Ken Gillett

On Gillett’s watch, Irvine Company’s 9-million-square-foot retail division has notched some notable deals.

In 2024, Orange County’s first Bass Pro Shops superstore opened at Alton Marketplace. At 140,000 square feet, the store is one of Bass Pro’s larger formats. Also in 2024, Irvine Company’s Fashion Island — Orange County’s second-largest shopping center — became home to the county’s first RH design gallery, and the retailer’s largest location in the U.S. at 97,000 square feet.

Irvine Company’s Alton Marketplace saw a 35 percent year-over-year jump in sales for the 12 months ended June 30. The firm’s Irvine Spectrum Center, which marked its 30th anniversary in 2025, saw a 4.4 percent uptick from the year before. That comes amid reports of flat sales at the O.C.’s top shopping centers for the same time period, the Orange County Business Journal wrote in November. And that was with an increase in the total number of stores.

Gillett began his career working as a retailer before transitioning to the operational and development side of the retail industry. He had stints in property management at Macerich, the Mills Corporation (later acquired by Simon Property Group) and TrizecHahn (subsequently acquired by Brookfield Properties). After 10 years as senior vice president of operations for Irvine Company, Gillett became president of Irvine Company Retail Properties in July 2022.

— Lauren Elkies Schram