Retail State of Mind.
Jason D. Richter
PRINCIPAL
Jason D. Richter, CRX, CLS is Managing Principal of Capricorn, helping found the company in 2014. Jason has personally been involved in over 2,500 deals and responsible for north of $1,000,000,000 in aggregate real estate transactions all over the world. Jason has worked with the industry’s leading landlords, including Simon, Brookfield, Westfield, Taubman and Vornado, in addition to retailers like Apple, Victoria’s Secret, Gap, J.Crew, Regal Cinema and Starbucks. He also leads the company's retailer platform, strategically advising legacy retailers along with the next generation of digitally native brands.
Prior to Capricorn, Jason was a retail executive working in-house on the corporate side serving as head of Real Estate, Construction and Facilities for some of the nation’s leading retailers. Most recently, he worked with American Apparel, brought in to oversee their bankruptcy, supervising their 250 store portfolio in 18 countries. Before that he oversaw and directed domestic and international site selection for Perfumania’s (the nation's largest specialty fragrance retailer) new locations and their existing portfolio of approximately 350 enclosed mall, outlet and high street stores, in addition to all corporate real estate including offices and distribution centers.
Jason also lead the executive committee in their international retail expansion strategy. As strategic consultant with NYC beauty icon Ricky’s, Jason advised on all real estate related matters for their 30 store Manhattan Portfolio. Prior to that role Jason was Vice President of Real Estate for a family office which owns Jimmy Jazz, S & D Underground, Man Alive, Hyperactive and Decibel retail chains. Jimmy Jazz was the largest urban apparel and footwear chain in the country, which at one time had more street stores in New York City’s five boroughs than almost any national apparel chain. His job responsibilities included the oversight of a 200 store portfolio located in 18 states, as well as market analysis, store expansion, and lease restructuring. Additionally, Jason managed all company owned real estate, consisting of over one million square feet of urban property throughout the country, from underwriting acquisitions to securing financial and leasing.
Before becoming a retailer he served as Senior Leasing Manager for Thor Equities, one of the largest private equity firms focused on retail real estate, which owns and manages a multi-billion dollar real estate portfolio consisting of retail, office, hotel and mixed-use assets throughout the United States and abroad. Jason was with the firm from 2003 - 2009 and assisted the company's growth in acquiring $5 billion worth of retail assets. Jason led the leasing for over one million square feet of ground up development in Houston, Texas in addition to Thor’s existing “High Street” assets in South Miami Beach, Florida and Beverly Hills, California. He has also been an integral part of Thor’s leasing, refinancing, acquisition and disposition activities in Illinois, Michigan, Virginia, Georgia, Florida, Texas and California.
Prior to his role at Thor Equities, Jason founded a SaaS ecommerce company that assisted bricks and mortar retailers with their transition online. He later divested his interests to pursue a career in real estate.
Education
Richter finished his undergraduate work at Hofstra University’s Frank G. Zarb School of Business with a major in Business Computer Information Systems.
Organizations
A member of ICSC since 2003, Jason is one of their most engaged volunteer leaders. He has participated on the New York Conference & Deal Making Planning Committee since 2005. In 2016 he served as chairman for the New York convention, one of the youngest ever nominated to this position. He was also a recipient of ICSC’s 4 under 40 Award, featured on the cover of Shopping Center's Today, and Chain Store Age’s Real Estate 10 Under 40 award. His expertise as a retail executive is recognized with both CLS and CRX designations and in addition, he is also a frequent speaker at ICSC conventions, University of Shopping Centers at Wharton, NYU and Baruch.
He is also a board member of several charitable organizations, most notably working with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention where he has been a top 5 fundraiser for the last 13 years.
Industry Leadership & Involvement
New York Conference Committee, 2006-present(Co-chair last two years)
NY State Director, 2011-2015
RECon Program Committee, 2014-2016
CLS Committee, 2011
Eastern Division Committee, 2009-2012
Next Gen Eastern Division Chair, 2007-2011
Next Gen Advisory Group, 2006-2012(Co-chair last two years)
Next Gen NY/NJ State Chair, 2005-2007
Next Gen Advisory Group Emeritus Board, 2012-present
Next Generation Committee, 2011-2015
Next Gen local programming Committee, 2004-2008(Co-chair)
Awards & Recognitions
Shopping Centers Today | ICSC Next Generation - “4 under 40 honoree 2016 – Jason Richter”
Real Estate Weekly | Deals & Dealmakers - “Retail Star Richter Is Checking Out All His Options”
Chain Store Age | Jason Richter featured in: - “Real Estate’s 10 Under 40”
Chain Store Age | Jason Richter featured in: - “Power Brokers- 10 Real Estate Heavyweights”
CoStar Power Broker - 2015 Top Firm Award
CoStar Power Broker - 2015 Top Broker Award
Honors
New York ICSC Conference Chairman, 2016
New York ICSC Conference Co-chairman, 2015
Completed ICSC’s Debt Workout, Transactions & Repositioning of Distressed Assets Certificate Program (held at Wharton School of Business), 2016
ICSC’s Master Developer Series, Summer 2008
ICSC’s Certified Executive Designation (CRX) Inaugural Class
ICSC’s Senior Certified Leasing Specialist (SCLS)
Guest Speaker & Lecturer
NYU Schack Institute
Columbia University
University of Shopping Centers at Wharton School of Business
New York ICSC Convention
ICSC RECON Las Vegas
VRN Outlet Convention
Additionally, Jason has written several articles and publications including the recently published chapter in Best Practices in Shopping Centers, Understanding a Retailer’s Profit & Loss Statement.
Featured & Quoted In
Real Estate Weekly
Chain Store Age
Shopping Center Business
Shopping Center’s Today
Commercial Observer
The Real Deal
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