, Bethesda, MD, United States
Alex Nyhan is CEO of First Washington Realty (FWR), a private real estate firm that owns and operates essential retail real estate. FWR is a national platform, with interests in grocery center-anchored shopping centers and another essential real estate at a value of over $9.5 billion.
Prior to joining FWR, Mr. Nyhan held successive leadership positions for several years at a major mixed-use development REIT. Mr. Nyhan has been involved with over $5.5 billion of real estate investments, developments and initiatives, including housing, retail, office, hotel and mixed-use projects. He has served as an advisor to the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank and various entities on real estate matters. He has worked in the U.S. and internationally.
Mr. Nyhan holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and an MPA from Harvard Kennedy School.
Fernando de Peña Iver
CEO, Mallplaza, Santiago, Chile
Civil engineer, Fernando de Peña Iver, has over 32 years of experience at Mallplaza, during which he has demonstrated strong leadership and strategic capability. He has led Mallplaza to become one of the top companies in the shopping center industry in Latin America by implementing a business model centered around people. In addition, he pioneered the opening of new uses of the shopping center infrastructure by integrating education, health and entertainment services among others.
In 2020, Fernando de Peña promoted the consolidation of Mallplaza’s transformation into an omnichannel ecosystem, attracting digital flow to urban centers and delivering new opportunities to customers and business partners. The most outstanding aspects of his management include the creation of Mallplaza Vespucio in 1990; the expansion of Mallplaza to Peru, starting in 2007, and to Colombia, during 2012; and the inauguration of Mallplaza Egaña in 2014, which was recognized in 2016 as the best sustainable shopping center in the world. In 2020, Mallplaza was established in Bogotá, Colombia, consolidating its regional growth strategy.
In 2021, Fernando de Peña led the company's commitment to carbon neutrality by 2030, with a focus on energy and water efficiency, waste management and promoting the end of single-use plastics. And in 2022, Mallplaza was recognized with first place in the Cadem Citizen Brands Study, in the shopping center category.
Fernando de Peña received Chile’s “Marketing Best 2016” award, which highlights the country's top CEOs. During RECon 2018 he was recognized by the ICSC for his role within the council, for his ability to generate excellent work teams and his leadership in creating spaces that improve people's quality of life. He has been an ICSC Trustee since 2019.
Angele Robinson-Gaylord
Senior Vice President, Store Development Americas, Starbucks, Seattle, WA, United States
Angele Robinson-Gaylord has been helping retailers and developers create and implement strategies to grow and protect their real estate portfolios for over 15 years. Currently, she serves as Senior Vice President, Store Development Americas for Starbucks, leading a management team supporting 17,000+ retail locations in the United States and Canada.
Prior to joining Starbucks, at Rite Aid and IKEA, Angele led Store Development teams that oversaw site acquisition, design, construction and portfolio management for their retail portfolios. She formerly worked at McDonald’s Corporation in the U.S. Restaurant Development division, where she supported real estate issues for existing restaurants.
Before McDonald’s, Angele practiced law for over fifteen years in litigation and commercial real estate. Angele holds a B.A. in political science from Stanford University and a J.D. from George Washington University School of Law. She is also a proud 2009 graduate of Project REAP, a market-driven education and professional development program that serves as a bridge between talented minority professionals and commercial real estate companies looking for talent. Angele serves on the board for ICSC, the ICSC Foundation, Project REAP and Success Academy.
Brian Ross
COO, Starwood Retail Partners, Chicago, IL, United States
Brian Ross is an accomplished industry professional who joined Starwood Capital Group in 2019. As Chief Operating Officer of Starwood Retail Partners, Starwood Capital Group’s retail vertical, he oversees the firm’s retail investments across North America and leads all retail acquisition activities. He is responsible for originating, structuring, underwriting and closing retail investments as well as overseeing the operations of the retail portfolio including leasing, development and property management. Prior to being elevated to COO, Brian served as Senior Vice President of Leasing where he oversaw the company’s revenue functions. Previously, Brian served as Vice President of Leasing & Development at Brookfield Properties. During his tenure at Brookfield, Brian held a leadership role within the company’s development department where he executed the redevelopment and transformation of anchor store boxes across the company’s portfolio. Prior to Brookfield, Brian was with DDR Corp. (now SITE Centers) for over 10 years in various leadership positions, including leasing, portfolio management, capital transactions and development. Most recently, he was Vice President of Leasing and served on the company’s executive and investment committees.
