Director Dominic Ponce de Leon and project executive Lisa Bendas were named to ICSC+CenterBuild Leaders Under 40, honored as the next generation of influential thought leaders in retail, design, construction, and development who continue to transform the industry. They joined the 16 other honorees at an awards breakfast at the ICSC+CenterBuild conference on December 1—read about why Dominic and Lisa received this recognition below.

Dominic Ponce de Leon, Director, New York City

Dominic has built projects for retail’s finest—from Apple to Bottega Veneta—and partnered with developers from Simon Property Group to Brookfield Properties. He’s always at the cutting edge of the evolving industry, working with project teams to develop innovative approaches to construction, creating value and the best final product for clients through his local New York market expertise.

Dominic’s thirst for knowledge naturally leads to new, creative approaches to construction, from early and unique procurement plans and permitting strategies to out-of-the-box logistical solutions to identifying and proposing greener building materials than what’s specified.

Driving the industry forward, Dominic is a founding member of Shawmut’s supplier diversity initiative to increase diverse business enterprise partner outreach and participation. He’s part of the firm’s green coalition for sustainability, partnering with clients to reduce their projects’ carbon footprint.

Lisa Bendas, Project Executive, Miami

In 2017, Lisa moved from Connecticut to Florida to join Shawmut’s Miami office and drive its growth. With this move included a transition from academic to retail projects, and Lisa quickly navigated the different skillsets and mindset needed for these short-duration, fast-track projects, including procurement and quick decision-making. She entered the sector at the top, building for high-profile clients including Apple, Lucid Motors, and Baccarat.

As the industry evolves, Lisa has drawn from her largescale, academic experience to deliver projects for developers including Related Companies—partnering with them as they look to create the multi-disciplinary spaces and experiences people crave.

As key account manager for repeat clients including Lucid Motors and Related Companies, Lisa developed a process for consistently delivering the best experience and final product. Her builders’ books include deep dives into processes, documentation, lessons learned, and standard details, continuously updated for onboarding team members as the accounts grow.