Sam Ankin
Co-Founder & Managing Principal, Northpond Partners, Chicago, IL, United States
Sam Ankin is a co-founder and Managing Principal of Northpond Partners and is primarily responsible for sourcing and structuring new investment opportunities along with the strategic direction of the firm. He also serves as a member of the Investment Committee for all of Northpond’s sponsored investment vehicles.
Mr. Ankin has led or supported the identification and analysis of more than 1,500 investment opportunities and through his leadership, has closed on over 90 investments, with a gross asset value in excess of $1.5 billion across over 5 million square feet.
Mr. Ankin graduated from the Real Estate Program at the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s Granger School of Business with Academic Distinction. Mr. Ankin is a current ICSC Trustee, a member of the ICSC Foundation Board of Directors and a member of the ULI Small Scale Development Product Council. He annually guest lectures at the University of Wisconsin – Madison, is an Executive Board member of The Harold E. Eisenberg Foundation and a Next Generation Board Member of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.
Davon Barbour
President & CEO, Downtown Austin Alliance, Austin, TX, United States
Davon is President and CEO of the Downtown Austin Alliance in Austin, TX. He has led economic development for several cities, including New Orleans, 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.
Billy Burke • ICSC Next Generation Trustee
Director, Eastdil Secured, Atlanta, GA, United States
Billy Burke is a Director in Eastdil Secured’s retail group. In this role, he focuses on retail and mixed-use equity sales, joint ventures and capital raises, advising institutional and private clients on complex transactions across the United States. Since joining the firm in 2015, Billy has played a key role in the execution of more than $10 billion in retail and mixed-use transactions, including equity sales, financings and recapitalizations.
Billy is an active member of ICSC and currently serves on the 2024–2026 ICSC Next Generation Leadership Network. He is a graduate of the University of Colorado Leeds School of Business, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration.
Jenny Chang McMullen
SVP, 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.
Christopher Conlon
CEO, wpg, Columbus, OH, United States
Christopher Conlon is the Chief Executive Officer of wpg. He is a leading retail real estate executive with over 30 years of experience. Previously, Chris held the role Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer of Acadia Realty Trust, where he led a differentiated strategy of owning and operating high-quality urban, suburban and street retail assets across the United States.
Prior to joining Acadia Realty Trust, Chris was a partner at Ripco Real Estate Corporation, successfully executing expansion plans for retailers including Target, Best Buy, Home Depot, Starbucks, DICK’S Sporting Goods, Michaels, Bed Bath and Beyond, the TJX Companies and others.
A highly respected and recognized thought leader in the industry, Chris regularly appears on CNBC, Bloomberg, The Stoler Report and is often quoted in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, New York Post and other publications. Chris obtained his J.D. from St. John’s University School of Law and he holds a B.A. from the State University of New York at Stony Brook. He is also a captain licensed by the United States Coast Guard.
Charles P. DiGiovanna
VP, 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).
Jeffrey S. Edison
Chairman & CEO, Phillips Edison & Company, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
Jeff Edison co-founded Phillips Edison & Company and has served as a principal since 1995. He currently serves as Chairman and CEO. From 1991 to 1995, he was employed by NationsBank’s South Charles Realty Corporation, serving as a Senior Vice President from 1993 until 1995 and as a Vice President from 1991 until 1993. Jeff was employed by Morgan Stanley Realty Incorporated from 1987 until 1990 and The Taubman Company from 1984 until 1987.
Jeff serves on the ICSC Executive Board and ICSC Board of Trustees. He also serves on Nareit’s Advisory Board of Governors and is a board member of the Utah Chapter of The Nature Conservancy. Jeff earned a BA in mathematics and economics from Colgate University in 1982 and an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1984.
Brian Finnegan
President & COO, Brixmor Property Group, New York, NY, United States
Brian has served in his current role at Brixmor Property Group since July 2024, when he was named President and Chief Operating Officer, and as Interim Chief Executive Officer and President from April 2024 to May 2024. He served as Senior Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer from 2023 until his promotion in 2024. Brian interacts with every aspect of Brixmor’s business, from leasing to legal, property operations, redevelopment and marketing. Brian joined Kramont Realty Trust, a predecessor of Brixmor, in 2004 as a Senior Leasing Associate. He has served in various roles around the country, including Executive Vice President, Chief Revenue Officer, Executive Vice President of Leasing, Regional Vice President of Leasing, Vice President of Redevelopment – South Region, Senior Vice President Asset Manager – West Region and Senior Vice President of Leasing and Development for the West region. Brian’s leadership has been recognized in Chain Store Age “50 Under 40” and again in “10 Under 40” as well as Shopping Centers Today “Leasing Leaders.” He currently serves as Vice Chair of the ICSC Foundation, whose mission is to cultivate and attract talent to the retail real estate industry.
