Dawn Becker Promoted to Chief Operating Officer of Federal Realty Investment Trust

ROCKVILLE, Md., Feb. 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Federal Realty Investment Trust (NYSE: FRT) today announced the promotion of Dawn Becker to executive vice president, chief operating officer.

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Ms. Becker has 13 years experience with Federal Realty beginning in 1997 when she was hired to provide deal structuring and legal guidance to support the Trust's acquisition efforts.  She became a member of Federal Realty's Executive and Investment Committees in 2002 when she was named general counsel as part of the Trust's change in business strategy and associated management changes.  Ms. Becker's operational oversight began in 2006 when she was charged with overseeing all aspects of the Trust's West Coast operations.  Since 2008, she has lead the Trust's operations efforts in all regions, including restructuring the Trust's operational framework and staffing, and implementing procedures to limit the Trust's financial impact associated with the economic downturn.  Partly as a result of these efforts, Federal Realty has produced best in class results from its 18.2 million square foot portfolio despite the challenging economic environment. In addition to her operational responsibilities, Ms. Becker will maintain her role as Federal Realty's general counsel.

"Our core management team, and Dawn in particular, has grown immensely and worked together extremely well for the better part of the past decade," said Don Wood, Federal Realty's president and chief executive officer.  "I couldn't be more proud to promote from within and recognize the truly amazing real estate and organizational talents that Dawn has exhibited on behalf of the Trust.  I look forward to our continued work together for many years to come."

Ms. Becker holds a Juris Doctorate from Stanford University School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts in economics from Bucknell University.  She is a member of both the International Council of Shopping Centers and the Urban Land Institute.

About Federal Realty

Federal Realty Investment Trust is an equity real estate investment trust specializing in the ownership, management, development, and redevelopment of high quality retail assets. Federal Realty's portfolio (excluding joint venture properties) contains approximately 18.2 million square feet located primarily in strategically selected metropolitan markets in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and California. In addition, the Trust has an ownership interest in approximately 1.0 million square feet of retail space through a joint venture in which the Trust has a 30% interest. Our operating portfolio (excluding joint venture properties) was 94.5% leased to national, regional, and local retailers as of December 31, 2009, with no single tenant accounting for more than approximately 2.6% of annualized base rent. Federal Realty has paid quarterly dividends to its shareholders continuously since its founding in 1962, and has increased its dividend rate for 42 consecutive years, the longest record in the REIT industry. Federal Realty is an S&P MidCap 400 company and its shares are traded on the NYSE under the symbol FRT.

SOURCE Federal Realty Investment Trust