Corno is designing strategies for each of the 30 malls and lifestyle centers Starwood Retail manages to help re-create them as mixed-use complexes. He will also assist with the underwriting of potential acquisitions and negotiate with department stores and junior anchors.

On his plate right now are the $125 million reimagining of The Shops at Willow Bend, in Plano, Texas; the multiphase renovation of Stony Point Fashion Park, in Richmond, Va.; the addition of a mixed-use complex to MacArthur Center, in Norfolk, Va.; and the multiphase redevelopments of Northridge Mall, in Salinas, Calif., and The Mall at Wellington (Fla.) Green.

As for the diversity of Corno’s background, he has been executive vice president of Brixmor Property Group and the firm’s Midwest president, and executive vice president of leasing and development at DDR Corp. He has also held senior real estate positions at Dick’s Sporting Goods, Forest City Enterprises, May Department Stores and Saks Inc. Corno is an ICSC past trustee. He holds both a bachelor’s and a law degree from St. Louis University and is a member of the Missouri and Illinois bar associations and a CPA.

What do you consider to be your primary strength?
My primary strength is rooted in the strong friendships and diverse experience that I have had the good fortune of building in over 25 years in the business. I’ve worked with great people in virtually all commercial retail property types, from high street to main street, and from outlet to luxury malls. My training in both law and accounting has also proved to be very useful with the complexity of our business. That diverse background is invaluable in identifying and executing on the possibilities in our portfolio, which includes both enclosed and open-air properties, and in helping to overcome the many hurdles that redevelopment presents.

And what do you see as your biggest challenge in today’s environment?
Dispelling the entirely false narrative that “bricks-and-mortar retail is dead.” It’s not. It’s in the midst of a major transition, to be sure — one that is requiring all of us to be more creative in rethinking our properties as places to do more than buy goods. Our projects are places where people want to work, live their lives, eat out, be entertained and make memories. My job is to set the stage for all of that as we develop and implement unique and creative reinventions of our centers. This requires working closely with our leasing team to make sure we are creating the right stages for each tenant, be it retail, restaurant, entertainment facilities, office or more. At Willow Bend, we’re adding all of that, as well as live education [and] performing arts spaces, and we’re just getting started!

Has being in retail leasing taught you anything out of the ordinary?
As the engine that drives revenue, leasing is the lifeblood of any retail real estate enterprise and requires laser focus, dogged persistence and creative problem-solving. In leasing, you have to go for the win-win as you find a deal that works for both sides. It takes collaboration and compromise with our retail partners and being proactive in communications. That’s especially important now, as we start adding new uses that weren’t in retail properties before. Our current tenants want to know how their business will be changed for the better during and after a redevelopment. Sometimes all it takes is a quick phone call.

Does Starwood Retail Partners’ being privately owned change your approach?
Having our centers privately held gives more latitude in making sound real estate decisions. We are very focused on our investors’ goals and have carefully controlled budgets, even when its $125 million, as we’re investing in Willow Bend. Our parent company, Starwood Capital, believes in investing for the long term and has challenged us to be creative and [to] come up with new ideas as we redevelop the portfolio. Some ideas will work, some won’t. But the conversations are very important as one idea can spark another. 

How does your background on both the landlord and tenant sides help?
Experience on both the landlord and tenant sides of the table provides me insight as to what it takes to get deals done. I understand many of the wants and needs on both sides, which helps to navigate negotiations and arrive at agreeable compromise. We’re all in the business of making our guests’ lives more convenient, fulfilling and fun, and we have to work together to do so. Having worked with top real estate companies and large national retailers, I speak both languages and understand where each side is coming from. It builds trust and credibility. And I actually know if something is legal and if the numbers will add up. It helps a lot.

What advice would you offer someone entering the business?
Work hard, always treat others with respect, and pick up the phone and call. This is a people business, and too often technology impedes making that personal connection that provides personal fulfillment and gets deals done.