Brian holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Management from John Carroll University. He is a member of ICSC and the Urban Land Institute. He previously served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio and currently serves on the Board of Directors for Notre Dame School in Clarendon Hills, IL.
Steve Rouman
Senior Vice President, Real Estate, RH, Inc., Corte Madera, CA, United States
Steve Rouman is Senior Vice President, Real Estate, at luxury home furnishings retailer RH (formerly Restoration Hardware). In his role, Mr. Rouman leads strategy, site selection, and deal and lease negotiation for all company real estate assets, including retail, distribution and office. Prior to RH, Mr. Rouman held senior-level positions at some of the most well-known brands in the world, including Head of Real Estate–Specialty Retail Stores for Amazon; Senior Director Real Estate, Americas for Apple; Vice President, Global Real Estate & Construction for Levi Strauss & Co.; and Vice President Real Estate North America and Europe for Gap Inc. Mr. Rouman began his career on the landlord side of the business with JMB/Urban Retail Properties and the Westfield Corporation.
Mr. Rouman received a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from the University of Michigan (Go Blue!). He has previously served on the ICSC NEW YORK Planning Committee, is an emeritus member of the OAC Planning Committee and a former State Retail Chair for Northern California. Mr. Rouman resides in suburban San Francisco with his wife and four children.
Glenn Rufrano
ICSC Chairman, 2022-2023| Former CEO, VEREIT, New York, NY, United States
Mr. Rufrano was most recently Chief Executive Officer of VEREIT, prior to its merger with Realty Income in November 2021. While at VEREIT, Mr. Rufrano reconstituted the Board of Directors, formalized the VEREIT management team and introduced a business plan to guide the Company’s strategy.
Prior to VEREIT, Mr. Rufrano served as the Chairman and CEO of O’Connor Capital Partners and was among the founders of O’Connor in 1983. During his career, Mr. Rufrano also served as President and CEO of Cushman & Wakefield, Inc., CEO of Centro Properties Group, an Australian public LPT and as CEO of Centro Properties Group U.S.
Mr. Rufrano has served on the Board of Directors for Ventas, Inc.; Trizec Properties, Inc.; Criimi Mae Inc.; and General Growth Properties. He currently serves on the advisory boards at NYU’s Real Estate Institute and at The Steven L. Newman Real Estate Institute Advisory Board at Baruch College. Mr. Rufrano currently serves on the Dean’s Council for the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University and the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts’ Advisory Board of Governors. He is a former trustee of the Urban Land Institute. He also serves on the Board of New Alternatives for Children. Mr. Rufrano earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Rutgers University and Master of Science in Management and Real Estate from Florida International University.
Matthew Ryan
President, South, Brixmor Property Group, Roswell, GA, United States
Matthew Ryan was named President of Brixmor’s South Region in January 2019. He oversees a team that operates a portfolio of about 115 open-air retail properties making up about 20mm sf in Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Alabama. Mr. Ryan joined Brixmor in 2012 as a senior leasing professional in the company’s North region in Philadelphia, PA, and was elevated to Vice President, Leasing, West and relocated to Houston in 2015 where he oversaw leasing for about 70 of Brixmor’s Texas-based assets.
Prior to joining Brixmor, Mr. Ryan worked as a broker with Legend Properties in Philadelphia representing landlords and retailers. Mr. Ryan was elected as a borough councilperson in Conshohocken, PA, in 2011 and served for four years. Mr. Ryan received a BA in accounting from Penn State in 2005. He has been an active member of ICSC since 2005, serving as Next Generation State chair in Pennsylvania and on the program planning committee for multiple events.
