Founder Profile: Shaun D. Sumner
Shaun D. Sumner is President and CEO of Lighthouse Land Advisory, Inc. He brings more than two decades of experience leading complex public and private development initiatives, with emphasis on public-private partnerships, ground leasing, redevelopment, and public agency solicitations, including designing and managing developer RFQ/RFP processes focused on partner selection and risk allocation. He advises clients on negotiations, financial analysis, risk management, and regulatory issues, with a strong policy and regulatory background and close collaboration with legal counsel.
Before founding Lighthouse Land Advisory in 2024, Sumner held a series of increasingly senior roles at the Port of San Diego over nearly 20 years, culminating in Vice President of Business Operations. He actively managed and grew the Port's primary income-producing commercial and maritime industrial real estate portfolio, overseeing more than 250 primary tenants, more than 600 real estate agreements, and annual revenues exceeding $155 million. Sumner served as senior negotiator for more than $2.2 billion in transactions, including several of the region's most visible waterfront and civic developments.
Sumner's experience spans disposition and development agreements, long-term ground leases, joint powers authority arrangements, revenue sharing frameworks, and complex entitlement strategies under the California Environmental Quality Act and the California Coastal Act. He led negotiations for the ground lease, disposition and development agreement, and entitlements for the $1.3 billion Gaylord Pacific Resort Hotel and Convention Center, the option and ground leases for the $200 million InterContinental San Diego hotel and $130 million dual-branded Springhill Suites/Residence Inn hotel, and the $60 million Sun Outdoors San Diego Bay RV Park, each involving public investment and complex inter-agency coordination.
In addition to large-scale hospitality and mixed-use projects, Sumner is known for strategies that enhance public access and long-term revenue for public landowners. He led the acquisition and turnaround of Seaport Village, resulting in a threefold increase in rental revenues in less than five years while advancing planning and negotiations for the proposed multi-billion dollar Seaport San Diego redevelopment. He also crafted the redevelopment strategy and negotiated the ground lease for the $90 million Rady Shell at Jacobs Park, transforming an underutilized public park into a nationally recognized outdoor venue accommodating up to 10,000 guests.
Beyond his client work, Sumner is active in civic and professional leadership roles. He serves on the San Diego Community Power Community Advisory Committee as one of two La Mesa representatives and sits on the boards of The Corky McMillin Center for Real Estate and the San Diego Maritime Museum, reflecting his ongoing engagement with regional real estate and economic development initiatives. He has also contributed to local mobility policy as a commissioner on the La Mesa Mobility Commission.
Sumner holds a Juris Doctor from the University of San Diego School of Law, where he graduated in the top third of his class, and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of San Diego, magna cum laude and as part of the Honors Program. He is a licensed California Real Estate Broker (CA DRE #02264674) and holds a California Bar license in voluntarily inactive status. Sumner lives and works in La Mesa with clients located throughout California.
Firm Philosophy
Complexity Managed
Clear strategy for projects that involve multiple stakeholders, layered approvals, and nonstandard deal structures.
Structure Before Action
Better outcomes start with sound land strategy, financial analysis, and transaction design, not transaction-only support.
Public and Private Fluency
Effective guidance where public process and private economics must align, from concept through implementation.
Advisory, Not Construction
Independent strategic support without blurring into contractor or construction-management services.
How We Work
Lighthouse Land Advisory pairs independent advisory work with a licensed California brokerage platform (CA DRE #02264674 individual; CA DRE Corporate #02309314), so clients get both strategic counsel and transaction execution under one roof.
Evaluate
Assess feasibility, financeability, and risk before a client commits to a direction.
Structure
Design lease, partnership, and transaction structures that hold up under scrutiny and negotiation.
Advance
Support negotiation, procurement, and implementation through to closing or delivery.
Why Lighthouse
Credibility through substance: two decades of senior negotiation experience, more than $2.2 billion in transactions, and direct experience across ports, cities, developers, and nonprofit stakeholders.