Las Vegas Review-Journal Nevadan at Work column.

By Chris Jones, Las Vegas Review-Journal Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News

Feb. 13--NAME: Greg Sims

AGE: 43

OCCUPATION: Group director, General Growth Properties

In his younger days, Greg Sims was certain his career path would take him across the Seven Seas and the many oceans that connect them.

But a funny thing happened on the way to the pier, and "overseas" somehow became "oversee." These days, the only waters Sims worries about are in the decorative fountains inside the three shopping malls he directs for one of North America's largest retail property companies.

"I was going to be a career Navy guy, no question," Sims said from his office at Fashion Show, one of the four Las Vegas-area shopping malls owned by his employer, Chicago-based General Growth Properties. "If you told me then I'd be doing this now, I'd have said, " 'You're talking to the wrong person.' "

While studying at the U.S. Naval Academy, Sims suffered a setback after realizing his academic work habits weren't sufficient for the ultracompetitive Annapolis, Md., military academy.

"In high school, I was a good (track and field) runner who had decent grades. I got to the academy, and everyone had something they did really well. …