Phoenix — Vestar, one of the leading privately held shopping center owners and managers in the western U.S., has tapped industry veteran Charles Martinez to be its new regional director overseeing its Northern California properties. Over the past 15 years, Martinez has worked for a variety of retail development and redevelopment projects in Los Angeles, San Francisco and East Bay, Calif., as well as in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. In his new role, Martinez will be responsible for managing a portfolio of 11 shopping centers from Petaluma …