Mark A. Schurgin
Co-Founder and Chairman, The Festival Companies, Los Angeles, CA, United States
As Co-Founder and Chairman of The Festival Companies, Mark Schurgin heads up all investment strategies and investor relationships and oversees the firm’s corporate direction. Mark Schurgin’s sharp entrepreneurial instincts and real estate investment acumen have produced exceptional returns for partners and clients. With over 40 years of national commercial real estate experience, Mark has been involved in the sourcing and creation of more than $5billion of retail and mixed-use properties. His development background also includes the development and syndications of more than thirty multi-family and condominium projects.
Mark serves as Trustee and Executive Board Member of ICSC and is a member of the CRC Blue Council of Urban Land Institute. A graduate of the University of Colorado, he is an active speaker for numerous industry organizations and sits on the executive boards of several charities. In 2008 Mark and Rosalind Schurgin established the Undergraduate Schurgin Family Foundation Scholarship, which provides college tuition assistance to undergraduate students who are studying retail real estate or a related field. The scholarship program is the Schurgin family’s legacy to give back to an industry that has brought them so much fulfillment.
Wendy Seher
Executive Vice President & Eastern Region President, Federal Realty Investment Trust, N. Bethesda, MD, United States
As Executive Vice President, Eastern Region President for Federal Realty Investment Trust, Wendy Seher is responsible for leading the leasing, development, and asset management teams for the company’s East Coast portfolio, which comprises over 18 million square feet of real estate from Boston to Miami, and Chicago. She also serves as a member of Federal’s executive and investment committees.
Wendy has more than 30 years of experience within the retail real estate industry. Prior to joining Federal in 2002, she was a principal with the J. Donegan Company, a Northern Virginia-based private real estate development company, where she managed new development leasing, third-party leasing, and tenant representation. Prior to this, she worked for Peterson Company and Fried Companies in a variety of leasing roles. Wendy earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from University of Maryland.
Eve Sembler
Vice President of Leasing, The Sembler Company, Saint Petersburg, FL, United States
Eve Sembler is Vice President of Leasing at The Sembler Company, a full-service commercial real estate firm with a portfolio of nearly 10 million square feet under leasing and management throughout the southeastern United States. Sembler received her BSBA from the Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis. Following her undergraduate degree, Sembler began her career with Brixmor Property Group in the National Accounts team focusing initially on Direct to Franchisee leasing and then transitioning to Peripheral Land Development, both based in New York City.
Sembler’s most recent position as Vice President of National Accounts with Brixmor Property Group, where she managed 90+ accounts and supported the marketing, negotiating and delivery of over 200 outparcel Leases across four regions, strategically positioned her to step into the Vice President of Leasing position with The Sembler Company.
Michael J. Shanahan
SVP Real Estate, Construction, Store Planning, Store Design & Innovation, Burlington Stores Inc., Burlington, NJ, United States
Michael J. Shanahan is the Senior Vice President of Real Estate, Construction, Store Planning, Store Design & Innovation for Burlington Stores, Inc. since May 2022. He formerly served as the Senior Vice President of Real Estate, Construction and Lease Administration. Prior to his roles as SVP, he served as Vice President of Real Estate from 2009 to March 2019. During the years of 2000 to 2008, Mr. Shanahan held various leadership roles in Real Estate, Construction and Facilities. He started his career at Burlington Stores in Operations where he held various positions of increasing responsibility before becoming part of the Store Development Team. In addition to his ICSC affiliation, Mr. Shanahan personally serves on the board of Run for ALD, Inc., a non-profit 501c3 that has donated over $265,000 to the Kennedy Krieger Institute for research efforts.
Nicole Shiman
Senior Vice President & Regional Head, Edens, FL, United States
As Senior Vice President and Regional Head, Nicole Shiman leads EDENS Florida portfolio and office. She brings extensive experience in development, acquisitions, dispositions, as well as portfolio oversight and management to the team. Nicole previously served as Vice President at Miami-based 13th Floor Investments, where she was responsible for leading acquisition initiatives, new business procurement and capitalization efforts. She was actively involved in the ongoing oversight, development, management and disposition of 13th Floor’s real estate portfolios.
