On the following pages you will find our picks of the leading influencers in the retail space. Like the rest of our influencer series, this group of retail specialists reflect special characteristics that have allowed them to make a mark on the industry. We don’t, in other words, automatically pick the biggest companies or the most prolific teams—although they certainly can be found on the following pages. Rather, we look for individuals, teams and companies that have led to significant change.

We started this project well before the coronavirus began to infiltrate the US economy. But in many ways, this list takes on a special meaning in the midst of the pandemic. With retail struggling to maintain a footing right now, the industry will need the best and the brightest to lead the way. Here are the people that we believe meet that criteria.

PENN-FLORIDA COMPANIES RETAIL TEAM
Creating and executing strategic plans for Penn-Florida Companies’ retail division, SVP of retail properties Luanne Lenberg leads the retail leasing efforts for all mixed-use projects in the company’s pipeline. Equipped with extensive skill sets, the company’s retail team has cultivated strong retail partnerships in order to deliver exceptional customer service. Lenberg has utilized her creativity to respond to industry changes and better serve customers throughout her career, which spans marketing, development, leasing and asset management roles across project types ranging from urban mixed-use, lifestyle properties, historic sites and regional malls. She previously set an industry benchmark by implementing the tourism programming for the world’s largest outlet mall, Sawgrass Mills, which fostered 40 million annual visitors and an annual retail sales growth from $500 million to more than $1.7 billion. Leveraging the team’s knowledge of ground-up, mixed-use development and retail expertise, the team is currently overseeing the retail leasing for the $1 billion, 2-million-square-foot, urban resort, Via Mizner in Boca Raton, the company’s largest development to date.