By OC Metro Staff

Shay Hughes, COO of Hughes Marino, the commercial real estate firm she owns with her husband, Jason Hughes, doesn’t often separate work from family – but that’s because she doesn’t have to. When Hughes set out to transform the company’s culture and outlook in 2011, she intentionally infused energy, maternal instincts and traditional values into the work environment to make the company more family-focused and welcoming for employees. Core values of communication, excellence, family, growth, and authenticity define Hughes Marino as not just a workplace, but an extension of employees’ worlds.

When Hughes started at the company, she was one of three female employees; now about a third of Hughes Marino’s team members are women. Under her leadership, Hughes Marino differentiated itself by establishing lasting relationships with clients based on trust, rather than focusing on individual transactions, and providing additional services including an in-house construction management team, lease auditing and administration, a free online sublease listing service and complimentary space surveys. The supportive environment created by Hughes makes the hard work seem easy and encourages the team members to live the company’s core values in all aspects of their lives.

Hughes designed the firm’s award-winning San Diego headquarters and its new Irvine office at Jamboree Center, both of which include morale-boosting amenities such as a pool table, a putting green, musical instruments, a gym, and TV screens that display team members’ family photos on a continuous slideshow. Each office resembles a warm, inviting home with a large kitchen and farm table for employees to gather for meals like families do. Office events are family-oriented and include retreats at venues such as Pelican Hill Resort, cooking classes, ski trips, fireside chats, and all-day working sessions with a team coach where employees discuss themes of authenticity and appreciation.

Having donated time and money to more than 100 local nonprofits, Hughes Marino has a strong commitment to the community – the company offers its office space as a venue for nonprofit events, hosts food drives, and filled holiday wish lists for 30 homeless teenagers last year.

This article originally appeared in OC Metro.