Whitney Kantor was destined to end up working in development, at least in some manner. As a youngster, the director of retail leasing for Franklin Street spent many a Saturday accompanying her father downtown as he worked on The Wells Fargo Center – then known as the Independent Life building.
“It didn’t just give me an appreciation for hard work,” Kantor says of spending time with her dad, a general contractor. “Seeing the impact an individual could have on a city or environment where people spend every day of their lives definitely stirred something up insiåde of me.”
Kantor’s work today is certainly having an impact as she is responsible for the exclusive retail leasing and landlord representation for more than 3.4 million square feet of shopping center space in North Florida.
“That’s one of the things I love about retail development,” she said. “We have the opportunity to enhance neighborhoods and places where people spend time and use services.”
Kantor spearheads Franklin Street’s involvement with Daniel Kids. She’s also a member of The Urban Land Institute where she participates in Urban Plan – one of ULI’s largest outreach programs. Urban Plan brings together professionals, students and teachers through a project-based curriculum that helps students understand how communities change over time.
Kantor says one of the greatest things about the work she does is being able to “help individuals realize their dreams” by pairing potential entrepreneurs with the right commercial space.
“You’re educating people on the market, helping them understand where they fit into a shopping center and why, and helping them make informed decisions,” she said. “To see people have success and live the American dream is what it’s all about.”
