Rosalind J. Schurgin is the Co-Founder and the Chief Executive Officer of The Festival Companies. Since founding The Festival Companies over three decades ago, Ros Schurgin has been the driving force in growing The Festival Companies into a leading private shopping center real estate organization. Ros Schurgin heads up all major development and retail strategies nationwide and oversees the firm’s corporate direction.

Her national experience in shopping center development, redevelopment, leasing and operations spans over 30 states in the continental US and Hawaii. Her expertise and retail relationships range across all retail asset classes. Under her leadership, Festival has developed and operated over twenty-five million square feet of retail and mixed-use projects nationwide, while concurrently building a prolific thirty-party real estate advisory services firm representing both institutional owners and private investors.

Ros Schurgin is well recognized for her innovation and retail foresight in the shopping center industry. She was the first California developer over 20 years ago to successfully redevelop an enclosed regional mall into a mixed use destination, transforming it with a mix of traditional and non-traditional mall retailers and big box retail. She was also one of the founding innovators of the Power Center.

Her expertise is also highly recognized in luxury and tourism retail. In 2010 she brought her retail vision across the Pacific to the Hawaiian Islands and opened an office in Honolulu. One of her most recognized projects is the multi-million dollar redevelopment of the Royal Hawaiian Center in Waikiki, where she led the redevelopment and leasing of the decades-old center, strategically transforming it into an internationally renowned luxury and lifestyle destination. With a passion for urban planning Ros Schurgin also headed the retail development and leasing team that created the first innovative urban retail district in Honolulu, transforming a derelict warehouse district into Our Kaka’ako, a vibrant retail and mixed-use district near downtown Honolulu. She continues to oversee all retail strategy for the Festival Hawaii office.

Ros Schurgin is a top-rated industry speaker and active member of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) as well as the Urban Institute (ULI). In 2008 Mark and Rosalind Schurgin established through the ICSC Foundation the Undergraduate Schurgin Family Foundation Scholarship. The Schurgin Family Foundation gives annual scholarships that provide college tuition assistance to undergraduate students who are studying retail real estate or a related field. The scholarships are the Schurgin family’s legacy to give back to an industry that has brought them so much fulfillment.

Mark A. Schurgin is the Co-Founder and Chairman of The Festival Companies. Mark Schurgin’s sharp entrepreneurial instincts and real estate investment acumen have produced exceptional returns for partners and clients. With over 40 years of national commercial real estate experience, Mark has been involved in the sourcing and creation of more than $5billion of retail and mixed-use properties. Mark’s development back ground also includes the development and syndications of more than thirty multi-family and condominium projects. Mark heads up all investment strategies and investor relationships and oversees the firm’s corporate direction.

Mark Schurgin serves as Trustee and Executive Board Member of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) and a Member of the CRC Blue Council of Urban Land Institute (ULI). He is a graduate of the University of Colorado and is an active guest speaker for numerous industry organizations and sits on the executive boards several charities. In 2008 Mark and Rosalind Schurgin established through the ICSC Foundation the Undergraduate Schurgin Family Foundation Scholarship. The Schurgin Family Foundation gives annual scholarships that provide college tuition assistance to undergraduate students who are studying retail real estate or a related field. The scholarships are the Schurgin family’s legacy to give back to an industry that has brought them so much fulfillment.

Stuart Mercer has worked with The Festival Companies for 25 years. As Chief Financial Officer, Stuart Mercer is responsible for The Festival Companies corporate financial accounting matters and internal reporting. He has overall responsibility for accounting, tax, portfolio analytics and budgeting. He is the executive financial liaison responsible for supervising financial communication with all investors and clients. He also oversees all accounting aspects of the company’s property management and investment portfolio.

Stuart is a California CPA. He received a Bachelors in Accounting from the University of Central Lancashire (UK)

Michelle Schurgin has worked with The Festival Companies for 15 years. As Executive Vice President, Michelle leads The Festival Companies’ portfolio’s performance, oversees financing, asset management and real estate transactions. She has been a key player in the company’s growth and is responsible for the execution of corporate strategy.

Prior to joining Festival, Michelle was a practicing real estate attorney in New York at Schulte Roth & Zabel, LLP, where she practiced commercial real estate law. During her tenure, Michelle covered a broad range of major commercial real estate transactions representing major real estate owners and lenders. She specialized in commercial mortgage financings, acquisitions and dispositions of retail and office properties, leasing and joint venture transactions. Prior to that, Michelle was an associate at Brown, Raysman, Millstein, Felder & Steiner LLP, where she practiced commercial real estate law, focusing on construction, securitized debt and bond financings.

Michelle obtained a B.A. from Wesleyan University in 1998 and a J.D. from Cardozo law School in 2001. She is admitted to both the New York and New Jersey Bar associations and is an active member of the International Council of Shopping Centers.

