NAIOP Mourns Passing of Former CBPA CEO Rex Hime
Rex S. Hime, California Business Properties Association (CBPA) President and CEO from 1985-2021 passed away last week after dealing with a series of recent health challenges. Hime and CBPA have served as NAIOP’s representative in Sacramento for several decades.
NAIOP SoCal CEO Timothy Jemal had glowing praise for Hime. “Rex was the Sacramento voice of the California commercial real estate community for decades. He helped create coalitions that stopped the imposition of a split roll tax several times and also provided leadership that achieved passage of the law prohibiting commercial rent control in California. As the first-ever CEO of NAIOP SoCal, I instantly felt welcomed by Rex and appreciated his unique political insights and warm sense of humor,” said Jemal.
NAIOP SoCal Board President Justin McCusker added, “Rex rightfully earned the description, ‘Legend’ over his decades of success navigating the ever-changing political environment in California. Rex brought a humanity and genuineness that endeared him to political friend and foe alike. If you asked Rex for help, he’d literally give you the colorful Hawaiian shirt off his back!”
During his nearly four decades at CBPA, Hime led the growth of the organization from less than 100 members to an association representing over 10,000 companies. Under his leadership, CBPA became the only commercial real estate association in the nation representing all aspects of the retail, office, and industrial commercial real estate industry, bringing together the ICSC, NAIOP, BOMA and IREM to speak with one voice.
Prior to joining CBPA, Hime served on then Governor Reagan’s educational staff and as Assistant to the Director of the State Department of Consumer Affairs. He was the Executive Director of the California State Commission for Economic Development, Director for the California Commission on Agriculture and the Senior Assistant to the Minority Leader of the California State Assembly.
Hime is survived by wife Gwyn Bicker Hime and three sons, Rex William Hime, Reagan Stewart Hime and Trevor Anthony Plescia.