Conor C. Flynn
ICSC Vice Chairman, 2026 | CEO, Kimco Realty Corporation, Jericho, NY, United States
Conor C. Flynn has been the CEO of Kimco since January 2016. Mr. Flynn joined the company in 2003 as an asset manager and has held a variety of senior leadership roles with the organization including President, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Investment Officer and President, Western Region. Mr. Flynn holds a B.A. from Yale University and a Master’s in Real Estate Development from Columbia University.
Mr. Flynn is a member and Chair of the Executive Board of Nareit and served as Chair of Nareit’s Investment Advisory Council from November 2022 through October 2023. Mr. Flynn is a member and board member of the Real Estate Roundtable and served as a trustee of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC).
Ted Frumkin
Senior Director, Acquisitions and Construction, Action, Charlotte, NC, United States
As Senior Director of Acquisitions and Construction, Ted Frumkin will be developing a team responsible for Action's (a Netherlands based non-food discount store) North American store development strategy, site selection, lease negotiation, asset management and construction. This will be Action's first market outside of Europe where it has over 3,000 stores in 14 European countries.
Prior to joining Action, Ted was the Senior Vice President of Store Development for Heritage Grocers Group (HGG). He remains the President/CEO of TBF Strategic Realty Advisors, Inc., a consulting company he founded in 2020 that provides advice, guidance and best practices to companies looking to develop a new strategy for, or to ramp up, new store expansion. Before HGG, Ted 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
EVP & 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.
Katie Grissom • ICSC Next Generation Trustee
Head of U.S. Retail & Mixed-Use, Nuveen Real Estate, Charlotte, NC, United States
As Global Head of Retail at Nuveen Real Estate, Katie Grissom leads a [$25 billion] global retail platform spanning acquisitions, portfolio management, asset management, leasing and strategic growth initiatives. She also sits on Nuveen’s Global Executive Leadership Team and Investment Committee, shaping firm-wide investment direction and governance.
Under her leadership, the retail team at Nuveen Real Estate has raised over $1.5B from leading institutional investors, advancing the firm’s position as one of the world’s largest retail owners.
Prior to joining Nuveen, Katie was a Managing Director at Asana Partners, where she helped grow the platform to $6.5 billion and led leasing, marketing and retailer partnerships. She began her career operating and scaling consumer retail brands within the L Catterton portfolio. Katie serves on the board of Barcelona Wine Bar and holds a B.A. in Finance and Spanish from Wofford College and an M.B.A. from the Kenan-Flagler Business School.
Alison M. Hallberg
Executive Director, PGIM Real Estate, Newark, NJ, United States
Alison Hallberg is an executive director at PGIM Real Estate and is the U.S. Retail Asset Management sector head. Based in Madison, New Jersey, Alison is responsible for overseeing the firm’s 17+ 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.
Previous to her current role, Alison oversaw the asset management functions across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions for the retail sector which comprised of over 5.8 million square feet and $1.7 billion. Prior to her regional asset management role, Alison lead 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 and mixed-use portfolio totaling 13 million square feet. With over 19 years of asset management experience with the firm, Alison has covered multiple asset classes including office, retail, multifamily, hotel, self-storage and manufactured housing across PGIM Real Estate’s open-end core, core-plus and value-add funds.
Alison is the co-lead for the NJ/NY ILN Committee, which focuses on PGIM Real Estate’s DEI initiatives. She is also a member of ULI’s CRC Gold Council and sits on the Client Advisory Board for Placer.ai. She is an active member of ICSC, serving as a member on the Board of Trustees (2021-2023) and was named by ICSC as a 4 Under 40 honoree in 2021. Alison holds a bachelor’s degree in finance, with a minor in international business, from Pennsylvania State University and a master of business administration from New York University.
Hunter Hart
SVP, Realty, Walmart, Bentonville, Arkansas, United States
Hunter Hart, Walmart Realty's Senior Vice President, started his career with the company as an intern in 2003.
Throughout his 20 years with Walmart, Hunter’s leadership, curiosity and expertise led him to several roles within Real Estate Strategy, New Stores, Remodels and Facilities Maintenance. The Realty Division includes Portfolio Management, Site Selection, Civil Engineering, Architecture, Construction, Remodel Planning & Execution, Facilities Maintenance, and Fuel. Realty is responsible for the management of 700M sq. ft. of retail and 162M sq. ft. of supply chain space. They will open 150 new stores over the next 5 years and continue to remodel 660 stores annually along with having over 5,000 technicians on staff. Real Estate also oversees Walmart’s Acres for America program, a 20-year partnership with the NFWF in which Walmart has protected more than 2 million acres of land.
