Regency Centers Mary Lou Fiala Named Chairman of International Council of Shopping Centers

Mary Lou Fiala, Regency Centers president and chief operating officer, recently formally accepted the position as 49th chairman of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) during RECon, ICSC's annual meeting in Las Vegas.

Fiala was elected by the ICSC board of trustees to serve as the association's chair during 2008-2009. Fiala succeeds Rene Tremblay, president of Ivanhoe Cambridge, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Since 1997, Fiala has been an active member of ICSC and has served on the organization's board of trustees for the past five years.

According to Michael P. Kercheval, ICSC's president and CEO, Fiala is highly qualified to serve as the head of the worldwide organization as retailers, developers, and investors look for opportunities beyond their traditional borders. "Mary Lou's unique knowledge of what it takes to be both a successful retailer and a successful shopping center developer will serve our members well. We look forward to working with her," Kercheval said.

During her acceptance speech as chairman, Fiala focused on the industry's challenges with the theme of "Tucking and Rolling Together". She acknowledged that current economic times are difficult for many retailers and developers. However, Fiala doesn't agree that the current economy has burst. "I don't believe that the economic situation is as bad as it's being reported. Unemployment is low and wages are high. We can also consider that current economic arguments may be being fueled by two political parties for presidential election purposes," she said.

According to Fiala, with the support of fellow members and the organization's multitude of programs, ICSC provides a forum to share professional knowledge and networks among its members. "Experiencing this year's convention, I feel a great unification among many in our industry who could be construed as competitors," said Fiala.

"We're all in this together and to make our economy work we must find better and more innovative ways to improve our decisions in retail real estate development, store operations, diversity and dynamics in our work force and positive planning for the future. My mission this year is to provide direction and answers to some very difficult issues facing all of us," said Fiala.

Fiala credits her education and expertise in retail real estate to her mentor Martin "Hap" Stein, Jr., who serves as Regency Centers Chairman and CEO.

"Hap has served as an excellent example in leadership at Regency Centers and as this year's president of National Real Estate Investment Trust (NAREIT). Both Hap and I share the same philosophy to forge ahead with cycle-tested insights to help our counterparts in the industry continue to fare better during tough times," she said.

Fiala joined Regency Centers in 1998. In her role as President and Chief Operating Officer, she oversees the operational management of Regency's retail centers nationwide.

Regency is the national owner, operator, and developer of grocery-anchored and community shopping centers

ICSC is the worldwide global trade association of the shopping center industry. Its more than 76,000 members in 92 countries include shopping center owners, developers, managers, retailers, lenders, and virtually every profession or trade involved in the industry.