Prior to her work with 13th Floor, Nicole spent many years with The Boston Consulting Group in their Toronto, New York and Miami offices. Nicole graduated from The Richard Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario with a Bachelor’s in Business Administration and received her Master’s in Business Administration from Harvard Business School. Nicole sits on ULI’s Southeast Florida/Caribbean Advisory Board, and she serves as a Board Member for The University of Miami School of Law LLM program and as a founding Board Member of the Wynwood/Doral Yard.
Johnny Siegel
Managing Member, Open Realty Advisors, Dallas, TX, United States
Mr. Siegel is a Managing Member of Open Realty Advisors. As a leader of Open’s tenant advisory business, Johnny is responsible for all aspects of Open clients’ retail rollout and asset management strategies. While being personally responsible for over a thousand lease transactions, Johnny managed the early growth phases for Restoration Hardware, J. Crew and Apple, taking Apple from zero stores to over 250 domestically and through its first ten stores in China and Hong Kong.
Prior to joining Open, Johnny honed his management and real estate skills during a period of explosive growth at Michaels Stores, Inc., where he was Director of Real Estate Legal Affairs and a Real Estate Director. Johnny began his business career practicing real estate and corporate law in Dallas for five years.
Johnny received a bachelor of business administration in Finance from The University of Texas at Austin and a Doctor of Jurisprudence from The University of Texas School of Law.
Joshua Simon
Founder & Chief Executive Officer, SimonCRE, Scottsdale, AZ, United States
As Founder and CEO of SimonCRE, Joshua Simon leads the acquisition and development company’s growth strategy while directing the daily operations. To date, SimonCRE has completed over 260 projects across 22 states, equaling a total value of more than $685 million. The company has over 30 projects planned for 2023, totaling more than $400 million in construction.
Joshua founded the national commercial real estate company in 2010 and is a hands-on leader when it comes to projects that will benefit clients and the communities they serve. SimonCRE specializes in the acquisition and development of a range of properties, from single-tenant build to suit net lease properties to newsworthy power centers. The firm has cultivated a diverse portfolio of retail, medical office, RV storage and alternate-use projects. Joshua applies his boundless energy toward supporting and giving back to the industry he loves. He has served on a number of boards and routinely presents as an industry expert at conferences like ULI Deep Dive and ICSC Next Generation, as well as forums for AZRE and Bisnow, among others.
Claude Sirois
Managing Director, Real Assets & Private Equity, iA Financial Group, Montréal, QC, Canada
Claude is responsible for iA’s real estate holdings, including investments and asset management as well as commercial mortgages. He is a business leader with over 30 years of international commercial real estate executive experience, applying best practices in partnership with global, world-class organizations. Claude is accomplished at developing and leading cross-functional teams to superior, metric-based performances, initiating and implementing complex projects, and achieving corporate and asset-specific objectives. He is a seasoned closer of numerous high-level negotiations for acquiring, developing, managing, leasing, and disposing of commercial properties. Expert solver of both entrepreneurial and institutional challenges. Claude is skilled at applying quality control, continuous improvement and data analytics expertise to people, processes and assets.
Wynn Spencer
Senior Director, Real Estate, Alo Yoga & Bella+Canvas, Vancouver, Canada
Wynn Spencer joined Alo Yoga and Bella+Canvas in February 2020 and heads up their store development department. Previously, he served as Vice President of Store Development for Lululemon Athletica and supported the company’s store development team in North America. He was also head of real estate for Toronto-based Shoppers Drug Mart, Canada’s largest drugstore chain and Starbucks Coffee Canada.
Spencer’s career in the real estate industry has spanned over three decades and includes development of roughly 1,500 new retail units under 12 brands. His early experience includes development of brands in the oil, convenience-store and quick-serve restaurant sectors. He also worked with the largest developer of neighborhood and community shopping centers in Canada as its Director of Development.
