The reins of leadership will be changing hands soon at Kimco Realty Corp., which announced that David B. Henry will retire as vice chairman and CEO on Jan. 1, 2016. Conor C. Flynn, the firm’s president, COO and chief investment officer, will succeed Henry as CEO.

“This announced transition comes at a time of strength for Kimco, given our well-positioned portfolio, deep management team and strong balance sheet,” said Milton Cooper, Kimco’s executive chairman, in a press release. “The selection of Conor to succeed Dave next year reflects our excellent talent base and internal succession planning process.”

Henry, who turns 66 this year, has been CEO since November 2009. Upon retirement he will become a senior adviser to the firm, providing consulting and advisory services.

Flynn became Kimco’s president in August 2014, having been COO since May 2013 and chief investment officer since May 2014. Flynn will continue in these roles until the succession. Currently, Flynn oversees the company’s shopping center business, including supervision of regional personnel and guiding investment decisions. He joined the firm in 2003 as an asset manager and has risen through the ranks, including a stint as president of the Western region. He holds a bachelor’s in economics from Yale and a master’s in real estate development from Columbia.

“I have benefited greatly from the close working relationship I have with Dave,” said Flynn. “He has been very helpful, and I’m grateful for his continued support during this transition. Kimco is an admired industry leader, and I am honored to lead this organization with a rich history of innovation, entrepreneurship and integrity.”

http://www.icsc.org/sct/newsletters/article/conor-flynn-to-succeed-david-henry-as-kimco-ceo/