Mr. Hart holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Tennessee-Martin, where he was a member of the baseball team. Hunter’s introduction to retail began with his family’s furniture and real estate business, which has been in operation for almost 70 years.
David Henry
Co-Founder, Peaceable Street Capital, Greenwich, CT, United States
David B. Henry is the retired Vice Chairman (2001–2016) and CEO (2009–2016) of Kimco Realty Corporation, a NYSE REIT that is North America’s largest publicly traded owner and operator of open-air shopping centers. Prior, Mr. Henry was Senior Vice President & Chief Investment Officer at GE Capital Real Estate, where he spent 23 years, responsible for pension advisory activities and investment policies and strategies in the U.S. and international markets. He was also chairman of the Investment Committee and a member of the Credit Committee.
Mr. Henry graduated from Bucknell University with a B.S. in Business Administration and received his M.B.A. from the University of Miami. He currently serves on the boards of Healthpeak Properties, Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Starwood Real Estate Income Trust, and Fairfield County Bank. He has served on the boards of VEREIT, Inc., from September 2015 to November 2021, and Columbia Property Trust from January 2016 to December 2021.
Mr. Henry is the Co-Founder of Peaceable Street Capital, a preferred equity lender for income-producing commercial real estate properties. He served as the 2011–2012 Chairman of ICSC and is a former Vice Chairman of the Board of Governors of NAREIT and a former member of the Executive Board of the Real Estate Roundtable. Mr. Henry received NAREIT’s 2016 Edward H. Linde Industry Leadership Award and currently serves on the real estate boards of New York University, Bucknell University, Baruch College, ALTO Real Estate Funds, Grupo Patio, Orangewood Partners, and Pine Tree, LLC.
Robert Hense
Head of Real Estate for the Americas, Apple, Cupertino, CA, United States
Robert “Rob” Hense has over 30 years of experience in the retail real estate field and currently leads Apple’s team in the Americas, responsible for new store growth, replacements and asset management. Rob started his career as a lawyer in Denver, then Kansas City, and then moved into an in-house legal/development position with Station Casinos in Las Vegas. In subsequent years Rob held senior positions at Bally Total Fitness (VP of Real Estate and Development), Crate and Barrel (VP of Real Estate, Construction, Design and Asset Management), Starwood Retail (SVP of Development) and Pinstripes (Chief Development Officer).
During the course of his career, Rob has led transactions throughout the globe, including, but not limited to, nearly all of the states in the U.S., most of the provinces in Canada, Mexico, Brazil and Chile, numerous countries in Europe and the Middle East, Japan, South Korea, China and Australia. Rob holds B.S. and J.D. degrees from the University of Kansas.
Paul Hilliard
Director, Real Estate, Whole Foods Market & Amazon, Austin, TX, Unites States
Paul Hilliard is Director of Real Estate at Whole Foods Market & Amazon. 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.
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
President & CEO, 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.
Prior to becoming CEO, Sal held the position of Executive Vice President, Operations at Cadillac Fairview. Sal is responsible for the continued operation and management of Cadillac Fairview’s portfolio and its growth strategy to support the long-term investment focus of the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan. Sal holds a Master of Business Administration degree from McGill University and a Bachelor of Engineering degree from Concordia University.
Naveen Jaggi
President, Retail Advisory Services | Americas, JLL, Houston, TX, United States
Naveen joined JLL in 2014 and leads retail tenant rep and agency leasing business for the United States and Canada. He is responsible for the overall strategy, business development and growth of the platform. Naveen is instrumental in driving JLL’s retail business to produce effective best-in-class connections and collaborations. Additionally, Naveen is Chairman of the Global Retail Board that oversees JLL’s retail cross-border initiatives.
Prior to joining JLL, Naveen served as Senior Managing Director, Retailer Services at CBRE where he oversaw and managed all tenant representation matters for CBRE’s retail division for the United States, Canada and Mexico. Throughout his career, Naveen has represented a diverse client base from big-box retailers, apparel and lifestyle clients including Walgreens, Ikea, JC Penny, Staples and Dollar General to global corporate service firms, such as Shell Oil Company, Ford Motor Company and AT&T.
Naveen earned a bachelor's degree in finance from Stephen F. Austin State University.
Parham Javaheri
Chief Property Development Officer & EVP, 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.
Veronica Kamara • ICSC Next Generation Trustee
Principal, Commercial Real Estate Services, KLNB, Tysons, VA, United States
Veronica is a principal who has spent over a decade at KLNB building meaningful connections with landlords and tenants and finding creative solutions to their retail real estate challenges. She partners with institutional landlords to understand their vision, craft thoughtful merchandising strategies, and secure competitive deal structures that generate sustained value. A D.C. native, Veronica is driven to make an impact on local communities and contribute to the evolution of the capital’s many treasured neighborhoods. She is active in industry networks and stays in the know on local and regional trends.
