About

A third generation San Diegan, Samuel J. “Sandy” Kahn was born and raised in La Jolla, California and received his undergraduate, law, and graduate education from the University of San Diego and possesses an S.JD. (Ph.D) from the Thomas Jefferson School of Law. Since 1973, Mr. Kahn has served as Chairman and CEO of Kent Holdings, and affiliates, historically one of the largest privately owned real estate development corporations in the Unites States. His group of companies developed more than 25% of the developable land in the City of San Diego valued at more than $7 Billion in current dollars.

Mr. Kahn successfully led the effort to settle in excess of $750,000,000.00 of Creditor’s claims filed against his late father’s estate. While completing his undergraduate, graduate and legal education at night, he negotiated agreements with all of his father’s creditors to allow him time to complete all of the real estate development projects that his father had begun prior to his death in 1973. Those projects included many thousands of single family homes and several million square feet of commercial space. This resulted in Mr. Kahn paying back, with interest, all of the creditors claims which amounted to several billion dollars in current dollars when adjusted for inflation.

Mr. Kahn developed, or was an investment partner in, 35% of the new commercial retail and new office space in La Jolla and helped author the La Jolla Planned District Ordinance.  In addition to his business acumen, he has been committed to public service for the entirety of his life.  Mr. Kahn became a member of the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department in which he graduated first in his reserve academy class.  He progressed through the ranks from Deputy Sheriff to Sheriff’s Captain retiring honorably in 1995 after 25 years in which he received the departments highest award for meritorious service.

Mr. Kahn has a long history of service to the community and had been formally commended by Congress for his distinguished business career and record of service to the Nation.  He served for five years on the San Diego County Board of Economic Advisors including two terms as chair of the Border Trade Group and the Military Affairs Group.  Mr. Kahn was appointed by the San Francisco Federal Reserve to serve on the “Beige Book” survey committee of economic indicators.  He was Chairman of the Thomas Jefferson School of Law for nearly a decade, where he was instrumental in relocating the school to its new building in the East Village.  In addition to his responsibilities at Kent Holdings, Mr. Kahn is currently Chairman Emeritus of the Thomas Jefferson School of Law, a trustee of the Criminal Justice Legal Foundation, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of DAMG Student Housing Partners.