Norah Buikstra
Lindsey Grace Whiddon
Early in her career, Norah Buikstra was given the chance to see her own potential as a leader. While working in retail development, she was tasked with heading up a 48-tenant expansion—no small feat.
"My boss says, 'Norah, you've got to take care of this project until we finish up here. Make all the decisions you need to make, spend all the money you need to spend. I will back you up but just don't mess up!'" she says.
The experience was the jumpstart of her career in leadership, culminating in her current position as newly-appointed General Manager for the Mall at Green Hills.
"I fell in love with the work and the energy of retail and that the fashion spilled over into the design of the stores, so I made the shift over to the ownership side of retail," she says of leaving development.
Luckily she’s able to use her skills in this new postion; With so much expansion onsite, Buikstra is often focused on construction and building management, helping Green Hills to continue its evolution into an even grander luxury shopping center.
And along the way she’s emboldened other women to go after their own career goals.
"I encourage myself and other women to ask for what they want and need. We will continue to evolve in the workplace through our requests and our efforts.”