John Behling

Senior Vice President–Asset Management, General Growth Properties LP

"It's definitely a working office," John Behling, the local head of General Growth Properties (NYSE:GGP) says of his space in the Ala Moana Pacific Center. And it is. Stacks of papers and binders neatly line a portion of his desk and his computer sits next to little else on the dark wood surface. "Decorating is not really my forte," says General Growth Properties LP's senior vice president–asset management.

photo: Olivier Koning

Although Behling says he has little to do with the selection of plants that bring color to the room or the decorative trinkets that line his shelves, he does have a few favorite features. Sitting at his desk, Behling is surrounded by Honolulu's past and present. Framed black and white photos hang on the opposite wall. "It shows you where Hawaii has been," he says, pointing out the days when Aloha Tower was the tallest building in the state and streetcars traveled the roads.

"It's also nice to look forward," he says, gesturing to a three-panel window, with a clear view of the ocean and the Ala Moana Macy's department store. The Illinois native moved to Hawaii three years ago, after years of commuting cross-country to work at Ala Moana Shopping Center, a GGP property. The upper parking deck of the shopping center also gives Behling a look at just how many customers come in each day–and how many times a car has to circle the lot during the holidays. Says Behling: "It's always nice to be able to look at what you're working on."

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