Barbara Johnson,
General manager at

Brief background of your business:

Columbia Center is the largest regional shopping center in Eastern Washington and Oregon, with more than 125 stores and restaurants. Columbia Center was built in the Tri-Cities in 1969 and will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the shopping center in 2019.

Number of employees you oversee: 55

How did you land your current role?

Shortly after my husband and I moved to the Tri-Cities, the mall was looking for a marketing director. My background and experience was in marketing, so when I saw the ad, I was very excited about the position, especially because I also love to shop! I applied and successfully became the mall’s marketing director, which I did from 1989-93. The mall’s general manager position came available, I applied for the position, as I saw this as an exciting new career challenge and an opportunity to learn a new side of the business, with leasing, operations and security. At the time, there were only three female mall managers, so I wasn’t sure of my chances, but the DeBartolo Corp., which owned the mall at the time, took a chance on me, which I was very thankful for.

How long have you been in it?

I will celebrate 30 years with Columbia Center on Jan. 2, 2019.

Why should the Tri-Cities care about the retail industry?

Retail sales are big business for the Tri-City region. Each of the four cities rely heavily on sales tax collection from retail sales for their general funds. The economic impact and quality of life to our community is also a reason why people should care about a strong and vibrant retail industry. A strong retail economy spurs other retailers, both national and local, and business sectors to come invest in our community for the benefit of all who live here.

What is the biggest challenge facing business owners/managers in the retail sector today?

Retail is going through some transformational changes right now, much like many other businesses. Consumers like to shop in stores for purchases that matter and are very good about doing their homework upfront to save time. As owners and managers, we need to find innovative ways to connect with our customers. People are still shopping and despite reports to the contrary, shoppers still like to touch, feel, test drive and try on goods and services before they buy. Many retailers are coming up with innovative ways to connect with their customers, whether it is shopping for them and delivering curbside like several of the grocery stores are doing, or having the merchandise in store that day when the customer orders it off the internet and can go in and pick it up immediately. Even Amazon is seeing the benefit of having a place where shoppers can go to check out merchandise before they buy, with opening brick and mortar stores in malls around the country. Facebook is debuting pop-up stores in select Macy’s stores this holiday season to spotlight new or growing brands, giving real exposure to new customers.

What is one characteristic that you believe every leader should possess?

The ability to lead and adapt to change quickly in a fast moving economy. Motivating your team to support change is important as change is very hard for some people to accept.

What advice would you give someone going into a leadership position for the first time? 

Find a role model or mentor that you can spend time with and pick their brain about what helped them succeed as a leader in their organization.

Don’t be afraid to fail or make the hard decision. We all make that decision that we regret or wish we could have done differently, but hopefully you learn from it and it makes you a better person and leader.

Finally, don’t procrastinate! If you don’t get it off you plate today, there will be five more things tomorrow that have to be done and you can quickly get the feeling of being overwhelmed.

Who are your role models or mentors?

My first mentor was a mall manager in Seattle, Sam Stalin, who helped me early in my career as a mall manager learn the operations side of the business. I knew nothing about heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, fire systems, roofs, and he was always there to help me with whatever questions or issues I had.  My background in marketing also helped him, so it was a great partnership and friendship. My dad was also a role model for me growing up. He had a great work ethic that I have tried to emulate throughout my career.

How did you decide to pursue the career that you are working in today?

I always loved retail, but really had no idea that there were people behind the scenes in malls that make things happen until I found the marketing director job here at Columbia Center. I loved making people happy with all the great events we did and so when the manager’s job came available, I saw that as an opportunity to grow personally and professionally. Every day here is different, new and exciting, which motivates and excites me to go to work every day to see what new opportunity or challenge awaits.

What do you consider your leadership style to be?

I am a very hands-on person when it comes to leadership. There are always many balls that we juggle as mall managers, and I have a great team that works hard every day to make our shoppers’ experience memorable and a place where people come to both shop and gather with their families.

How do you measure success in your workplace?

My company has professional goals each year to meet our overall corporate goals. Beyond financial, leasing and sales goals, I also set personal goals for success each year and long term. Columbia Center offers the best mix of retail and dining options in the region, plus many special events to appeal to families. With each vacancy we have, and we don’t have many, we take the opportunity to enhance our asset by bringing new and exciting retailers that customers have asked for like HomeGoods, Ulta and DSW Shoes. Of course there are still a few left on the list, like Trader Joe’s and Nordstrom, but we never stop trying to bring new and exciting retail to the Tri-Cities, which is a personal success for me.

How do you balance work/family life?

Early in my career, I worked harder, not smarter.  After years of experience, I now work smarter, which then allows me more time to spend with my husband, family and friends.

How do you spend your free time?

I love to spend time with family and friends, and I also love to travel. I have two beautiful grandchildren who I love to spend time with. I love my grandma days. My husband and I are also big sports fans. We love to catch a Seattle Mariners or Seahawks game, and we also love to support Oregon State and Washington State University.

Best time management strategy?

Don’t procrastinate. I learned early on to stay on top of things to keep ahead of the game!

Most-used app?

Besides my work email, I am a self-proclaimed Facebook and Words with Friends junkie!

Best tip to relieve stress?

I love to play golf and take walks to relieve stress. It allows me to refocus on what is important and whacking the little white ball is a great stress reliever for me!