Prior to joining KLNB in 2012, Veronica built a strong foundation in commercial real estate as a research associate at CoStar Group in Washington, D.C., managing a database of over 700 properties and providing market research and analysis support. Veronica holds a Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy, Politics & Economics from the University of Pennsylvania, where she was a four-year member of the Varsity Women’s Track & Field team.
Daniel Katz
Managing Partner, KPR Centers, New York, NY, United States
Daniel founded KPR (formerly Katz Properties) in Boston in 2003 and subsequently opened offices in New York, Philadelphia, Hartford and Boca Raton. Aside from guiding overall corporate strategy Daniel is primarily responsible for sourcing acquisition opportunities and developing strategic venture partnerships for the company. Through his leadership, KPR has built a premium portfolio of grocery-anchored shopping centers in high-density Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Southeast markets. Since the 2008 economic downturn, KPR has acquired over 11 million square feet of grocery-anchored retail properties with a market value in excess of $2 Billion.
Prior to founding the company, Daniel was part of a team at RHS Realty Associates that leased and managed numerous office and retail properties in New York City. While at RHS, Mr. Katz also independently syndicated and managed the acquisition, redevelopment and disposition of several multi-family residential and office properties.
Daniel holds a B.S. in Entrepreneurial Studies and Finance from the University of Hartford. He previously served on the ICSC Board of Trustees as a Next Generation Board member, the ICSC New York Next Generation Advisory Board and the ICSC Government Relations Committee.
David J. Larcher
President & CEO, Vestar, Phoenix, AZ, United States
David Larcher is President and Chief Executive Officer of Vestar, a fully integrated real estate operating company focused on retail and mixed-use projects in the western U.S. He is a founding principal of Vestar and responsible for some of the most dynamic and popular retail projects in the region.
Vestar is one of the largest privately held owners, developers and operators of shopping centers in the United States with nearly 30 million square feet of retail centers. Since its founding in 1989, Vestar has earned a reputation for creating high-quality shopping and entertainment destinations that serve as essential community focal points. Vestar has been active in acquiring and repositioning large open-air centers, acquiring nearly $2 billion of assets from Texas to California and has several million square feet of development projects underway.
David is a member of the Commercial and Retail Council of the Urban Land Institute and is on the Board of Trustees of The Nature Conservancy of Arizona. In addition, he is on the Board of Governors of the Greater Scottsdale Boys & Girls Club and was formerly Co-Chairman of the Arizona State University President’s Club. David is a graduate of Arizona State University and is in the W.P. Carey School of Business Hall of Fame.
Jay Lessard
Head of Global Real Estate & Store Development, Abercrombie & Fitch Co., Columbus, OH, United States
Jay is Head of Global Real Estate and Store Development at Abercrombie & Fitch Co., leading a global team responsible for strategic planning, real estate portfolio and asset management, and capital deployment for the store fleet across the Abercrombie & Fitch brands and Hollister brands.
Since joining Abercrombie & Fitch Co. in 2008, Jay has led real estate initiatives across North America and key international markets—launching Hollister in Europe, introducing A&F and Hollister in Asia, forging partnerships in the Middle East and modernizing the North American store fleet for sustainable, profitable growth. Jay is recognized industry‑wide for negotiating complex transactions, developing scalable real estate strategies, and cultivating a global network of partners to advance Abercrombie & Fitch Co.’s strategic objectives.
Jay began his career on Wall Street with roles at UBS, Goldman Sachs and Deutsche Bank, building a strong finance and asset management foundation. He holds an MBA from Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business and a B.A. in Economics from Bowdoin College. Active in his community, Jay serves on his city’s zoning and planning committee.
Shannon Letts
SVP, Growth & Development, Ulta Beauty, Bolingbrook, IL, United States
Shannon Letts is currently Senior Vice President of Growth and Development at Ulta Beauty. In her role, she leads the teams for real estate and construction for the new store growth, as well as facilities maintenance and energy, for approximately 1,300 existing store locations.
Prior to Ulta Beauty, Shannon was Senior Vice President at Big Lots, Inc., leading real estate, construction, sustainability, facilities and corporate procurement. 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 leader of the safety committee of the board.
Reginald Livingston
EVP, Chief Investment Officer, Acadia Realty Trust, Rye, NY, United States
Reginald Livingston is the Chief Investment Officer for Acadia Realty Trust, a leading publicly traded REIT (NYSE: AKR) with over $4 billion of retail and mixed-use assets under management. Reggie is responsible for leading the external growth initiatives of the company with ultimate oversight of investment strategy, acquisitions, dispositions, asset management and fundraising for the investment management platform. Previously, he served in dealmaking capacities across product types for various private equity investors and entrepreneurial companies.
