On John’s first day at NewMark Merrill in 2003, he stepped into an empty San Diego office without a desk, computer or employees—literally not a thing in it. He was hit with the reality that the company was placing total trust in him to build the San Diego division from the ground up. Though nerves were on edge at the time, this sense of empowerment and ownership has been a consistent driving force for John as he continues to grow the San Diego region through acquisitions, management and new development.
Previously, as Sr. Vice President with Flocke & Avoyer Commercial Real Estate, John was recognized as the Top Salesperson of the Year for the company a total of nine times during his 17 year tenure. He was also honored twice as the Retail Deal-Maker of the Year from the San Diego County Commercial Association of Realtors. In total, John has been involved in hundreds of deals totaling more than $1B in retail sale and lease transactions.
With undergrad and graduate degrees in Economics and Finance from University of California, San Diego and San Diego State University, respectively, John lives by the mantra, “Whatever you are thinking, think bigger.”
He spends his free time on the golf course, hiking Torrey Pines with family and enjoying local fare at nearby restaurants. He’s tremendously proud of children; a daughter, in Medical School at UCSD and a son, recently graduated from SMU and working for Wells Fargo in their Dallas real estate lending program.