Building for This Lifetime & Beyond

Early life and education

Jay’s story begins in Seoul, South Korea. He spent the first three months of his life in an orphanage before being adopted by an American family and brought to the United States. He was raised in Seal Beach, California by a single mother earning less $30,000 a year as a secretary, while his half-sister Leslie looked after him.

Jay learned early that success was something you built for yourself, not something you waited for. It took sacrifice, dedication, and resilience. He realized that in an arena with 10,000 people, he had to be willing to outwork and outpace everyone in order to be victorious.

During his senior year, Jay lost both of the people he considered his parents; his adoptive mother and his uncle. It was an incredibly hard chapter that ultimately ignited an ambition and tenacity that he continues to apply to every aspect of his life.

While pursuing his degree, he worked seven days a week, studied nonstop, and devoured every book on business he could find.

In 2007, he earned his degree in Economics from UC Santa Barbara, followed by his MBA from NYU Stern in 2015. Choosing to advance his education in New York helped to fortify and sharpen his capabilities in entrepreneurship, business ventures, and dealmaking.

Career

After earning his MBA, Jay stayed in the city and joined Bank of America Merrill Lynch, where he worked in real estate investment banking. He was part of the teams behind the $1.2 billion IPO of MGM Growth Properties and the $2.6 billion IPO of Paramount Group, the largest REIT IPO in U.S. history at the time. His team also led financings for AvalonBay, Digital Realty Trust, and MGM Resorts. During this time, Jay also taught financial modeling to analysts at Goldman Sachs, Evercore, and Credit Suisse.

Today, Jay is the founder and CEO of Prosper Group, a Miami-based real estate development and investment firm, focused on acquiring prime parcels of land and developing landmark residential projects across Florida. The firm’s current portfolio includes a 622-unit mixed-use condo-hotel near Water Street in downtown Tampa, developed in partnership with Arc Development and projected at a $675 million sellout, as well as two developments in Miami’s Brickell neighborhood, and a luxury waterfront condominium project in North Bay Village.

Beyond real estate development, Jay is building a national portfolio of high performing car washes, applying the same disciplined approach across every venture. Whether acquiring land, developing residences, building cash flow businesses from the ground up, his philosophy remains consistent: think long term, invest with conviction, and build enduring value. Every project reflects the principles that have shaped his career: resilience, patience, and a deep respect for the people and companies that make lasting growth possible.