John C. Cushman, 1941-2023. Photo courtesy of Cushman & Wakefield
John C. Cushman, who helped establish Cushman & Wakefield as a global leader in commercial real estate services, has died at age 82, the firm announced Thursday.
During his career with the company, which began in 1963, Cushman rose to become chairman and later co-chairman of the company that his grandfather, J. Clydesdale Cushman, and great-uncle, Bernard Wakefield, founded in 1917.
Prior to these leadership roles, he was recognized as one of the nation's leading leasing brokers, relocating to Los Angeles to open the firm's first office in Southern California and serving as president of the firm's Western Region, overseeing 60% of its offices in the United States.
In 1978, Cushman founded Cushman Realty Corporation with his twin brother, Louis B. Cushman. The company eventually grew to 11 offices and 200 employees. Thirteen years later, this step was followed by the industry's most significant comeback: in 2001, Cushman Realty Corporation merged with Cushman & Wakefield, with John Cushman becoming global chairman of Cushman & Wakefield.
Another milestone occurred when Cushman & Wakefield merged with DTZ in 2015. In 2017, Cushman served as chair of the DTZ Centenary Committee.
At the time of his death, Cushman was a member of the firm's Global Advisory Committee. Over the course of his career, he served on the boards of directors of 14 public companies.