Jonathan Schurgin oversees all acquisition, capital raising, investor relationships and financing for Festival’s existing portfolio and new business ventures, while developing and executing the company’s investment strategy and growth. He brings more than 20 years of experience to his role.

Prior to joining The Festival Companies, Jonathan served as Head of Originations and Senior Managing Director at Cantor Commercial Real Estate, directly overseeing its four West Coast offices for nearly 10 years. Starting at Credit Suisse and onto UBS, throughout his career, Jonathan has originated nearly $20B in commercial debt and equity transactions.

Jonathan has served on the board of The Festival Companies for 15 years before joining Festival as Chief Investment Officer in 2020. Jonathan received a BA from Vassar College. He is an active real estate finance industry speaker and is involved in several art and ocean conservation charities.

Robin has worked for The Festival Companies since 2018 where he leads leasing throughout Festival’s Western States portfolios. Robin also participates in strategic leasing assignments within Festival’s overall portfolio focusing on business development of new restaurant and food driven concepts. Robin’s extensive leasing experience covers all open air center retail asset classes.

Robin started his career in brokerage in 2006 and then made a transition to the Landlord side of the business and joined Combined Properties, Inc. as a Leasing Associate. Four years later he accepted a Director of Leasing position with Irvine Company Retail Properties overseeing a portion of their SoCal portfolio until he moved back to his hometown of Los Angeles and joined The Festival Companies as a Vice President of Leasing.

As an expert in his field, Robin has won multiple “Top Deal of the Quarter” awards, been recognized for rent growth and deal count achievements and been featured as one of “Tomorrow’s Leaders” by Real Estate Forum Magazine. In addition, Robin served on the International Council of Shopping Center’s Next Generation Board from 2007 – 2015, the last two of which he served as the Southern California State Chair.

Robin graduated with a B.A. in Psychology and a Minor in Business Administration from The University of Arizona.

Lori has worked for The Festival Companies for over 20 years. Lori is responsible for overseeing all aspects of retail leasing and merchandising for Festival’s Hawaii portfolio of properties. Lori is also responsible for business development and retailer relationships and participates in specific leasing assignments within Festival’s portfolio. Lori has in-depth, all-encompassing leasing experience ranging from core assets, value add properties and pre-development ground-up projects. Her experience includes super regional malls, luxury and lifestyle centers, resort retail, resort retail, urban in-fill and community centers. Her extensive experience in developing merchandise plans, brand awareness and business development for over 30 years, have significantly contributed to The Festival Companies delivering on the promise to provide the total retail experience for its clients and investors.

Since 2015, Lori has resided in Oahu, HI, where she is based out of Festival’s Honolulu office heading all leasing activities for Festival’s Hawaii based properties.

Lori received her BA from UCLA. She is an active member of the International Council of Shopping Centers. Lori serves on the Board of Directors for Debbie Allen Dance Academy.

Toni Killeen has worked for The Festival Companies for over 14 years, bringing over 20 years of experience in shopping center and mixed-use asset management and operations. Her in-depth expertise spans across many aspects of the real estate industry, including property operations, marketing, leasing, construction, financial reporting and budgeting. Toni’s responsibilities encompass all short term and long-term asset strategies to improve revenues, profitability, efficiencies and productivity. Toni is responsible for directing a team of highly qualified managers to achieve NOI growth and operations performance within Festival’s property portfolio. Toni oversees the property management department’s financial reporting, accounts receivable, capital expenditure programs, marketing and employee development at the property level. Toni is also responsible for Festival’s property management best practices policies and procedures.

Prior to joining Festival she has held positions as Vice President, Property Management with Bircher Real Estate Group and JH Snyder where she oversaw the management of multi-family residential, industrial parks, office buildings, and shopping centers.

Toni received an MBA from the University of Aston, and Bachelors in Psychology and Political Science from Pepperdine University. Toni is an active member of the International Council of Shopping Centers and is a highly continues to obtain Professional Industry Certifications, including the ICSC CRRP, CRX certifications and CSM certification.

For over 15 years, Michael’s responsibilities encompass all short term and long-term asset strategies to improve revenues, profitability, efficiencies, and productivity. Michael’s role focuses on key assets in located in Hawaii and Texas. In his role he develops both long and short-range business strategies, creates and monitors overall business plan objectives in order to meet or exceed investment objectives for operating properties.

Prior to joining The Festival Companies, Michael spent 17 years with Trizec Hahn where his duties included managing a portfolio of forty regional shopping centers, refinancing eleven shopping centers and negotiating and providing financial analysis with respect to the sale of the 40 shopping centers to Westfield, Macerich and Rouse Company. In addition, Trizec Hahn selected Michael to set up the European operations for asset management. His last three years at Trizec Hahn included management of a portfolio with a development budget of approximately $1B and G&A budget of approximately $31.5M.