Reggie is an active member of ICSC, serving as an ICSC Trustee and a board member of the ICSC Foundation. He further serves on the boards of Lionheart Strategic Management, the Steers Center for Global Real Estate at Georgetown University, and the Jackie Robinson Foundation. He’s also a member of ULI’s Commercial Retail Council (Gold) where he serves on the executive committee. Reggie received his Bachelor of Science in Finance from Georgetown University and a Juris Doctor degree from George Washington University School of Law.
Terrence Maiden
CEO & 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.
Marty Mayer
Former President & CEO, Stirling Properties, Covington, Louisiana
Marty Mayer joined Stirling Properties in 1986 and has served as President and Chief Executive Officer from 2002-2023. 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 is Founder and Director of 501(c)3 Just One Voice, whose mission is to help create opportunities for youth in underserved communities; and Co-Founder of Palette Northshore, a dynamic co-working ecosystem to advance entrepreneurship and connection to resources. Mr. Mayer 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 (OAC) 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.
Stephanie McGowan • ICSC Next Generation Trustee
Managing Director, Real Estate, Blackstone, New York, NY, United States
Stephanie McGowan is a Managing Director in the Real Estate Group at Blackstone where she is currently focused on the asset management and oversight of Blackstone’s U.S. retail and office investments. She serves on the Board of Directors of EDENS and is Co-Chair of Blackstone’s Women’s Initiative.
Prior to joining Blackstone in 2014, Ms. McGowan worked at Bank of America Merrill Lynch in the Real Estate Gaming & Lodging Investment Banking group. Ms. McGowan received a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she attended as a Colonel Robinson Scholar and in the Honors Program. She graduated with Highest Distinction and Phi Beta Kappa. She also proudly serves on the Board of Part of the Solution (“POTS”), a nonprofit organization dedicated to poverty alleviation in the Bronx.
Kenton H. McKeehan
President & Chief Investment Officer, Big V Property Group, Charlotte, NC, United States
Kenton McKeehan is the President and Chief Investment Officer of Big V Property Group. Mr. McKeehan joined the company as Chief Revenue Officer in August 2021. 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.
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 Executive Board and 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
VP, 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.
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.
Bridgid O’Connor
VP, Real Estate Strategy & Operations, Publix Super Markets, Inc., Lakeland, FL, United States
Bridgid O’Connor serves as Vice President of Real Estate Strategy & Operations for Publix Super Markets, Inc., the largest employee-owned company in the United States. She is responsible for leading the growth of the company through strategic site selection of new store locations and planning for existing stores, including (re)development opportunities, across eight states within Publix’s operating footprint and beyond. In addition, she is responsible for the real estate operations and asset management of Publix’s leased store locations. Publix’s real estate operations team partners with landlords to ensure Publix-anchored shopping centers are maintained in premier condition and the shopping experience is always a pleasure.
Bridgid is a graduate of the College of Business at The Florida State University, and she earned an MBA from the Mendoza College of Business at The University of Notre Dame. She serves on the executive board for the FSU Real Estate Center and is an active member of ICSC having previously served as ICSC State Retail Chair—Florida and the Southern Division Retail Chair.
Ryan O’Sullivan
SVP, Real Estate, PetSmart, Phoenix, AZ, United States
Ryan O’Sullivan serves as Senior Vice President of Real Estate at PetSmart, where he leads the company’s real estate team across site selection, analytics, leasing, development, construction, fixtures and equipment, facilities, asset management, and lease administration.
Since joining PetSmart in 2006 as a Research Analyst, Ryan has held multiple roles within the Real Estate division, helping drive the company’s expansion by over 1,000 additional stores. An active member of ICSC, Ryan has served on the RECon planning committee, is a former co-chair of the ICSC+OAC committee and is now currently involved with the ICSC PAC Committee and ICSC Mentorship Program. He earned both his undergraduate degree and MBA from Arizona State University.
Jeffrey Olson
Chairman & CEO, Urban Edge Properties, New York, NY, United States
Mr. Olson joined Urban Edge Properties as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer when the company spun from Vornado Realty Trust in 2015. Mr. Olson served as Chief Executive Officer of Equity One, Inc., from 2006 to 2014. He was President of the Eastern and Western Regions of Kimco Realty Corporation from 2002 to 2006. Mr. Olson has a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Maryland, a Master of Science in Real Estate from The Johns Hopkins University and was previously a Certified Public Accountant. Mr. Olson is a Board Member of the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts and is Chairman of the Real Estate Advisory Board at Johns Hopkins University.
