Gardner to Helm Glendale Galleria

When looking for a new senior general manager for its high-profile Glendale Galleria retail center in Glendale, Calif., General Growth Properties picked a man working for its rival Simon.

On May 8, GGP named Brent Gardner to helm the Galleria, which is the address for anchors such as Bloomingdale’s, Macy’s, Target, Uniqlo, Tilly’s and Hot Topic. The regional mall unveiled a major renovation in 2013. Gardner replaces Larry Martin, who currently serves as the vice president and general manager of the Montclair Plaza retail center in Montclair, Calif.

Since November 2009, Gardner had worked his way through various management positions at Simon. His most recent post was serving as a general manager for a 1.1 million-square-foot Simon mall in Memphis, Tenn.

“Brent’s proficiency within the shopping-center industry will be a welcomed addition to the Glendale Galleria team,” said Carol Jacobs, VGGP’s asset-management vice president. “His talent and administrative leadership abilities complement our vision for the future of the center.”

A Galleria statement said that Gardner’s experience included negotiating new leasing contracts for both permanent and short-term tenants. He has supervised construction and development for anchor stores, cinemas and restaurants during his career.