Tamara Hughes Gustavson Elected to USC Board of Trustees
Los Angeles – July 1, 2010 – Tamara Hughes Gustavson has been named a new member of the University of Southern California Board of Trustees.
Gustavson is the owner of American Commercial Equities Management, LLC, a commercial real estate company that owns and operates retail properties in California and Hawaii. She is also the majority owner of PS Canada Company, a Canadian real estate company that owns and operates self-storage facilities in Canada under the Public Storage name.
Gustavson built her management career at Public Storage. Founded by her father, USC alumnus and life trustee B. Wayne Hughes, Public Storage — a member of the S&P 500 and the Forbes Global 2000 — is the largest owner and operator of self-storage facilities, with more than 2000 facilities in 38 states and 188 facilities in seven European countries. Gustavson worked at Public Storage from 1978 to 2003, serving most recently as senior vice president of administration. She has been a member of the company’s board of trustees since December 2008.
“I am delighted to welcome Tammy Gustavson as a member of the USC Board of Trustees,” said USC President Steven B. Sample in announcing the election. “Tammy brings energy, commitment and a wide range of professional talents to our board. We look forward to benefiting from her management and financial expertise, as well as her passion for education end community service, in advancing USC’s academic mission.”
Beyond her professional career, Gustavson is a dedicated philanthropist and a strong supporter of charitable and community organizations, particularly in the areas of education, health care and medical research. From 2004 to 2008, she served on the board of directors of the USC-CHLA Institute for Pediatric Clinical Research, which focuses on clinical research leading to improved health for children.
Gustavson and her husband, Eric, are actively involved with the HollyRod Foundation, founded by USC alumnus and former NFL quarterback Rodney Peete and his wife, Holly Robinson Peete, to enhance the equality of life for people with Parkinson’s disease, autism and other disorders.
Among other local institutions, Gustavson has dedicated her time and expertise to supporting Malibu Presbyterian Church, Webster Elementary School (Malibu) and Oaks Christian Middle School and High School (Westlake Village). She is also an adviser to the William Lawrence and Blanche Hughes Foundation, which has given millions of dollars to fund children’s cancer research.
A second-generation Trojan, Gustavson earned a B.S. in public affairs from USC and is a member of Pi Beta Phi. She lives in Malibu with her husband and their two children.
Contact: USC News at (213) 740-2215 or uscnews@usc.edu
