John C. Cushman, III—Cushman & Wakefield’s chairman of global transactions, real estate industry titan for 60 years, and one of the founding members of The Real Estate Roundtable—passed away yesterday.

Industry Icon

• Real Estate Roundtable Chair John Fish (Chairman and CEO, SUFFOLK) said, “As a founding member of The Roundtable, and later as a member of our Board of Directors, John Cushman consistently helped us with his knowledge, his relationships and his voice. John’s legacy will live on in the real estate industry and in the countless communities he touched.”
  
  
• “The loss of John Cushman is a sad day,” said Jeffrey DeBoer, Roundtable President and CEO. “John’s personable and passionate approach to life was unique and inspiring. His sharp focus on structuring real estate transactions to meet the needs of business tenants and building owners was unparalleled. Time and again he rallied the industry to support positive economic and job growth initiatives. He made an enormous contribution to the commercial real estate industry—and to The Real Estate Roundtable’s advocacy efforts. The Roundtable, and I personally, will deeply miss him. We will always remember him as a generous, kind, and thoughtful friend.”
  
  
• Cushman & Wakefield Executive Chairman Brett White said, “John was an extraordinary businessperson and global citizen who significantly impacted Cushman & Wakefield, the commercial real estate industry and broader community.”
  
  
• The Cushman family stated, “John’s successes in commercial real estate were extremely notable but his positive impact on so many careers are what mattered to him even more. John always valued the importance of giving back and was a staunch supporter of many philanthropic efforts. His contributions to so many organizations will contribute to his legacy.” (John Cushman’s community involvement)

An Exemplary Career

(John Cushman with Jeffrey DeBoer at a Real Estate Roundtable meeting)

• Over the course of his career, John Cushman played an essential role in advancing Cushman & Wakefield to its position as one of the top commercial real estate firms in the world. Prior to his becoming chairman of global transactions and co-chairman of the Board of Cushman & Wakefield, John was acknowledged as the top office-leasing broker in the United States. (List of clients and assignments)
  
  
• He began his career in 1963 in New York City with Cushman & Wakefield, founded by his grandfather John Clydesdale Cushman and his great uncle Bernard Wakefield. In 1967, he moved to Los Angeles to open Cushman & Wakefield’s first office in Southern California. In 1965, as President of the Western Region, he was responsible for 60% of Cushman & Wakefield’s offices in the United States.
  
  
• John and his twin brother, Louis B. Cushman, started their own firm in 1978, Cushman Corporation Realty, which they grew from two offices to operations in 11 US cities with over 200 employees. In September 2015, Cushman & Wakefield merged with DTZ, with the newly formed organization retaining the storied Cushman & Wakefield name. In 2017, John served as chairman of the Centennial Committee for Cushman & Wakefield’s 100th anniversary.
  
  
• Cushman & Wakefield is now among the largest real estate services firms with 52,000 employees in over 400 offices and approximately 60 countries. In 2022, the firm had revenue of $10.1 billion across core services of property, facilities and project management, leasing, capital markets, and valuation and other services.

The Cushman family respectfully asks that individuals who would like to make a gesture in John’s honor visit a national park site or make a donation to the National Park Foundation on behalf of John C. Cushman, III.

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