John (J.P.) Suarez
Former EVP, Chief Administration Officer & Regional CEO, Canada, Chile and Massmart, Walmart International, Bentonville, AR
JP Suarez retired from Walmart where he acted as the EVP, Chief Administration Officer and Regional CEO, Chile and Massmart for Walmart International. JP led the teams responsible for Technology, Supply Chain, Global Leverage and Supplier Relationship Management. He also served on the board of Massmart, Walmart’s publicly held subsidiary in South Africa. Prior to this role, JP was the President of Walmart’s Realty Division and was responsible for leading all of Walmart’s Realty functions, including site selection, prototype design, construction, store maintenance, fixture and equipment procurement and portfolio management. JP has also been responsible for Business Development in Walmart’s International Division and looked after M&A activities, real estate, and global format development. He has also been the General Counsel for Walmart International and U.S. Sam’s Club and was the SVP and Chief Compliance Officer and served as the interim CEO for Walmart Canada. JP served five years as a board member on the University of Pennsylvania Law School Board of Overseers.
JP’s previous experience includes serving as President Bush’s Assistant Administrator for Enforcement and Compliance at the EPA and as a federal prosecutor in New Jersey. He was also the Director of N.J. Division of Gaming, where he oversaw New Jersey’s casino industry. JP has a B.A. in English and Drama from Tufts University, as well as a J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School where he served as an Articles Editor for the Law Review. JP is married and has three children.
James Taylor
ICSC Vice Chairman, 2023 | CEO & President, Brixmor Property Group, New York, NY, United States
James “Jim” M. Taylor was appointed CEO and President of Brixmor Property Group in May 2016 and to the company’s Board of Directors in June 2016. Jim brings more than 20 years of experience in the commercial real estate industry.
Prior to Brixmor, Mr. Taylor served as Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer for Federal Realty Investment Trust, where he was also responsible for sourcing and evaluating business development and strategic opportunities for Federal Realty’s east coast portfolio and for operational oversight of its southeast portfolio. Before Federal Realty, Mr. Taylor was a Senior Managing Director and the head of real estate investment banking at Eastdil Secured/Wells Fargo. Earlier in his career, Mr. Taylor practiced corporate and securities law at the law firm of Hunton & Williams LLP, with a focus on equity REITs, and worked as a senior accountant for PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.
Mr. Taylor is an ICSC Trustee and a member of ICSC’s Executive Board and serves on the Executive Board of NAREIT. He is also a member of the Urban Land Institute (ULI). Mr. Taylor received a B.S. in Commerce and a J.D. from the University of Virginia, and he is a member of the Urban Land Institute (ULI).
Dana Telsey
CEO & Chief Research Officer, Telsey Advisory Group, New York, NY, United States
Dana Telsey is the CEO and Chief Research Officer of Telsey Advisory Group (TAG), which is a leading equity research, trade execution, investment banking and consulting firm focusing on the consumer space.
TAG, founded in 2006, is certified as a Woman-Owned Business Enterprise and the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council. During her 35-year career, Dana has developed expertise that spans across the U.S. and international consumer companies. In 2015, Dana founded Telsey Consumer Fund Management LP, an asset management firm that manages a consumer-focused long/short hedge fund. Prior to forming TAG, she was a Senior Managing Director at Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc. covering the retail sector and the Retail Analyst at C.J. Lawrence, as well as Vice President of the Baron Asset Fund at Baron Capital, Inc.
Ms. Telsey graduated from Hobart-William Smith Colleges with a B.A. degree in History and Spanish and received her M.B.A from Fordham University. Ms. Telsey has been recognized for the following: One of Barron’s 100 Most Influential Women in U.S. Finance (2020); Thomson Reuters award for “Number 1 Stock Picker for Multiline Retail” (2016); National Retail Federation: One of the 24 winners of The List of People Shaping Retail’s Future (2015); and Woman-Owned Brokerage of the Year by Traders Magazine (2014).
Joseph M. Tichar
Co-Founder, President & COO, Raider Hill Advisors, New York, NY, United States
Joseph M. Tichar is Co-Founder, President and COO of Raider Hill and is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of all company activities. A fourteen-year veteran of the retail real estate business, Mr. Tichar is widely recognized for his deep experience in operations, investments and asset management. Mr. Tichar is an ICSC Trustee and serves on the ICSC Foundation Board of Directors. In 2019, he was an ICSC 4 under 40 honoree, which recognizes the next generation of industry leaders.
