As chairman, CEO, and owner of San Diego-based Hughes Marino LLC, he just marked the company's 11th anniversary on Feb. 11, 2022, and while the firm has achieved many remarkable milestones, in many ways, Jason Hughes feels it's just getting started.
Jason Hughes began his commercial realty career in the 1980s working for Cushman & Wakefield in the Century City area of Los Angeles.
At just 18, he got his Realtor and broker's licenses and quickly landed some residential sales. He put himself through Pepperdine University and married his wife, Shay, after they both graduated from there. After moving to San Diego, he began working for Grubb & Ellis.
It was then he realized how vital tenant representation is. Before launching the firm in 2011, he was president and owner of commercial brokerage Irving Hughes from 1995 through 2011.
Jason Hughes now represents corporate, nonprofit, and municipal tenants in their lease and purchase negotiations.
For more than two decades, Jason and Shay Hughes have been trailblazers in the commercial property industry. The San Diego-based couple owns the largest exclusive tenant and buyer representation company in that region and has set a precedent that's forever changed San Diego property leasing.
With a passion for tenant representation, Jason Hughes decided early in his career that he was going to pioneer a new path and do things differently. Disenchanted by a focus on landlords over tenants and witnessing solo brokers getting little to no support, he was determined to provide brokers with a level of expertise more akin to legal or accounting firms. The goal shifted to assisting companies leasing and purchasing space for operations in lieu of professional landlords.
Jason Hughes has overseen purchases and leases for tens of millions of square feet throughout San Diego, in addition to hotel, office, and condominium sales, including contract negotiations, loan structuring, and more.
With his headquarters in San Diego, Jason Hughes has opened offices all over the United States including San Francisco, Orange County, Los Angeles, East Bay, Seattle, Denver, and New York. While many offices were downsizing during the pandemic, he managed to expand. The growth of his brand is carried out with only the most careful consideration to keep the company strong. He's focused on long-term goals and never moves forward without asking the question: "Will this make my team proud?" It's a simple standard he uses to measure whether an idea will work for his company or not.
Putting his clients first, Jason Hughes has built a tenant representation firm rooted in core values that have created a sturdy foundation for his business. Through those values, Jason Hughes aims to build relationships based on trust; deliver excellence; pursue learning and growth; be authentic, grateful, and humble; and maintain solid communication with clients and team members.
Jason Hughes' customers matter to him. Over the years, he has negotiated some of the most significant tenant lease transactions in downtown San Diego, Sorrento Mesa, and Carmel Valley.
With a priority placed on lifelong learning, Jason Hughes received his Bachelor of Science in business administration from Pepperdine University. He later earned his Master of Business Administration in finance from the University of San Diego. A true bibliophile, he's known to read a variety of business books, including Onward: How Starbucks Fought for Its Life without Losing Its Soul by Howard Schultz and Atomic Habits by James Clear. He's a fan of motivational speakers such as Tony Robbins and Jesse Itzler and often invites inspirational speakers to his San Diego offices to motivate his team.
Jason Hughes has also taken various executive programs at Harvard University, UCLA's Anderson School of Business, and UCSD's Rady School of Management. He's appeared on TV and across multiple media platforms as an industry expert. He's been the recipient of multiple awards including Top 100 Business Professionals from the San Diego Daily Transcript, Most Admired CEO from the San Diego Business Journal, and Broker of the Year from the Irvine Company.
When it comes to success, Jason Hughes has never believed in shortcuts. He begins his days at the crack of dawn and meticulously plans out his to-do list and prioritizes his responsibilities. Regardless of how busy he is, he powers through his day and remains in a forward direction, persevering every step of the way.
The introspective CEO feels success is something that's not given but something that must be earned every day. He aligns himself with the best team members - and securing a coveted spot in his firm is no easy feat. He and his team only take the top candidates so they can exceed clients' expectations with every transaction. Serving everyone from Fortune 500 companies to independent local businesses, he's always eager to go above and beyond to get the job done with precision and professionalism.
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