Lisa Palmer
President & CEO, Regency Centers, Jacksonville, FL, United States
Lisa Palmer has been President and CEO of Regency Centers since January 1, 2020. Prior to her current role, she served as President and CFO from 2016 to 2019, Executive Vice President and CFO from 2013 to 2015, and Senior Vice President of capital markets from 2003 until 2013. Lisa has also held various other leadership positions with Regency since 1996.
Before joining Regency, Lisa worked with Accenture, formerly Andersen Consulting Strategic Services, as a consultant and financial analyst for General Electric. She is a member of the boards of directors of the Jacksonville Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, Brooks Rehabilitation, and the United Way of Northeast Florida. Lisa is also a member of the Urban Land Institute. Lisa is a University of Virginia graduate and holds an M.B.A. from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Marc Panzer
SVP, Real Estate & Store Development, Williams-Sonoma, Inc., San Francisco, CA, United States
Marc Panzer is the Senior Vice President of Real Estate & Store Development at Williams-Sonoma, Inc. He oversees Real Estate, Store Design and Construction for some of the most respected brands in home furnishings: Williams Sonoma, Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids/Teen, West Elm and Rejuvenation. He has led a complete revamp of the company’s retail strategy, including migrating Williams Sonoma stores to food-focused, experiential locations, which has proven to be highly successful. Marc is known for challenging convention and utilizing a customer-centric approach to store deployment and design, resulting in significant increases in profitability and sales. His experience spans the globe and a broad range of asset types, including extensive work and travel across Europe, the Middle East and Asia, and overseeing leasing of distribution centers and office buildings. Prior to joining WSI, Marc led Real Estate Strategy for Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic, Athleta and Intermix.
Marc received a BA in International Studies from Johns Hopkins University and an MBA from the Haas School of Business at the University of California Berkeley. He is proud to serve as the executive sponsor for WSI’s LGBTQ+ employee organization.
Katie A. Reinsmidt
EVP & COO, CBL & Associates Properties, Inc., Chattanooga, TN, United States
Katie A. Reinsmidt is the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. In this role, she oversees the operations of the Company’s portfolio, driving strategic growth initiatives, enhanced analytics, financial performance and operating efficiencies. Katie also oversees CBL’s investor relations, corporate responsibility and corporate communications programs. She serves as Chairperson of the Company’s Benefits Committee and is the Executive Sponsor for CBL’s Corporate Responsibility Steering Committee and CBL Community, an employee-led resource group focused on fostering an inclusive environment for team members and visitors to CBL’s properties.
Since joining CBL in 2004 as Director – Investor Relations she has advanced through the organization, serving in various leadership roles, including most recently as Executive Vice President – Chief Investment Officer. Prior to joining CBL, she served as an Associate Analyst at A.G. Edwards & Sons in St. Louis, Missouri, where she provided research coverage for retail, healthcare and lodging REITs. Katie received her Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from the University of Missouri – St. Louis. She also serves as a Trustee and Vice Chairperson of the City of Chattanooga General Pension Board.
Lyneir Richardson
Co-Founder & CEO, The Chicago TREND Corporation, Chicago, IL, United States
Lyneir is co-founder and CEO of The Chicago TREND Corporation, a social enterprise funded by prestigious impact investors to stimulate urban retail development. To date, he has raised over $38M of low-cost capital to strengthen urban commercial corridors. He recently created deal structures to empower more than 340 black residents and small-impact investors to co-own five neighborhood shopping centers in Chicago and Baltimore. Lyneir was recently appointed as a Non-Resident Senior Fellow of the Brookings Institution.
Lyneir is also an Assistant Professor of Professional Practice in the Department of Management and Global Business at Rutgers Business School. He serves as the Executive Director of the Center for Urban Entrepreneurship and Economic Development. He leads capacity-building programs that have assisted 800+ diverse entrepreneurs and launched the Black and Latino Angel Investment Fund of New Jersey.
Lyneir served as the CEO of the primary economic development corporation in Newark, NJ, for two different mayoral administrations. He was named “Young Entrepreneur of the Year” by the U.S. Small Business Administration. Lyneir started his career as a corporate attorney at the First National Bank of Chicago. Lyneir graduated from Bradley University and the University of Chicago Law School.
Angele Robinson-Gaylord
ICSC Past Chairman, 2025 | SVP, Store Development Americas, Starbucks Coffee Company, 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.
Justin Rodgers
President & CEO, Greater Jamaica Development Corp., Jamaica, NY, United States
Justin is a recognized leader with over 20 years’ experience in the private and not-for profit sectors. His expertise includes real estate development as well as construction management for both private and publicly funded projects. Justin has experience in affordable housing, hospitality and commercial markets. In June 2022, Justin was unanimously voted President & CEO of Greater Jamaica Development Corporation (GJDC) by the Board of Directors. He is responsible for promoting growth and development in Queens, New York, including creating strategies and initiatives to expand and enhance Jamaica’s retail, industrial and economic base. Justin has facilitated more than a billion dollars of development projects in the area including commercial, mixed-income housing and hospitality.
