Gary H. Hunt

Founding Partner

“He is a big picture kind of guy, not a parochial one.”

- The Los Angeles Times

“The insiders, whether they're local, state or federal, all are very much aware of Gary. He's affected a tremendous amount of state policy.”

- Former State Senator M. Bergeson

“Gary Hunt operates at the 30,000-feet level of political influence: beyond the sight of mere mortals but very real nonetheless.”

- Red County

Gary Hunt’s career has spanned over 50 years in real estate, government, public policy, and corporate governance.

Hunt spent over 25 years with The Irvine Company, one of the nation’s largest master planning and land development organizations serving as Senior Vice President, assistant to the Chairman and 10 years as Executive Vice President, serving on its Board of Directors and Executive Committee. He led the Company’s major entitlement, regional infrastructure, planning, legal and strategic government relations (at the local, state and federal level), as well as media and community relations.

In 2001, he was a founding partner, and Vice Chairman of California Strategies, L.L.C. Starting with four partners and two offices the firm has grown to 30 partners and 10 offices throughout California.

He has volunteered as California State Finance Vice Chairman for Governor Pete Wilson, Finance Chairman in 1998 for the Republican Nominee for Governor, and in 2002 for Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. He also served as Western Regional Finance Chairman for President George W. Bush and Senator John McCain, Republican nominee for President in 2012. He also served as Vice Chairman of the Inaugural Committees of President Ronald Reagan and Vice President George H. Bush.

His service in public policy included The California Constitutional Revision Commission, the Little Hoover Commission, Commission on Fiscal Initiative and Government Reform, the State Infrastructure Commission, and Chairman of the California Bay Delta Authority.

He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Fivepoint Communities, Taylor Morrison Home Corp., Glenair Corporation and Psomas Engineering. He previously served as Lead Independent Director, and Chairman of the Governance Committee of William Lyon Homes Company, Lead Independent Director, and interim Chief Executive Officer/ President of Grubb and Ellis Corporation and founding Chairman of the Advisory Board of Kennecott Land Corporation in Utah, and as Chairman of CT Realty.

He serves on the Board of Directors of Forum for Corporate Directors, and is a member of the NACD compensation, and Real Estate Governance Round Tables. He has attended UCLA and Harvard University programs on Compensation and Corporate Governance, and he has taught courses on Business and Government at the Graduate School of Management, U.C. Irvine.

Mr. Hunt holds a J.D. degree from the Irvine University School of Law and resides in Newport Beach, California.

Specialties
1.
Land Use Entitlement and Development
2.
Business and Government Issues Management
3.
Strategic Regulatory Consulting
4.
Complex Business and Land Use Strategies, Negotiation, and Arbitration

Expertise

Environment
Federal State & Local Government
Public Private Partnerships
Real Estate & Land Use
Water
Career Highlights
1.
Executive Vice President of the Irvine Company for ten years
2.
Board of Directors - Grubb & Ellis and William Lyon Homes
3.
Chairman of the California Bay Delta Authority
4.
Interim CEO of Grubb & Ellis

Contact Gary H. Hunt