THE PUSH AHEAD business working for Walker Group CNI in 1986 as a junior draftsman. At the time, they were the largest retail design firm in the world with the focus on large department stores and shopping centers. Brands were just beginning to emerge as shop in shops in these locations. I went into business with my father in Miami from the late ‘80s to the late ‘90s. Our retail design firm was called CLDA, which specialized in national department store chains and shopping center, including the Caribbean and South America. That was a fantastic experience on how to run, market and manage a business at a young age Back to New York in the late ‘90s for Calvin Klein as international director of store planning, responsible for design/project management of retail stores and showrooms globally. Next, I was VP of project management for Robin Kramer in NYC, soon followed as they were the in-house design and project management firm for Donna Karen, and many other brands. A business development opportunity came about with a GC specializing in luxury retail, which gave me great insight on how the other side of the business operates— many of lessons I still apply for my clients today. California called with women’s fashion house, BCBG Max Azria Group, where I was the VP of architecture, construction and procurement for nearly 13 years. We managed the design and construction of thousands of retail locations, showrooms, shop in shops, and offices globally. Before starting PMC in 2020, I was with JLL as VP of retail multi-site for nearly three years assisting national brands with their retail growth until the pandemic. I am very fortunate to have been in this industry for nearly 35 years. I’ve worked with so many wonderful people and I’ve had amazing tutors over the years. As hard as the struggle was to climb the ladder, there was always someone pulling me up. For that I am very grateful. Today at PMC, we are focusing a lot of attention on clients new to the industry and need help with their retail expansion. At the end of the day, where can PMC add value? I’d love to have McDonald’s as a client and be awarded a 5,000-store rollout to project manage. But what value would we add? A
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lot of these new companies either online or cannabis brands opening brick and mortar locations today need our kind of experience and guidance. This is where I feel PMC is the lovingly elder statesmen—the passionate ones who can add value to the process and assist these brands through their journey. Spending time mentoring people I have worked with over the years is my ongoing passion. It is important to give back and develop new leadership. I think the future of our industry is on the verge of a culture shock with regards to how people interact and understand relationships. All of this white glove service that we’re talking about is not taught in school. I wonder about the next wave of executives as the roll is very conflicting.
I went to high school in Clear Lake, just south of Houston. I went to Texas A&M for an undergraduate program and received a Bachelor of Environmental Design. I worked for a couple of years for a large architectural firm doing programming in Houston, and then went to Oregon for a graduate degree in architecture—a Master’s in Architecture. I came back to Dallas again because my wife got a financial degree and wanted to work for a bank. There was a large bank that had just laid off a bunch of workers in Seattle, so back to Texas it was. I went to work for a small architecture firm before going to work for another architecture firm for a number of years. I started working on movie theaters in 1986,
“I started working on movie theaters in 1986, designing a variety of them. After working largely for Cinemark doing projects for a number of years, they invited me to work in-house. That was 1996, and I have been here for 25 years in various roles, but always in design and construction.” — Don Harton, Cinemark USA
Today, you must be a compassionate A-type personality, a fantastic listener, have a great vendor connection, and master a clear understanding of how this industry works and how to maneuver through it on behalf of your clients. If not, this business will swallow you whole, and fast. Cinemark’s Harton: I was born in Dallas; my father took a job with one of the subcontractors for the space program so we moved to Florida. I lived near the Space Center in the Cape Canaveral area. My dad was involved in building those large satellite tracking systems down through the Caribbean. He would go to the Caribbean and bring back slideshows and we’d watch how they lived on those exotic islands. He came back to Texas as the manned space program was developed and was involved in developing navigation systems for the space shuttle.
COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION & RENOVATION — ISSUE 8, 2021
designing a variety of them. After working largely for Cinemark doing projects for a number of years, they invited me to work inhouse. That was 1996, and I have been here for 25 years in various roles, but always in design and construction. I now have five grandkids, so we’re enjoying that aspect of life as well. Kingsmen’ Hekman: I grew up in Riverside, California, about an hour and 45 minutes from the beach. We were kind of inland for the California people. I attended Cal State San Bernardino, where I was a student body president. I only ran for office because they were changing the beer prices in the student union. I got a job right out of college and moved to Boston, working as a tenant coordinator on the Burlington Mall. I was basically thrown into it. It was where they