Justin graduated magna cum laude in economics from Florida A & M University. He earned a Master’s Degree in management and business from Adelphi University. Justin serves as ICSC's Community Advancement Chair of New York City and Northern New Jersey, Co-Chair of the Business Development Committee for the JFK Redevelopment Advisory Council, Board Member of the Regional Plan Association, Downtown Jamaica Partnership, and The Real Estate Board of NY’s Diversity Committee, and Member of the African American Alliance of CDFI CEOs and U.S. Black Chambers, Inc. Justin has received numerous awards including the Queens Courier Rising 40 Under 40 Stars, The Network Journal Under Forty, City and State’s Queens Borough Influential 50 and Schneps Media Queens Power List Hall of Fame.
Steve Rouman
SVP, 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.
Adria Savarese
Managing Director, Real Estate Americas, J.P. Morgan Asset Management, New York, NY, United States
Adria Savarese is a Managing Director and serves as retail sector strategist at J.P. Morgan Asset Management – Real Estate Americas. An employee since 2006, Adria is responsible for portfolio oversight, strategic initiatives and transaction activity for retail and mixed-use properties across the U.S. This includes the asset management of properties inclusive of leasing, operations, development, financing and valuation.
Adria has a B.S. in Policy Analysis and Management from Cornell University and received the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation. She serves on the executive committee of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) Commercial & Retail Development Gold Council. Adria is an active member of ICSC and in 2016 was named by ICSC as a 4 Under 40 honoree.
Wendy Seher
EVP, Eastern Region President & COO, Federal Realty, N. Bethesda, MD, United States
As Executive Vice President, Eastern Region President & COO for Federal Realty, 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.
Michael J. Shanahan
Managing Partner, MJS RE Consulting, Tabernacle, NJ, United States
Mr. Shanahan is a seasoned real estate executive with extensive experience in the Fortune 500 retail sector. Currently, he is Senior Vice President of Real Estate at Ross Stores, crafting and implementing a growth and optimization-oriented real estate strategy in New England and Puerto Rico, with additional oversight responsibilities across the Southeast region.
Prior to his role at Ross Stores, he founded MJS RE Consulting in 2024, which provided strategic real estate guidance to help clients achieve their growth and operational goals. Before launching MJS RE Consulting, he served as Senior Vice President of Real Estate at Burlington Stores, leading nationwide teams across real estate, construction, design, store planning and lease administration, and overseeing more than 1,000 stores as well as multiple corporate offices and distribution centers. Mr. Shanahan developed a data-driven, scalable real estate strategy that helped Burlington expand rapidly while optimizing P&L performance. His leadership in transforming the asset portfolio, transitioning to an internally managed leasing function and deploying real estate management platforms contributed to significant operational efficiencies.
He is also an influential voice in industry discussions, serving on the Executive Board (of ICSC) and the ICSC+OAC Planning Committee. A graduate of The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, Mr. Shanahan has further executive education in strategy, finance, data analytics, and AI.
Joshua Simon
Founder & CEO, SimonCRE, Scottsdale, AZ, United States
Joshua Simon is the Founder and CEO of SimonCRE, a commercial real estate development firm he launched in 2010 during one of the toughest economic periods. Known for his fearless attitude and strategic vision, he directs the company’s growth and daily operations, leading a team dedicated to creating projects that benefit both tenants and communities.
SimonCRE has been one of the most active private developers in the country for several years running. As of 2025, the company has completed over 300 projects across 24 states, bringing a total value of more than $1.2 billion to local communities. The firm currently has over 2 million square feet of retail development in its pipeline.
SimonCRE specializes in large-scale, open-air retail developments that have become vital partners in the growth of many national retailers within emerging communities. A prime example is the Village at Prasada and Prasada North in Surprise, Arizona, which together form a 1.3 million-square-foot open-air center, the largest built on the West Coast in the last 15 years.
Arturo Sneider, CRX, CLS
Co-Founder & CEO, Primestor Development, Inc., Los Angeles, CA, United States
Arturo Sneider is the founding partner/CEO of Primestor Development, Inc. His responsibilities include acquisitions, project inception and design, capital structuring and corporate management. With a strong focus on largely underserved communities, Primestor’s diverse portfolio has maintained an approximate ninety-five percent occupancy rate in approximately eighty projects.
Since 1990, Mr. Sneider has acquired and transacted in dozens of properties and projects located in CA, IL, NV, FL and AZ, ranging in size and costs from under $1MM to over $100MM, with an aggregate cost basis of approximately seven hundred and fifty million dollars.
