It’s Fall in Southern California. The temperature has changed, the days are getting shorter, and a certain COO is finally updating her blog! What a whirlwind summer we’ve had here at Hughes Marino. Between the relocation and expansion of our Orange County office, several recent events, our company retreat in September, and a slew of other projects, it’s been a challenge finding time to write (to say the least).

But I would be remiss if I didn’t update you on some of the good news I’ve been too busy to share until now. It seems that Fall is award season, and we are humbled to have received several honors for our company and team members in recent months. Here’s a rundown:

• We were thrilled this summer to learn that Hughes Marino was voted Best Commercial Real Estate Company by U-T San Diego readers for the THIRD year in a row! This huge vote of confidence from our hometown was incredibly gratifying, and proved to us that we must be doing something right. Go team!
• Vice President Shane Poppen — tenant representation superstar and all-around good guy — was honored to receive the San Diego Business Journal’s first annual Emerging Generation: 25 In Their 20’s award last month. With all he’s accomplished for our firm in the last five years, it’s hard to believe Shane is still in his 20’s!
• Vice President and General Counsel Ryan McCrary was recently honored with The Daily Transcript’s annual Power of Attorneys award for in-house corporate counsel. A man of many talents, Ryan is not only a brilliant lawyer, he also represents tenants and buyers as a licensed broker. He is an indispensable member of our team, and couldn’t be more deserving of this award.
• Vice President JP Roach was also recently recognized as a Top Attorney for 2013 by The Daily Transcript! Between Ryan and JP, we consider ourselves very fortunate to have so much legal talent on our brokerage team!
• Senior Vice President and tax credit whiz kid Brendan Foote was recently named one of SD Metro’s 40 Under 40 for 2013. Not only has Brendan recovered over $50 Million in tax savings for clients as head of our tax credit services division, he also devotes a great deal of time to charitable causes in the community. We are so proud our youngest SVP, and we see great things in his future!
• We were stoked when Hughes Marino received an “e-ward” for Small Business, Big Impact last month at San Diego’s Entrepreneur Day, an event created to benefit entrepreneurs and small businesses through corporate giving and social responsibility. Now in its second year, this awesome event is doing great things for local startups, and we hope to see it grow over the years.
• I was honored to be named one of 2013’s Women Who Move the City by San Diego Magazine last month. There were 132 women nominated in total, and it was humbling to be counted among so many amazing leaders, creative thinkers, visionaries and business dynamos.
• And speaking of being in good company, it was a thrill for both me and my daughter, Star Hughes, to be named Women Who Mean Business by the San Diego Business Journal! This is the 20th year that the award has been given out, and we’re incredibly honored to join the long line of outstanding women who came before us.
• And, finally, I can’t help but mention our President and CEO, Jason Hughes, and Executive Vice President, David Marino, who were both named Brokers of the Year by The Irvine Company this month. Not only are these guys amazing at what they do, but they are also deeply involved in their communities, and spend hours each week mentoring the young brokers at Hughes Marino who are following in their footsteps. We’re incredibly proud of both of them, and inspired by all they have accomplished.