Michael received a BS in finance from San Diego State University. He is a member of the United States Naval Reserve. Michael served in the Persian Gulf where he was awarded the Navy Achievement Medal for saving the lives of a helicopter crew who had entered a no fly zone during naval gunfire and cruise missile attack.

Marleen ‘Ākau is the General Manager, Vice President of The Royal Hawaiian Center. With over 33 years of experience, Marleen’s leadership roles in the management, leasing and marketing of major shopping center properties are highly regarded throughout the Hawaii retail and tourism industry. Marleen joined Festival in 2004 and since then, she has played an integral role in the Royal Hawaiian Center’s successful redevelopment and ongoing revitalization initiatives, guiding and inspiring her management team, merchants and industry partners through her talented leadership and vision. Marleen serves as the ambassador for Royal Hawaiian Center with prospective tenants, dignitaries and stakeholders. Her corporate responsibilities include strategic alliances within The Festival Companies Hawaii portfolio.

Marleen serves on the board of business and community organizations and is the Past Chair and a current board member of the Waikīkī Improvement Association (WIA) Board of Directors and board member of the Waikīkī Business Improvement District (WBID). She is a also a member of the Hotel Lodging and Tourism Association and Retail Merchants of Hawaii.

Diana Whitt joined the Festival Companies in 2009 and brings over 32 years experience in retail, industrial, office and multi-family property management. Diana draws from her broad base experience necessary to oversee all aspects of portfolio management and client relations for Festival.

Throughout her tenure at Festival she has held senior management level property management responsibilities within Festival’s portfolio in the Western US and Hawaii. Her in depth expertise in redevelopment, project management, operations and financial reporting lead her to her most recent assignment with Festival. As the General Manager, Vice President, Property Management for The Shoppes at Wailea she oversees all aspects of the management and operations of the center and notably has headed the operational coordination of the center’s on going revitalization. Diana is the ambassador for The Shoppes at Wailea with community stakeholders and dignitaries.

Prior to joining The Festival Companies, Diana held the Director of Property Management position with CBRE for the Orange County Employees Retirement System portfolio. She was responsible for all aspects of property management in California, Arizona and Illinois.

Diana is an active member of ICSC. She also volunteers with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

“Sam” Shenkus has over 30 years of marketing and retailing experience in the shopping center and tourism industries. Since joining Festival in 2007, she has led the strategic planning and implementation of marketing, advertising and social media, merchant communications, public, community and business communications relations for the Royal Hawaiian Center. Sam also heads marketing strategy for The Festival Companies, lifestyle and tourism retail portfolio.

Prior to joining Festival, her previous Hawaii positions included Marketing Director for Ala Moana Center and Aloha Tower Marketplace, Vice President of Marketing for Roberts Hawaii. She also held operational and marketing positions with the Dayton-Hudson / Target Corporation and The Center Companies/GGP.

Ms. Shenkus has a B.S. from Michigan State University, is an active member of ICSC and was the ICSC Hawaii State Director (2015-2019). Sam is the Co-Chair of the Aloha Festivals Board of Directors, serves on the Salvation Army of Honolulu Advisory Board, is a member and Past President of the Rotary Club of Ala Moana, was the 2014 recipient of the American Advertising Federation (AAF) District 13 Silver Medal Award and the 2018 recipient of the American Marketing Association (AMA) Hawaii Chapter Lifetime Achievement Award.

Eli Mahl has worked for The Festival Companies for 5 years. Eli is an integral part of The Festival Companies’ development, investment and asset teams, coordinating and administrating development and entitlements, redevelopment and value add projects, acquisitions and dispositions, financial underwriting and execution of investment business plans.

Eli began his career with Combined Properties, in a hybrid leasing and development role. He later joined the Wells Fargo Commercial Real Estate Group and during his tenure, he provided underwriting for real estate construction and permanent loans for properties across the United States. After leaving Wells Fargo he worked for a boutique private equity fund, before joining The Festival Companies.

Eli Mahl received his BA in Public Policy, Planning, and Development with a focus in Real Estate Development from the University of Southern California, as well as a Masters of Urban Planning with an emphasis in Economic Development.

Rob joined The Festival Companies in 2014. He is a highly respected expert in all aspects of real estate acquisitions, brokerage and development and maintains a truly enormous network of relationships in the industry. His expertise as a development and acquisition specialist includes a history of working in the retail real estate industry throughout the USA, as well as the UK and Europe. Prior to joining Festival, Rob has held executive roles at Merrill Lynch, Knight Frank, an affiliate of Burton Property Trust, an affiliate of U-R-W, Evergreen Net lease &Newmark.