Name: Ed Muna

Title: Senior Vice President

Favorite HM Core Values: #3 — Enjoy the Journey and #4 — Embrace the family spirit. (Ed’s wife and son work at Hughes Marino too!)

Senior Vice President Ed Muna plays multiple roles at Hughes Marino. He leads the company’s Lease Administration and Audit Service (LAS) divisions and is also a key member of the brokerage team. Prior to joining Hughes Marino, Ed spent 20 years on the landlord side of the table, where he not only thought like a landlord in the negotiations of hundreds of lease transactions, but also oversaw property management functions. Ed’s knowledge of how building systems and landlord organizations operate and think give him an advantage when representing Hughes Marino clients. His dual expertise also leads to some very busy days.

5:45 am: After the alarm rings, the first thing Ed does is brew a pot of coffee. Second item on the agenda: check client email. His early-morning start isn’t just because he’s dedicated to his work; his role in the lease administration division of Hughes Marino has given Ed the opportunity to work with many East Coast based clients. “Our 6:00 a.m. is their 9:00 a.m. and I want to respond to any of their immediate needs,” Ed explains.

6:15 am: After checking in with clients, Ed heads out for a run four or five times a week. “I started running for health a few years back, but caught the bug and really enjoy the time on the road. I try to run a couple half-marathons every year and recently signed up for January’s Carlsbad Half Marathon with my wife Kelly and some friends at Hughes Marino.”

7:30 am: Running isn’t the only thing Ed and Kelly do together. Kelly is an Operations Manager at Hughes Marino’s headquarters, so on days when Ed isn’t traveling to one of our other California offices, they share the ride to work. “Hughes Marino is known for being a family business,” says Ed. “Kelly and I work out of the San Diego office, our son Michael is an associate in the West LA office, and this past summer, our daughter interned as well.” While Ed admits to being in regular contact with his kids during the day via group texts, he and Kelly also take advantage of commute time to talk with them about their day.

8:00 am: Ed spends a good portion of his morning dealing with client issues that have arisen in the past 24 hours. “Clients know they can just give me a call or drop me an email at any time,” Ed says. “While many brokerage firms focus on the transaction, I love the fact that at Hughes Marino we’re here as a resource during the entire life of their business. I spent 20 years on the landlord side, so if a client has a question about an obligation on their lease, I can usually find them the answer.”

9:00 am: Ed sits down with one of Hughes Marino’s clients to discuss outstanding issues at their locations and review the rent budgets and leasing strategies for the upcoming year. Whether in person or over the phone, Ed enjoys regular interactions with his clients. “The great thing about our business is we build long-term relationships and become part of our client’s team. There is a lot of satisfaction knowing our expertise is helping them save money and reduce the risks that go with entering into a long-term lease.”

2:00 pm: Ed jumps on the phone with one of his Orange County broker partners to discuss a lease versus purchase option for a client evaluating their next move. This is par for the course, as a day never goes by that Ed isn’t strategizing with a team member on how to address a unique or complex transaction. “What really sets Hughes Marino apart is that everyone works as a team and has unique strengths to bring to the table for our clients.” For Ed, his background on the investor side gives him a unique perspective on the thought process of institutional landlords and working around their investment objectives. “I try to contribute to the entire success of the team by sharing my knowledge.” In addition to regular calls with his partners, Ed regularly visits the firms’ other offices to check in with the team.

3:00 pm: Ed joins a scheduled conference call with a landlord’s representative to discuss discrepancies the audit team identified during a review of CAM reconciliations. “Our audit services consistently delivers for businesses by identifying and resolving errors in their CAM charges. Whether intentionally trying to stretch the rights granted to a landlord under the lease, or simple human error, we work well with the landlords to reach fair solutions for our clients.” Last year, our team helped Hughes Marino clients save over $2 million dollars in overpayments to landlords.

6:00 pm: Evenings are a little quieter at the Muna home since their daughter, Amanda, headed off to college. “We miss the heck out of our kids, but Kelly and I are taking advantage of our empty nesters status to get out after work.” Among the Muna favorites are a quick bite in Little Italy or a stop at the Rancho Bernardo Inn, which just happens to be within walking distance of their home, for some music. They also enjoy regular visits with their parents, who both live nearby in Rancho Bernardo.

Weekend life: For the Munas, time off means rest, relaxation and rooting for their favorite teams. “On weekends, I like to work in the yard and explore San Diego. And we’re big sports fans. Since our kids have gone off to college, we’ve become fans of the Horned Frogs, Ducks and Toreros. We also have three dogs that keep us busy for walks.”