Macy’s real estate exec takes leasing directorship at Spinoso

Ben Brotzman, who for the past five years managed big box leasing for all of Macy’s real estate holdings in the Northeast and Southeast regions, has returned to the mall business.

Brotzman, who put in 12 years with Simon, GGP, and Brookfield before moving to the retail side of the business, has joined Spinoso Real Estate Group (SREG) as director of big box leasing for the Syracuse-based operator of 86 properties totaling more than 70 million sq. ft. of GLA.

“We are excited about the energy, creativity, and talent Ben will bring to our company as we continue to push the boundaries of excellence in retail real estate,” said SREG CEO Carmen Spinoso in a press release announcing the hire.

Over the past several years, Spinoso has been aggressive in both buying and assuming third-party management contracts for malls across the United States--in most cases re-tenanting and re-branding properties to maximize traffic.

In 2022, SREG reported that it had executed more than 2,500 leases that filled 7.7 million sq. ft. of space—the equivalent of nine super-regional malls.

 “I’ve witnessed the remarkable work that SREG is undertaking and recognized the potential for growth and impact,” said Brotzman. “What particularly impressed me is the cohesive and forward-thinking team Carmen has assembled. Carmen and his team have established a sterling reputation among the shopping center industry and the financial institutions.”

Prior to joining Macy’s, Brotzman was VP of anchor leasing and development at Brookfield Properties Retail in Chicago, where he negotiated anchor store leases, purchase and sale agreements, and private party entitlement consent agreements for the company’s multi-billion-dollar development and redevelopment pipeline. 

He worked at GGP from 2013 to 2018, ending his tenure there as VP of anchor leasing and development.  

“Ben’s expertise and experience with big box and large format retailers will be instrumental to our continued success as we grow and expand our portfolio,” noted SREG’s EVP of leasing Mike Nevins.