Jodie McLean, CEO of the retail owner, operator, and developer EDENS joins Matt on Leading Voices in Real Estate. Founded over 50 years ago in South Carolina, EDENS, now headquartered in Washington, D.C., has a portfolio of 110 properties consisting of mixed-use, shopping centers, grocery-anchored retail, and unique historic retail redevelopments. Jodie shares her “aha” moment when she moved her perspective and leadership from transactional to purpose and mission, resulting in EDENS’ focus on their “enriching community through human engagement”. EDENS knows that “when people come together, they feel a part of themselves and prosperity follows: economically, socially, culturally and soulfully”. Jodie talks about this approach throughout the business, including through the challenges of COVID and EDENS’ development of the historic Union Market District in D.C., where EDENS offices are located and our conversation was recorded.

With a tenure of more than 25 years, Jodie has established herself as a key player in EDENS’ growth and expansion to its current marketplace leadership, capitalized by blue chip investors and assets valued at $6.5 billion.

Jodie is responsible for EDENS’ strategy to move the portfolio to major urban centers, creating a portfolio of assets that are the center of community life. She was named Chief Investment Officer in 1997, President in 2002 and CEO in 2015. Overall, she has been responsible for the development, redevelopment, acquisition, and disposition of more than $15 billion in retail assets.

Jodie passionately believes that retail should evolve beyond a shopping experience, and advocates for connectivity to the communities surrounding the company’s retail centers. To ensure this, each EDENS development is crafted to serve as an authentic gathering place, including a unique merchandising mix and welcoming design elements, fostering a sense of engagement with its neighbors.

Jodie serves on several boards including Cushman & Wakefield (NYSE: CWK), the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, and Milhaus. She is also a Trustee of Innovating Commerce Serving Communities (ICSC), the Urban Land Institute (ULI), and The Real Estate Round Table. Jodie is a member of the Liberty Fellowship (Aspen Institute), Class of 2009.

A native of Chicago, IL, Jodie holds a B.S. in Finance and Management from the Moore School of Business, University of South Carolina, and a degree from South Carolina Honors College.

Resources

• The Great Good Place: Cafes, Coffee Shops, Bookstores, Bars, Hair Salons, and Other Hangouts at the Heart of a Community by Ray Oldenburg