Prior to Raider Hill, Mr. Tichar was Senior Vice President of Operations and Chief of Staff at DDR Corp. (now known as Site Centers) and served on the company’s investment, management, compensation and enterprise risk management committees. During his tenure at DDR (2008–2015), Mr. Tichar held various leadership positions and was actively involved in strategic planning, capital transactions, portfolio management, investor relations, capital markets, corporate communications, marketing and human resources. In 2016, he was a member of the interim senior management team at Brixmor Property Group.
Mr. Tichar received a BS in Business Management and Finance from Case Western Reserve University and has frequently been an industry panelist and guest speaker at Case Western Reserve University, Colgate University, Columbia University, Baruch College and NAIOP.
Jaap Tonckens
COO, BPV Management Co. LLC, Greenwich, CT, United States
Jaap Tonckens serves as Chief Operating Officer of BPV Management Co. LLC, a management services company that provides development management, tenant and non-tenant related services in connection with the development of Belmont Park Village in Queens, New York. Mr. Tonckens currently also serves as a director of citizenM hotels, a member of the board of directors of VIA Outlets, and as a senior advisor to Value Retail, the operator and developer of 11 luxury shopping destinations serving the capital cities of Western Europe and China.
Mr. Tonckens served as Chief Financial Officer and Chief Investment Officer of Unibail-Rodamco S.E. (2012-2021), after joining the firm as General Counsel in 2009. Mr. Tonckens was a managing director at Endurance Capital, a private equity firm in New York. From 1994 to 2008, he worked at Morgan Stanley & Co., first in London and then in New York, where he was a managing director in the Leverage & Acquisition Finance department. Prior to that, he worked at Shearman & Sterling in New York and Paris for more than four years. Mr. Tonckens is a graduate of the University of Leyden in the Netherlands and of Emory University in Atlanta, GA (USA). Mr. Tonckens is a Dutch and U.S. national. He is currently a Trustee of ICSC and previously served as a Global Trustee of the Urban Land Institute from 2016 until 2019.
Mark Toro
Principal & Chief Vision Officer, Toro Development Company, LLC, Alpharetta, GA, United States
Mark Toro founded Atlanta-based Toro Development Company in 2021 to create value by building community. Previously, Mr. Toro cofounded and led the North American Properties Atlanta office where he oversaw $3.1 billion in real estate development, totaling 9.4 million square feet.
Mr. Toro currently serves on ICSC’s Board of Trustees and ULI’s Urban Development Mixed Use Gold Council, Midtown Alliance’s Board of Directors and the City of Refuge Board. He also serves on the Board of Directors of The ATL, a State authority that governs the expansion of public transportation in metro Atlanta. Before cofounding North American Properties’ Atlanta office in 1996, Mr. Toro served in several leadership positions with Faison and Cousins Properties. He has developed, redeveloped or repositioned more than 70 properties totaling almost 30 million square feet during his career. He attended Rutgers University, where he met his wife, Nancy.
Robert Whelan
CEO & Founder, PMAT Companies, New Orleans, LA, United States
Robert (Bob) Whelan is the Chief Executive Officer and founder of the PMAT Companies, a commercial real estate investment platform which is a fully integrated, development, leasing and asset management real estate company with primarily value-add grocery, discount, off-price and necessity anchored shopping centers. Prior to founding the PMAT Companies, Mr. Whelan was the Chief Financial Officer of an NYSE REIT. He began his career in Los Angeles, California, where he worked for both Price Waterhouse and Ernst & Young Kenneth Leventhal Real Estate Group.
Mr. Whelan is actively involved in community service. He has served as a commissioner for Recreation District #1 for the state of Louisiana and as a board member of the City of Miami Public Business Improvement District Board. He was also a board member of Next Generation which ministers to inner city high school students in the New Orleans metropolitan area and is a current board member of Northlake Christian School. He is currently enrolled in Seminary for a master’s in Practical Theology.
