John spent over fifteen years in retail leadership and strategy working for a variety of global lifestyle brands during a time of hyper growth and emergence. From Abercrombie & Fitch, to Michael Kors before their IPO, to the first Brand House Division store for Under Armour he has had the privilege of working for some of the most impactful lifestyle brands known to consumers. He is an expert in retail strategy, customer experience, and the recruitment and training of teams and people.
John grew up in a family built-on entrepreneurial spirit. His mother, Kathleen Cecilian, has helped to create powerful brands for some of the most respected master planned community developers across North America. For years, John has gleaned insights into the broken nature of the customer journey in real estate and noticed a parallel between retail and residential real estate.
In the end of 2018, John assembled a dynamic team of outside industry experts and formed Cecilian Partners. A business focused on transforming customer experience through data, technology, and human capital.
He holds a Master of Business Administration in Systems Thinking and Global Finance from Villanova University, and earned his Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Psychology from Duquesne University. He is a full member of the Urban Land Institute.