Shaun D. Sumner
Founder and Owner

RESUME

19-year record as a commercial real estate business professional working hand in hand with legal counsel focused on ground leasing at the Port of San Diego in San Diego, California. From 2014 to 2024, served in an executive capacity and grew real estate revenue from $90 million to $155 million with a CAGR of 6.2%. Administered a portfolio of over 250 primary leases and almost 800 agreements. With an others-focused approach, led cross-functional teams of up to 170 real estate professionals, in house and outside legal counsel, planners, CEQA practitioners, engineers, financial and data analysts, IT staff, and technicians. Re-activated my California Bar license to bring my 19 years of commercial transactional real estate experience on the business side to a new role as a transactional real estate and land use attorney.

MAJOR PROJECTS AND REAL ESTATE NEGOTIATIONS

• $3 billion exclusive negotiating agreements and entitlements for Seaport San Diego by 1HWY1
• $1.3 billion in ground leases for 1,600-room Gaylord Pacific Resort Hotel and Convention Center
• $300 million public funding investment partnership between the Port and Chula Vista
• $200 million ground lease for 400-room Intercontinental Hotel Bayside San Diego
• $130 million ground lease for 400-room, dual-branded Springhill Suites / Residence Inn
• $90 million ground lease for 10,000-seat Rady Shell at Jacobs Park performance venue
• $50 million ground lease for 246-stall Costa Vista RV Park Resort
• $40 million ground lease for 90,000 sf adaptive reuse of the Headquarters specialty shopping center
• $25 million ground lease for 1,000-seat Portside Pier (Brigantine) restaurant complex
• Revitalization and repositioning of 90,000 sf Seaport Village into $12 million/year asset

EXPERIENCE OVERVIEW

Strategic Direction, Expert Knowledge, and Leadership

• Provided strategic direction and expert knowledge to cross functional teams of real estate professionals, lawyers, and planners conducting due diligence, managing risk, obtaining land use entitlements, and closing over $2.2 billion in commercial ground lease transactions.
• Led negotiating teams through the process of obtaining confidential Board negotiating direction to advocating for deals including making public and confidential presentations at hundreds of meetings of public agencies and the Board over 19 years of commercial real estate experience.
• Negotiated, drafted, reviewed, approved, and provided guidance on nondisclosure agreements, exclusive negotiating agreements, term sheets, letters of intent, options, disposition and development agreements, ground leases, escrow instructions, utility easements, reciprocal use easements for parking and maintenance, and other documents associated with leasing real estate.

Capability to Manage Projects, Initiatives, and Teams

• Led and directed real estate, current planning, and legal staff on all matters concerning the acquisition, entitlement, and development of restaurant, retail, and hotel properties primarily from idea inception through certificate of occupancy and completion of construction.
• Negotiated, drafted, reviewed, and approved consultant contracts including scopes of work and task authorizations, while monitoring and adjusting progress against approved budgets.
• Obtained, reviewed, approved, and managed title reports, surveys, phase 1 and phase 2 environmental reports, CEQA documents including mitigated negative declarations (MNDs) and environmental impact reports (EIRs), land use entitlements, and permits.
• Experience underwriting and reviewing financing-related documents including subordination and nondisturbance agreements, lender comfort letters, and management and franchise agreements.

Innovation in Processes, Systems, and Technology

• Drafted, researched, presented, and obtained unanimous approval for a development code section governing the processing of discretionary land use entitlements and CEQA review.
• Acquired location-based analytics (Placer.ai) to advance forecasting from predictive to prescriptive
• Co-developed a strategic planning process that aligned budget to strategy to improve execution.
• Regularly reviewed and revised requirements related to real estate tracking in ERP systems.

Expertise in Budgeting, Administration, and Training

• Built a predictive revenue model and team with a ten-year record of accurate projections.
• Prepared revenue and expense budgets aligned to strategy and operational needs including both personnel and non-personnel expenses such as capital and equipment.
• Participated in all administrative aspects of the executive leadership of the Port including preparing training and administrative materials with a focus on mentorship and succession.
• Led multiple departments with a diverse focus to include business operations departments such as Real Estate as well as support departments like Information Technology.

REAL ESTATE POSITIONS AT THE PORT OF SAN DIEGO

• July 2021 – May 2024 Vice President of Business Operations
• August 2019 – July 2021 Vice President of Real Estate, Engineering & Facilities
• January 2016 – August 2019 Asst. Vice President, Real Estate & Development Services
• March 2014 – May 2015 Director of Real Estate
• October 2009 – March 2014 Area Real Estate Manager
• October 2007 – October 2009 Senior Asset Manager
• August 2006 – October 2007 Asset Manager
• July 2005 – August 2006 Assistant Asset Manager

EDUCATION

University of San Diego School of Law (May 2007)
Juris Doctor, Top 25% of the Class (imputed)

• Merit Awards in Environmental Law and Statutory Interpretation
• Best Third Year Advocate, American Trial Lawyers Association (ATLA) Mock Trial
• Honors, First Place Brief and Second Place Advocate, Jessup International Law Moot Court
• Honors, Trial Advocacy, Lawyering Skills II and Best Overall Advocate and Honors, Lawyering Skills I

University of San Diego (May 2001)
Bachelor of Arts, Magna Cum Laude, Honors Program

• Major in Interdisciplinary Humanities (English emphasis), Minor in Business Administration
• Semester Abroad in Madrid, Spain via Syracuse University

For more information, please visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaundsumner/