Michael Leeds has worked in the commercial real estate industry for his entire 30 year professional career. A graduate of the George Washington University, with a Bachelors of Business Administration, Mr. Leeds accepted a position with the prestigious Washington, DC based real estate consulting firm Gladstone Associates, later acquired by Arthur Andersen & Co as part of its expansion into global real estate advisory services.

 

Mr. Leeds worked for a wide array of clients while at Arthur Andersen, including several of the world’s top 50 corporations - who outsourced their corporate real estate services, the United States Federal Government, many local municipalities, the Resolution Trust Company, and a number of private US and internationally based development companies. Following his 5-year tenure with Gladstone Associates/Arthur Andersen, Mr. Leeds accepted a position with a regional retail developer, Ft. Lauderdale-based PSI Development, acquiring, financing, and developing shopping centers. Through this experience, Mr. Leeds learned the fundamentals of the shopping center business, including asset management and legal functions, as well as ground-up development.

 

Following many years as partner of Tampa-based now RMC Property Group, Mr. Leeds now operates his own firm, Shagbark Properties, concentrating in retail development, real estate advisory services, and property acquisitions.

 

During his 25 years in Tampa, Mr. Leeds has focused primarily on retail/commercial acquisitions and development, with retailers such as Publix Supermarkets, Wawa, Home Depot and Lowes, CVS and Walgreens, McDonalds, several banks, and many smaller national, regional, and local tenants.  Over his professional career, he has developed in excess of 3.5 million square feet of commercial/mixed-use space in Florida, and has acquired numerous shopping centers and land parcels for development.

 

He resides in Tampa with his wife Stacy and three sons, Benjamin, Jeremy, and Joshua, active and involved in their education and recreation.  Previous non-profit associations include roles as Executive Board member and Treasurer for the Florida Suncoast Hillels and Trustee on the Corbett Preparatory School Board of Directors.  Current positions include the Tampa Federation Allocations Committee, Executive Board Member and Treasurer for Rodeph Sholom, and the Channelside CRA Advisory Board. Mr. Leeds is a licensed Florida Salesman, and he is an active participant in the International Council of Shopping Centers.