Centennial founder Steven Levin retires
The former retailer who 29 years ago transformed himself into one of the most creative resuscitators of malls — positioning them as vital resources as well as social community centerpieces — is stepping down as CEO of Dallas-based Centennial.
Steven Levin began his career as a mall tenant, working for his father’s chain of value-priced women’s stores, Margie’s, which operated more than 50 locations throughout the Southwest.
In 1997, however, Levin decided to invest his experience as a renter and redefine himself as a mall developer and operator.
“He set a lofty standard for the retail real estate industry,” declared a Centennial press release announcing Levin’s retirement. “Time and again, Centennial has proven that when the right team and the right vision come together, even the most challenged assets can be revitalized into dynamic community destinations.”
Taking over Levin’s CEO office will be the company’s current president Paul Kurzawa, a 20-plus-year veteran of the commercial real estate and entertainment industries. Kurzawa did a seven-year stint at Caruso and, for three years, served as the global head of retail development at DreamWorks animation.
“It is an honor to lead this exceptional organization and build upon the strong foundation Steven has established over the past three decades,” said Kurzawa. “Our vision remains unchanged — to be the retail real estate industry’s most trusted partner and operator.”
Kurzawa joined the Centennial team as president in 2024, bringing with him deep industry expertise across lifestyle, open-air, and enclosed retail environments.
“This is an industry that takes people who have a passion for retail, and Paul’s background was instrumental in priming him for this position,” Levin told Chain Store Age. “Paul has Centennial in a really good place. He’s pledged to continue to work to keep Centennial being the kind of company we’ve built over three decades.”
Levin will continue in an advisory capacity over the next 12 months to help ensure a seamless leadership transition and will continue entrusting Centennial with the management of his portfolio properties as he remains active in the industry.
“I truly believe that Centennial is the best in the business,” added Levin. “I expect to continue working closely with the company for years to come.”
In 2024, Centennial was purchased by Lincoln Capital, a national retail operating system that provides property owners with “retail expertise supported by a vertically integrated real estate infrastructure,” according to a company press release.
“It’s bittersweet. Thirty years go by quickly,” said Levin. “But it’s a great relationship we have with Lincoln and we’ll only continue to keep growing with Paul at the helm.”
