Founder: Gary Morris
My Story
Born in Brooklyn, New York and raised in Simi Valley, California from 5 years of age. Simi Valley is where my story truly began, and Woodland Hills, Girard area is where I've put down roots for the past 25 years.
My career has never followed a straight line. It has followed a calling.
A Life of Service
In 1978, at a time when most people my age were figuring out what they wanted to do, I already knew. I was in Paramedic school at 19 years old and became a paramedic at 20 in Simi Valley, and a Reserve Firefighter with the Ventura County Fire Department — serving both roles simultaneously through 1981 and 1982 respectively. I ran emergency calls in the hills and canyons of Simi Valley and surrounding communities. I saw what crisis looks like up close, and I learned something that has never left me: preparation saves lives.
From the Field to Healthcare Leadership
From the front lines of emergency response, I moved into healthcare administration — a natural evolution that traded sirens for systems but never lost the urgency.
Prior to my real estate brokerage career, I served as Paramedic and Operations Manager of the Malibu Emergency Room, Medical Services Manager at Oceanview Medical Group at the Pritikin Longevity Center, ultimately securing a position as Administrative Director of a hospital-based USC affiliate Family Practice Residency Program — a role that required managing three ambulatory care centers with 50 staff members, capital and operations budgets, and institutional relationships at the highest level.
Across every one of these roles the same principles were paramount: operate with precision, serve people well, and build systems that work under pressure.
This was the foundation — emergency medicine, institutional leadership, complex organizational management — that I carried directly into commercial real estate in 2004.
Twenty Years of Commercial Real Estate
In 2004 I transitioned into commercial real estate — and spent the next two decades mastering the craft of complex negotiation on behalf of both landlords and tenants.
For four years I represented landlords across the San Fernando Valley, providing representation for over 900,000 square feet of commercial space. Then for sixteen years I shifted to tenant representation — culminating in several hundred completed leases for some of the most recognized brands in the country, including 120 Verizon locations, Crunch Fitness, Jimmy John’s, Pizza 90, Xfinity, all across California, and in Oregon, Washington, Texas and the east coast.
Along the way I have honed my analytical skills with thousands of hours dedicated to spreadsheet work for real estate market valuations and operations and capital budgeting.
By 2024 I had concluded hundreds of negotiations and assessed the value of many real estate related assets. All of this experience now serves one purpose — helping Woodland Hills homeowners make the most informed, most profitable decision of their financial lives.
Why Philanthro Capital Realty
In 2001 I registered UrbanBright.org — a domain with a dream attached to it. I wanted to build something where success and giving back were inseparable. That vision took time to crystallize, but it never went away.
When I discovered the concept of philanthrocapitalism — the idea that for-profit enterprise can be structurally committed to community benefit — everything clicked. Philanthro Capital Realty was born from that conviction.
Today I lead PCR as a creative, for-profit brokerage with a philanthropic mission woven into every transaction. A portion of every commission is donated at close of escrow to local nonprofits — transparently, documented, on paper. Not as a tagline. As architecture.
I specialize in residential listings in Woodland Hills and the surrounding communities I've called home for 25 years. I bring institutional-grade negotiation skills, a first responder's instinct for preparation, and a genuine commitment to making every sale mean something beyond the closing statement.
Personal
I live in Woodland Hills with my wife, Estee. Our son Austin graduated from UC Santa Barbara and is building his own path in the culinary arts — I relish watching his passion for his career as he expands his knowledge in Food Sustainability and global cuisines.
When I'm not working I may be on a motorcycle somewhere along the coast or in the canyons, on a hiking trail, hopefully at a ski slope, but most likely listening to live music or watching a film. Or playing a vintage acoustic guitar badly enough to keep it a private hobby.
Professional Credentials
- California Real Estate Broker — License #01422323 (active since 2004)
- S.I.F.T. Ventures, Inc. — Corporate Broker License #01960986
- Paramedic School — Daniel Freeman Memorial Hospital, Inglewood
- Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration (Marketing) — California State University, Northridge
Ready to Make Your Home Safer — and if you are selling, Sell for More?
Let's connect for a complimentary home preparedness conversation — no real estate agenda, no obligation. Whether you're staying for 20 more years or thinking about what's next, a prepared home is always the right starting point.
Gary@PhilCapRealty.com | (818) 606-2673 | CA DRE #01960986
