ENCINO, CA-Industry veteran Gwen MacKenzie has been named SVP of investments at illi Commercial Real Estate to head the firm's investment advisory services division. MacKenzie will provide clients with local market knowledge and product-specific expertise to acquire, develop, reposition and sell their assets for optimum returns, according to an illi announcement.

MacKenzie founded Shopping Center Investments Inc., a commercial real estate firm that specialized in sourcing off-market investments for a select group of institutional clients. Before launching that firm, she was senior director of West Coast acquisitions for national REIT Federal Realty Investment Trust, where she was tasked with acquiring retail and mixed-use properties and development opportunities. During her tenure, she sourced, underwrote and made offers for almost $1 billion of commercial real estate properties on behalf of the REIT.

In addition, MacKenzie was previously SVP of retail investments for Sperry Van Ness, where she closed over $300 million in sales of grocery-anchored, community and power centers and garnered numerous awards as a top producer. Before Sperry Van Ness, she was senior leasing representative for private REIT Donahue Schriber, where she was responsible for leasing over three million square feet of shopping centers. Her other experience includes serving as director for Equitable Real Estate Investment Management, handling asset management, leasing and marketing of commercial real estate and hospitality properties.