International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC)

What International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) does

ICSC is a private, nonprofit trade association founded in 1957 that operates as the central membership organization for the marketplaces (retail real estate / shopping center) industry. Headquartered in New York with 251-500 employees, it serves developers, owners, retailers, and service providers across US markets and claims a global footprint. The organization runs a multi-product platform comprising its flagship publication Commerce + Communities Today (C+CT), the Marketplaces IQ commercial property intelligence platform delivered through a partnership with Narrpr, a digital networking platform, and a full calendar of events including ICSC NEW YORK (December 9-10, 2026), ICSC@NEW ENGLAND (Boston, July 13-14, 2026), ICSC RETAIL FORWARD NASHVILLE (July 14, 2026), and ICSC RETAIL FORWARD COLORADO (July 22, 2026).

ICSC's underlying technology stack is light. The Marketplaces IQ data platform is operated by a third-party partner (Narrpr), and the networking platform and Talent HQ job board appear to be standard member-portal infrastructure rather than proprietary AI or data products. The remaining products are programmatic content and community offerings: C+CT publication, From Where I Sit podcast, webinars and virtual series, professional development courses, student/mentorship/internship (iPrep) programs, a Small Business Center, a Sustainability & Impact Center, Inclusion & Engagement Center, and a Government Relations & Public Policy center that drives advocacy initiatives including Organized Retail Crime (ORC) policy.

The business model is classic association economics: revenue is generated through tiered membership dues (member types and pricing are gated behind a "Member Types & Pricing" page and not publicly disclosed), event registration fees for major conferences and the RETAIL FORWARD dealmaking series, and ancillary services such as Talent HQ, Marketplaces IQ access, and foundation programs. ICSC explicitly states it does not sell attendee lists, reinforcing a member-trust positioning rather than a data-monetization posture. GTM is direct: enterprise and mid-market buyers enroll via the website, register for events, and access the networking platform and member directory. The organization is governed by a board of trustees and led by President and CEO Tom McGee, with a C-suite including a CFO, CIO/SVP Business Transformation, CMO, COO, and Chief of Staff.

Name

International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC)

Legal name

International Council of Shopping Centers

Website

https://icsc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1957

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

ICSC is a nonprofit trade association founded in 1957 that serves as the central membership organization for the US marketplaces industry, providing networking, events, research, advocacy, and professional development to shopping center developers, owners, retailers, and service providers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Association Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192), Professional Organizations (81392)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Conference & Trade Show Registration Platforms (THAHAFAB)

Keywords

• Retail real estate association
• Shopping center industry
• Commercial property events
• Marketplaces industry networking
• Retail real estate research

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

ICSC is a membership-based trade association serving the marketplaces (shopping center and retail real estate) industry. It sells individual and corporate memberships, paid event registrations, professional development programs, and access to commercial property data through the Marketplaces IQ platform. Members include developers, owners, retailers, and service providers who access networking, research, advocacy, and education resources.

Product overview

ICSC is a member organization for the advancement of the Marketplaces Industry. The organization offers a platform-plus-programs architecture consisting of its flagship publication Commerce + Communities Today (C+CT), major annual events (ICSC NEW YORK, ICSC@NEW ENGLAND, ICSC RETAIL FORWARD series), the ICSC Networking Platform for professional connections, Marketplaces IQ for property market intelligence, and comprehensive professional development resources including student programs, mentorship, and a job board (Talent HQ). Additional offerings include the Member Directory for networking, Small Business Center, Sustainability & Impact Center, and Government Relations & Public Policy advocacy programs. The portfolio is designed to serve professionals at all levels through events, education, industry insights, and community-building initiatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Commerce + Communities Today (C+CT): ICSC's news publication covering the latest news and trends for the Marketplaces Industry.
• ICSC RETAIL FORWARD
• Marketplaces IQ
• From Where I Sit

