Dennis Gershenson, president and CEO of Ramco-Gershenson Properties Trust (NYSE: RPT), joined REIT.com for a CEO Spotlight video interview at REITWeek 2016: NAREIT’s Investor Forum at the Waldorf Astoria New York.
Ramco-Gershenson owns and manages multi-anchor shopping centers primarily located in about a dozen of the largest metropolitan markets in the United States. The REIT is celebrating its 20th anniversary as a publicly traded company this year.
Gershenson reflected on how the company’s philosophy and asset type have evolved during that time frame. Ramco-Gershenson made a commitment to large, multi-anchored shopping centers that include a significant amount of smaller retail, he said. Not only does that insulate the company against overexposure to any one tenant, but it also offers a diverse, best-in-class tenant mix, Gershenson said.
Gershenson also commented on the company’s approach to e-commerce.
“E-commerce is our friend,” he said. Gershenson noted that the “really sharp” brick-and-mortar retailers have adopted the omnichannel approach to retail, offering a “seamless merchandising approach.”
At the same time, retailers are adjusting their store counts and sizes. “Our centers can accommodate those changes,” Gershenson said.