About City Center Fort Worth

Johnny K. Campbell

President and CEO

Been there, done that.

This perfectly describes the President and CEO of City Center Fort Worth, who has stepped on just about every rung of the corporate ladder on his way up.

At age 16, Johnny was cutting the grass at a Houston shopping mall owned by the Rouse Company, a premier shopping center and mixed-use development firm. At 21, he became the youngest security chief ever at the company. And with promotion after promotion, he gained experience in many other areas, from leasing and marketing to engineering and project management. Ultimately, he became director of operations for some of the most prominent mixed-use developments in the nation, including Harborplace and The Gallery in Baltimore, Pioneer Place in Portland, The Riverwalk in New Orleans, Tabor Center in Denver and Arizona Center in Phoenix.

If one of the marks of great leaders is their ability to put themselves in the shoes of their staff members, City Center Fort Worth is fortunate to have someone at the helm who has literally done just that.

His diverse experiences have also shaped his leadership style and the corporate culture at City Center Fort Worth. Since he joined the company in 2001, Johnny has built a management team comprised of top professionals, making sure that he has the “best in class” for every department. He gives managers responsibilities, the freedom to accomplish those responsibilities on their own and the encouragement to take risks, knowing they’ll be fully supported. In a fast-moving market environment, the management team is nimble and quick, making smart decisions grounded in their deep knowledge of the City Center Fort Worth vision.

“We’ve always seen City Center Fort Worth as a catalyst in the revitalization of downtown Fort Worth,” Campbell said. “Our goal was to create a vibrant office environment from which new development could grow. And that’s exactly what has happened.”

A graduate of the University of Houston, Johnny also has a big impact on the area through his support of a wide variety of community organizations and causes. He serves as Chairman of the Board of Fort Worth Sister Cities International, and is a past chairman of the Board of Downtown Fort Worth, Inc. and remains on that Board. He serves on the Board of Directors of the UNT Health Sciences Center, the North Texas Commission, the Downtown Tax Increment Financing District, the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, Visit Fort Worth, Streams & Valleys, BOMA of Fort Worth, the Aledo Education Foundation, the Davey O’Brien Foundation and the Cotton Bowl Athletic Association. He also served three terms on the Aledo Independent School District Board of Trustees.

If you want to see an example of a CEO who truly “talks the talk and walks the walk,” look no further than Johnny Campbell.

Robert Gamblin

Director of Leasing

Ten million square feet is a whole lot of space – about as big as 225 football fields or a 175-acre ranch.

It’s also the approximate size of the total commercial leases Robert Gamblin has secured in his 20+ years at City Center Fort Worth. In his role as Director of Leasing, he helps bring companies of all kinds – from multi-national corporations to local and regional firms – to downtown Fort Worth. Robert is responsible for filling more than 1.5 million square feet of luxurious, Class A office space. During his time at City Center Fort Worth, occupancy has remained at very high levels – 90% and above – even during periods of national economic downturns.

As he works to attract companies to the area, he stresses all the things tenants receive with every square foot in City Center Fort Worth: unmatched service and amenities; many places to shop, dine, and be entertained within walking distance; a great location near major highways and DFW Airport; and a welcoming, pro-business attitude.

Before he got his foot in the door at City Center Fort Worth, Robert worked in the restaurant industry, where he honed many useful management skills, including stellar customer service, extra attention to detail, and an appreciation for employees at all levels.

As a member of the Business Retention and Expansion Committee for the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, Robert helps the entire city put its best foot forward. He’s a leader with Boy Scouts of America Troop 68 in Arlington, and an Eagle Scout himself. He also serves as a children’s leader with Bible Study Fellowship International and as an Elder at Rush Creek Christian Church.

He holds a B.S. from Texas Tech University and is a Licensed Texas Real Estate Broker.

“It’s so gratifying to see the continuing transformation of downtown Fort Worth,” says Robert. “A lot of that is due to the persistence of our team in bringing great tenants to City Center Fort Worth.”

Valerie Farrell

Director of Marketing

When you walk into Valerie Farrell’s office, everything is peaceful and in its place.

Behind that calm demeanor, however, is a brain buzzing with dozens of deadlines, details and projects in various stages of completion. As Director of Marketing for City Center Fort Worth, she has a crazy-wide range of responsibilities: developing the annual marketing plan and budget, creating effective promotional materials including websites and brochures, maintaining a constant social media presence, working with various entities to promote downtown Fort Worth and too many others to list here.

“People think of marketing as the fun part of business,” says Valerie. “They see the successful end result, but they don’t see everything it took to make the project happen. But I love to multi-task and keep busy, so it’s perfect for me.”

Valerie also loves the product she’s promoting: the finest business address in downtown Fort Worth. She’s continually focused on keeping current tenants happy while taking steps to attract new ones.

Previously, Valerie worked as Development and Marketing Assistant for Lena Pope in Fort Worth, where she handled both marketing and event coordination for the beloved nonprofit that helps children and families in need. She organized specialized events for up to 500 people, oversaw fundraising initiatives and helped build financial support from donors, foundations and corporations. Valerie offers proven expertise in event planning, having coordinated and staged events previously for a wide range of programs within the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications–Public Relations from the University of Texas at Arlington, where she graduated with honors.

So when you walk into Valerie’s office, you can be absolutely certain that she’s currently juggling multiple projects, managing key deadlines, cooking up marketing strategies and devising new ways to keep tenants satisfied.

But you’ll be greeted with a tranquil smile and a sincere“Hi, how can I help you?”

Tanisha Rogers

Controller

You’ve probably heard the phrase “time is money.” 

 

That well-known saying certainly rings true for Tanisha Rogers, Controller for City Center Fort Worth. After all, when you’re masterminding the finances of one of the finest business addresses in the city, both time and money are paramount.

 

“Accounting is driven by deadlines,” says Tanisha. “When you’re a controller, situations often arise that can interfere with meeting those deadlines. That’s why I’m always looking for ways to do things faster through better processes or technology.”

 

In her career, she’s implemented highly complex software systems, moved entire accounting departments to new locations, and created innovative reports and procedures—all to get things done quicker and more efficiently.

 

At City Center Fort Worth, Tanisha certainly has a lot on her plate, from cash management to financial reports to budget preparation to staff supervision. But she’s obviously up for the job: she’s a CPA with 25+ years of accounting experience. At one of her previous positions—VP, Property Controller, for Brookfield Properties Retail (formerly known as Rouse Properties)—she led a team of 52 people and oversaw the accounting for 35+ shopping malls. 

 

Her educational accomplishments— Bachelor of Science in Accounting and a Master of Professional Accountancy from Louisiana Tech University—set the stage for her many professional achievements. 

 

In her spare time, Tanisha is an avid crafter and basketball fan. She’s also a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., the first intercollegiate African American sorority. 

 

Tanisha took on the controller role after the retirement of Joanne Massey, who worked in accounting at City Center Fort Worth for an amazing 43 years. 

 

“I’m so proud of the fact that Johnny Campbell and Joanne entrusted me with this position,” says Tanisha. 

 

Another fun fact about Tanisha: she owns 40+ pairs of sneakers. You can be sure that, when accounting deadlines are looming, she’s always ready to put on her track shoes and get the job done.