Stephen Yalof
President & CEO, Tanger Outlets, Greensboro, NC, United States
Stephen Yalof is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc., a leading operator of upscale, open-air outlet centers with 36 locations across 20 states and Canada. Steve joined in 2020 as President and Chief Operating Officer before succeeding Steven B. Tanger as CEO in 2021, bringing with him over 25 years of experience in the commercial real estate industry, with a primary focus on the retail space. He oversees the operations of the executive and senior leadership teams, emphasizing evolving the customer shopping experience, and sits on the board of directors.
Before joining Tanger Outlets, Steve served as the CEO of Simon Premium Outlets, where he drove forward the expansion and development of their real estate portfolio. He previously served as Senior Vice President of Real Estate for Ralph Lauren and Senior Director of Real Estate for The Gap, Inc. Steve serves on the board of directors for HeadCount and the advisory board for the Center for Real Estate & Urban Analysis (CREUA) at George Washington University, his alma mater, where he earned a B.S. in Business Administration.
Tabassum Zalotrawala
Senior Vice President and Chief Development Officer, McDonald’s USA, Chicago, IL, United States
As McDonald’s USA Senior Vice President and Chief Development Officer, Tabassum Zalotrawala leads the Restaurant Development team focused on accelerating the pace of McDonald’s restaurant openings, including the real estate, construction, facilities, architecture and strategy/analytics teams. Tabassum oversees the expansion of McDonald’s in the U.S. and manages the 13,000 U.S. McDonald’s restaurant portfolio.
Tabassum is an experienced senior executive who has advanced the strategic and global agendas of several world-class companies such as Chipotle Mexican Grill, Panda Restaurant Group and Arby’s. She works with the senior management teams to craft winning strategic plans, right geographic and market development plans to deliver the results to shareholders. Tabassum has experience leading initiatives for a variety of fast-casual, full-service and quick-service brands operating in major markets worldwide. Her background uniquely combines experience in interior design, architecture, real estate, construction, facilities, sourcing and asset management, allowing her to add value across the full range of development functions.
Tabassum’s bachelor’s and master’s degrees in fine arts are complemented by extensive executive education. She completed the Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program. Additionally, she is a LEED-accredited professional. Tabassum was honored with the Exceptional Women Awardee award in 2020 and serves on the Board of Directors of Diamond Rock Hospitality Company. She is involved in non-profit work as a sponsor for Sahiyo, is active with The National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD), serves on the board of the Pacific Southwest Chapter and is a certified Board Leadership Fellow.
Robin Zeigler
Founder & CEO, MURAL Real Estate Partners, New York, NY, United States
Robin Zeigler is Founder & CEO of MURAL Real Estate Partners. MURAL focuses on mixed-use developments in underserved markets. She was formerly Chief Operating Officer for Cedar Realty Trust, where she began in March 2016 and was responsible for the operations of the fully integrated real estate investment trust’s nine million square feet of grocery-anchored shopping centers as well as the redevelopment of its mixed-use assets. Prior to joining Cedar, Ms. Zeigler served as Executive Vice President and Head of Operations at Penzance, a Washington, D.C.–based commercial real estate investment company since January 2015. From 2004 to 2015, Ms. Zeigler worked at Federal Realty Investment Trust as Chief Operating Officer for the Mid-Atlantic Region, responsible for the operations of a portfolio of over 40 shopping centers and 5 mixed-use projects representing approximately 7.3 million square feet and for providing oversight and strategic direction on mixed-use development and redevelopment projects in the region.
Ms. Zeigler holds a BS in Accounting from Florida A&M University and an MBA from Georgia State University. Robin is on the board of directors for three public companies: Jones Lang LaSalle Income Property Trust, RLJ Lodging Trust and NETSTREIT. In addition to being an ICSC Trustee, she serves on the board of the ICSC Foundation as well as an ICSC Foundation Mentor. Ms. Zeigler is a member of the ULI Commercial and Real Estate Development Gold Council and a former board member of Commercial Real Estate Development Association (NAIOP) Maryland/DC Chapter.