Mr. Sneider is a member of YPO, Board Member/Director of the LA County Capital Asset Leasing Corporation. He has been an advisor to the city of LA’s Economic Development Dept. as well as a board member of the city’s Development Industry Advisory Council. Mr. Sneider was born in Mexico City and resides in Los Angeles.
Carol Spann Joyner, CRX, SCLS
Head of Real Estate Transactions, Levi Strauss & Co., Atlanta, GA, United States
Carol Spann Joyner is an accomplished leader in the retail real estate industry, with extensive experience executing complex transactions for major retailers. She has led national expansion plans for multi-brand companies and directed the full real estate development lifecycle—from market strategy to store openings, remodels and asset management.
As Head of Real Estate Transactions at Levi Strauss & Co., Carol oversees all new deals, lease actions and remodels across the U.S. and Canada, leading cross-functional teams to deliver on the company’s real estate roadmap and long-range plans. Previous roles include VP at SRS Partners, where Carol represented national and local retailers in expansion efforts, and Southeast Region VP Leasing at Brookfield. Prior to Brookfield, Carol managed 37 centers totaling 3.9 million square feet for Edens. As VP Real Estate and Construction at Teavana, Carol oversaw leasing, construction and store design, successfully executing new unit openings and remodel programs. Earlier in her career at Gap Inc., she managed real estate operations for Gap Inc., East region, supporting Old Navy, Gap and Banana Republic stores as VP Real Estate East.
Carol holds an MBA from University of Georgia and a B.S. from Wake Forest University. Carol is also an active mentor and industry panelist, sharing her expertise with university students, real estate boards and diversity programs.
Anjee Solanki
National Director Retail Services, US, Colliers, San Francisco, CA, United States
In her current role as National Director, Retail Services and Practice Groups for the U.S., Anjee provides strategic leadership to more than 500 retail professionals nationally across 156 offices within Colliers, covering investment sales, agency, retailer representation and asset repositioning advisory services.
With more than thirty years of focused retail real estate experience and world-class expertise regarding everything retail, Anjee specializes in identifying current market and property inefficiencies to capture untapped value through asset repositioning, releasing, redevelopment and is well-versed in lifestyle, community, power center, neighborhood, mixed-use retail/residential and resort retail.
Previously, Anjee served as Executive Vice President, Retail Services for Madison Marquette. She successfully assisted with repositioning community centers to lifestyle projects and identified opportunities to create value, resulting in higher returns for her clients. She also provided strategic analyses on complex redevelopment projects to address each asset’s financial stabilization and/or every client’s exit strategy.
John (JP) Suarez
ICSC Chairman, 2026 | Former EVP, Regional CEO & CAO, Walmart (retired), Coral Gables, FL, United States
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.
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 (2020-2024); RETHINK Retail “Top Retail Experts of 2024”; WWD “25 Most Inspirational Women in Business” (2022): Crain’s New York Business 2022 list of “Notable Women in Business”; Crain’s New York 2021 list of “Notable Women Business Owners”; Crain’s New York 2021 list of “Notable Women on Wall Street”; 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.
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.
G. Townsend Underhill
President & CEO, Stirling, Covington, LA, United States
Townsend Underhill serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of Stirling, where he has played a key role in the company’s growth for almost two decades. During this tenure Stirling has grown into a comprehensive full-service commercial real estate company specializing in Commercial Advisory Services, Asset & Property Management, Development & Redevelopment, and Investment Sales across a wide range of property types, including retail, office, industrial, healthcare, multifamily and hospitality.
Townsend holds an MBA in Real Estate and Entrepreneurship from the University of Georgia and a BBA in Real Estate from Arizona State University. A licensed Broker in Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia and Kentucky, Townsend brings broad industry expertise to his role. He currently holds designations as a Certified Commercial Investment Manager (CCIM) by NAR and a Certified Real Estate Executive (CRX) by ICSC. His work has been recognized with honors such as Chain Store Age’s “10 Under 40,” St. Tammany Chamber’s 2016 Board Member of the Year, Junior Achievement’s 2023 Rising Star, and Biz New Orleans’ Most Influential Business Leaders.
Townsend currently serves on the boards of Greater New Orleans, Inc., MC Bank based in Morgan City, and participates in organizations, including ICSC where he serves on the Environmental Committee, YPO Louisiana, and the St. Tammany Chamber of Commerce. He’s also a frequent guest speaker and mentor, sharing his knowledge with emerging real estate professionals. His leadership, community involvement and commitment to excellence make him an essential part of Stirling’s continued success.
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.
Tabassum Zalotrawala
SVP & 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.