Shopping Centers Today -> February 2007
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See story Robert L. Sorensen, 56, thoughtful leader, skilled mentor
Samuel J. Gorlitz, who co-founded Rockville, Md.-based Federal Realty Investment Trust in 1962, died last month at 89. “He has left a strong imprint on the company and the community and today we consider ourselves stewards of his legacy,” said Federal Realty President and CEO Don Wood. When Gorlitz retired from the firm in 1979, Federal Realty renamed one of its shopping centers Sam’s Park & Shop in his honor. • Newport Beach, Calif.-based Heslin Holdings named Casey McKeon director of acquisitions. He will oversee opportunities in the Southwest. McKeon was director of development at Southland Development, Alisa Viejo, Calif. • Atlanta-based Jones Lang LaSalle Retail hired Sally Hertz as vice president of sponsorship marketing. Hertz will provide direction and oversight for all field and corporate sponsorship efforts. She was vice president of mall marketing and business development at Simon Property Group. • Rochelle Park, N.J.-based United Retail Group appointed Aaron Fleishaker senior vice president of real estate. Fleishaker was senior managing director of equity investments at Melville, N.Y.-based DJM Asset Management. • Home improvement retailer Lowe’s named Larry D. Stone president and COO, promoting him from senior executive vice president of merchandising and marketing. • Simon Property Group appointed John Petruzzi vice president of corporate security and emergency management. He was director of enterprise security at Constellation Energy, Baltimore.• Kraus-Anderson Realty promoted Paul Sevenich to vice president of leasing and marketing from director of leasing and marketing. • Irvine, Calif.-based The Irvine Co. Retail Properties hired Louis Raymond, former executive counsel for The Walt Disney Co., to head its legal team as vice president and general counsel. Raymond succeeds David Fields, who joined Birmingham, Ala.-based Bayer Properties as vice president. • Pearl River, N.Y.-based Katz & Associates promoted Marlon Stone to senior vice president in charge of the Midwest region. • Owings Mills, Md.-based Greenberg Gibbons Commercial Corp. promoted Donna Sills to senior vice president and general counsel. • CLC Associates, Spokane, Wash., named John E. Shaw senior project manager of architecture. Shaw was a senior project developer at Albertsons. • Purchase, N.Y.-based National Realty & Development Corp. promoted Thomas Marciniec to president of the regional construction division from director of construction. • Howard Green, the pioneer in site selection who founded Howard L. Green & Associates, Detroit, died Dec. 19. He was 84. • Glimcher Realty Trust, Columbus, Ohio, promoted George A. Schmidt to the newly created position of executive vice president and chief investment officer. He was executive vice president, general counsel and secretary. That position will be filled by Kim A. Rieck, who was general counsel and secretary at DeBartolo Realty Corp. • Limited Brands named Linda Heasley president and COO of its Limited Stores division. Heasley was senior vice president of merchandise planning and allocation at Limited Brands. The retailer also promoted Avra Myers to president and general merchandise manager of Limited Stores. She was executive vice president and merchandise manager of the division. Heasley and Myers will be co-leaders of Limited Stores, replacing outgoing chief executive Chuck Turlinski, who is leaving after 10 years to pursue other opportunities. • Beachwood, Ohio-based Developers Diversified Realty Corp. hired Stephen Sheely as a regional leasing manager in the firm’s Lansing, Mich., office. Sheely was a senior associate and retail advisor at CB Richard Ellis.


Robert L. Sorensen, 56, thoughtful leader, skilled mentor

Robert L. Sorensen, SCSM, a prominent member of the industry in the asset and property management fields and an active member of ICSC, died of cancer in December. He was 56. Sorensen oversaw management of regional shopping centers for The Irvine Co. as vice president of operations and management. He spent much of his career at The Hahn Co. (renamed TrizecHahn) as head of property and asset management and marketing.

Sorensen was chairman of ICSC’s CSM Admissions & Governing Committee from 1991 to 1994. He was also a faculty member of the University of Shopping Centers and served as dean of the School of Asset Management in 1999. “Bob was highly admired and esteemed for his innovative approach to management and was loved for his unique skills in mentoring people,” said Rudolph E. Milian, SCMD, SCSM, senior staff vice president of professional development at ICSC. “He mentored some of the most successful and well-known people in the industry.”

Though Sorensen was at Irvine for less than two years, he left his mark, says Keith C. Eyrich, president of retail properties at the Irvine, Calif.-based firm and an ICSC divisional vice president.“Bob Sorensen was a very thoughtful leader who managed his business quietly and without fanfare but achieved great results,” said Eyrich. “Bob made many important contributions to our company, and he will be sorely missed.” Sorensen’s wife, Annette, also an active member of ICSC and president of Sorensen Marketing, survives him, as do their two sons, Adam and Matt.

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