About CJFMI’s Founder

President and founder of CJF Marketing International (CJFMI), Carolyn J. Feimster, SCMD, has over twenty-seven years of retail, economic development, tourism development and shopping center experience including: regional malls, specialty centers, community centers, power centers, urban entertainment centers, downtown retail districts and commercial districts. Her work has included developing and implementing business, economic development, marketing and tourism plans; developing re-merchandising programs; coordinating business development programs for retailers; coordinating and implementing grand openings; training marketing directors and tourism managers for various types of projects; and the development and implementation of a variety of training programs and seminars.

Beginning in 1977 as marketing director of Volusia Mall in Daytona Beach, FL., Carolyn J. Feimster, SCMD, immediately gained a sense of the importance of strategic planning, decision-making, implementation and follow-through. With years of experience to guide her, Carolyn brings her marketing expertise to clients and assists them in identifying critical issues and developing solutions.

As early as 1988, Carolyn gained valuable consulting experience in the Caribbean Island of Curacao, Netherlands Antilles, where she was retained to form the Downtown Management Organization (DMO) to improve the retail product of Downtown Willemstad for both the local population and tourists. Formed as a public/private organization, the DMO is still thriving today.

Throughout the years, Carolyn has held positions with leading shopping center developers and a municipality. She uses her past work experience to guide her consulting business. Positions held include:

Director of Corporate Marketing/Director of International Sales for Turnberry Associates, a national real estate development/management company located in Aventura, FL. Directed the marketing for their regional malls and power centers, including marketing, tourism development and customer service activities. This included establishing and implementing the International Tourism Development Program with frequent participation in international trade shows and sales missions to Latin American countries to promote Aventura Mall as a shopping destination.
Economic Development Specialist for the City of North Miami, FL, a position created to attract new business and industry to the city, as well as to develop business retention/expansion programs to expand the tax base.
Corporate Marketing Director for the Enterprise Development Company in Columbia, MD. Responsible for the marketing of nine specialty centers and community centers and subsequently became their marketing consultant.
Also employed by other shopping center developers and management companies including Corporate Property Investors, the former Oxford Development Company and the former E. J. DeBartolo Corporation.

PROFESSIONAL RECOGNITION:

Won a SASI (Shop America Salutes Innovation) Award - 2007 - for the co-brand "NYC's Historic Shopping and Dining Attractions - South Street Seaport and Grand Central Terminal. Previously won a SASI for the Grand Opening Tourism Program for Mall at Millenia in Orlando, FL.
Program Chair for SKAL International, NYC Chapter, a world-wide tourism organization.
Achieved the 2003 Shopping Tourism Person of the Year award from the Shop America Alliance at its annual Tourism Conference. Nomination and voting is by industry peers
International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) Senior Certified Marketing Director (SCMD) designation
Year-2000 recipient of the ICSC Trustees Distinguished Service Award
Chair of the ICSC Caribbean Conference on Tourism for 2004 in Cancun, Mexico
Co-chair of the ICSC 2001 Tourism, Leisure and Lifestyle Conference
ICSC Eastern Divisional Public Relations and Community Service Chairman (formerly held the same position in the Southern Division)
Member of ICSC National Public Relations Task Force
ICSC faculty member for the School for Professional Development, both domestic and international – in Scottsdale, AZ (formerly Tempe, AZ); Michigan State in Lansing, MI; Mexico City, Mexico and Dubai, United Arab Emirates
ICSC faculty member of the University of Shopping Centers
Participant in ICSC overseas seminars and conferences – including Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Bangkok, Thailand; Buenos Aires and Cordoba, Argentina; Montevideo, Uruguay; and Mexico City and Cancun, Mexico
Panel participant for ICSC Fall Conventions, Conference of the Americas, Idea Exchanges and other programs
Board member of the NY/NJ Council of Shopping Centers
Member of Urban Land Institute, International Economic Development Council, Florida Redevelopment Association
Former member of the ICSC Certified Marketing Director Test Writing Committee, the ICSC Florida Deal Making Conference, ICSC Maxi Screening Committee, ICSC Alliance Committee, ICSC Conference of the Americas Committee
Member of the Advisory Board of Shop America Alliance
Chairman of the 1997 ICSC South Florida Idea Exchange
Former member of the Shop Miami Committee of the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau as well as the Bureau’s Tourism/Marketing Committee
Ongoing columnist in Jonesreport, a national shopping center trade publication, on the topic of tourism
Write a monthly article on Tourism for the Middle Eastern Council of Shopping Centers' (MECSC) newsletter. Articles are available on their web site: www.mecsc.org
Assist with ICSC publications, including the recent book on Marketing Shopping Centers and Tourism Development in Shopping Centers
Recipient of numerous shopping center and advertising awards

EDUCATION

1977 – Received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Florida