Products and services

• Commerce + Communities Today (C+CT) ICSC's flagship industry news publication delivering coverage of news, trends, retail real estate developments, industry analysis, and market intelligence for marketplaces industry professionals.
• ICSC Events (ICSC NEW YORK, ICSC@NEW ENGLAND, ICSC RETAIL FORWARD Series) Major industry event programming offering dealmaking and networking opportunities, including ICSC NEW YORK, ICSC@NEW ENGLAND, and the ICSC RETAIL FORWARD hyper-focused dealmaking event series across US cities.
• Marketplaces IQ Commercial property market intelligence platform providing comprehensive data insights to support business decisions for marketplaces industry professionals, powered in partnership with NarrPR.
• ICSC Networking Platform Digital networking platform serving as a one-stop shop for connecting with industry professionals and identifying new business partners in the marketplaces industry.
• Professional Development Programs Educational resources and programs enabling marketplaces industry professionals to grow skills online, in classes, or at events with expert guidance.
• Talent HQ (Job Board) Career platform enabling professionals to find jobs and employers to find talent within the marketplaces industry.
• ICSC Member Directory Member directory providing access to the network of businesses and professionals across the marketplaces industry for networking and business development.
• Government Relations & Public Policy Advocacy Policy initiatives and governmental affairs resources including Organized Retail Crime (ORC) policy advocacy and ICSC PAC political action activities for the marketplaces industry.
• ICSC Membership Program Trade association membership program with multiple member types and pricing tiers, providing access to networking, events, research, advocacy, and member benefits for marketplaces industry professionals and organizations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Gen X represents 31% of consumer spending but receives less than 10% of marketing dollars - indicating significant market research and insights provided by ICSC

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• National Association of Real Estate Investment Managers (NAREIM): NAREIM is a US-based membership association serving real estate investment management firms, offering networking, education, research, and advocacy. It is directly comparable to ICSC as a peer trade association within the broader commercial real estate ecosystem, though with a narrower focus on institutional investment managers versus ICSC's shopping center orientation.
• BOMA International (Building Owners and Managers Association): BOMA International is a trade association for commercial real estate building owners, managers, and developers, providing advocacy, education, networking, and certifications. It directly parallels ICSC's trade association structure and event-driven engagement model, serving an adjacent but overlapping commercial real estate membership base.
• ULI (Urban Land Institute): ULI is a global research and education nonprofit serving real estate development and land use professionals, offering member networks, conferences, and policy work. It is directly comparable to ICSC as a peer association providing membership, events, research publications, and advocacy across the real estate development ecosystem.
• NAIOP (Commercial Real Estate Development Association): NAIOP is the leading US trade association for commercial real estate developers, owners, and investors, providing research, networking, advocacy, and education. It directly parallels ICSC as a peer trade association serving the commercial real estate community with overlapping member profiles in development, ownership, and brokerage roles.

Broad incumbents

• National Association of REALTORS (NAR): NAR is the largest US trade association representing real estate professionals, with a much broader scope spanning residential and commercial real estate. It is comparable to ICSC as a peer trade association model with membership dues, events, publications, and policy advocacy, though NAR operates at significantly greater scale and across more real estate verticals.
• NREI/National Real Estate Investor (event series): GlobeSt./National Real Estate Investor operates industry events and publications serving commercial real estate professionals, including retail, office, industrial, and multifamily segments. It is comparable to ICSC as a peer in event-driven industry engagement and publishing, though it operates as a media and events business rather than a member-governed trade association.
• CoStar Group: CoStar Group operates the dominant commercial real estate information and analytics platform (CoStar, LoopNet, Apartments.com). It is comparable to ICSC's Marketplaces IQ data platform offering but at vastly greater scale and with proprietary data assets, representing the broader incumbent against which ICSC's partnership-based data strategy must compete.

Regional players

• International Council of Shopping Centers Canada (ICSC Canada): ICSC Canada is the Canadian chapter/affiliate of ICSC serving shopping center industry professionals in Canada. It is directly comparable to ICSC as a regional sibling association operating under the same brand but focused exclusively on the Canadian market, offering similar events, networking, and advocacy at a smaller scale.

Emerging players

• CREtech: CREtech operates conferences, webinars, and content focused on technology and innovation in commercial real estate. It is an emerging player comparable to ICSC's event-driven model but oriented around the proptech/innovation vertical, attracting overlapping membership from forward-looking CRE professionals who also attend ICSC events.

Others

• Retail Dive (Industry Dive): Retail Dive is an industry publication providing news and analysis on the retail industry, including coverage of shopping centers and retail real estate. It is thematically adjacent to ICSC's C+CT publication and Industry Insights offerings, serving an overlapping audience of retail and CRE professionals through content rather than membership.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/icsc
• Facebookfacebook.com/MyICSC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/groups
• Instagraminstagram.com/icsc/?hl=en
• TikToktiktok.com/@myicsc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC)