Legacy does not always come with rules. Sometimes it is simply a name, and the unobtrusive challenge of assigning meaning to your name. For J.R. Hess, it was never about filling his father’s shoes. Rather, it was about walking alongside him, learning by doing, and building trust step by step.

As Executive Vice President at DBC Real Estate Management, J.R.Hess’s leadership is rooted in something more profound than strategy. He didn’t take the shortcut way to achieve results, instead, he worked around the clock, spent years doing different jobs, and expanded his knowledge to grow as an individual and professional. Today, what motivates him isn’t the desire to fulfil a legacy. It’s the duty to continue it in a manner that honors who he is.

Early Influences

J.R.Hess’s introduction to work was not easy. He was twelve when he started working over the summer at his father’s construction firm. The work was real, where he worked long days mastering new trades every summer and arrived home physically drained. At that age, it seemed more like a task than an opportunity.

However, over the years, this task was more than what J.R.Hess had assumed it to be. The lessons he learned lingered long beyond what he anticipated. “Initially, I did not like it, but after some time, I started appreciating its value,” he says. The value was not only about skill acquisition. It was learning to listen, to follow through, and to appreciate the process, not only the result. Years later, those same traits still influence how he leads.

The Defining Decision

When the company began transitioning from construction to real estate, J.R.Hess was working as a project manager. The economy had slowed and layoffs were on the table. Without having to be asked, he volunteered to give up his job so another person could hold on to theirs. He was in his early twenties and didn’t have a family to support, while others did.

Later, he decided to pursue his graduate degree and went on to study real estate at Georgetown University. He viewed the move not as a step backwards but as a step towards a different direction that complemented the firm’s future. “It didn’t feel right to keep my position when others had more at stake,” he says. That moment defined the values that would guide the rest of his path.

The First Impressions

“I was often the first person someone met when considering a home and that felt important,” J.R.Hess says, reflecting on his time as a leasing agent. It was the company’s first property acquisition, and he knew how much those early interactions mattered. For him, it wasn’t just about signing leases. It was about helping people feel at ease. That experience did something simple yet lasting to him.

Titles never determine impact, but being present, listening, and doing your best with care is what truly leaves a mark. Whether it is renting an apartment or running a business, the attitude remains the same. He still has that mindset today and knows that it is the small moments that count/matter more than the big ones.

Leading by Coaching

Coaching high school hockey provided J.R.Hess with something he did not expect. It was a lesson and the art of understanding people. He discovered that there are no two players alike, and being a team leader is not necessarily about giving instructions but about knowing how to relate.

That realization remained with him. “You can’t lead effectively if you don’t first understand who you’re leading,” he says. In the workplace, he applies the same mindset to every discussion.  Leadership, for him, is not about a set method. It is about being present enough to see what each individual needs in order to perform at their best.

Family as Fuel

J.R.Hess believes that balance cannot be a separate goal. His home and work roles are interrelated.  Being a son, sibling, husband, and father informs how he shows up in every other area of his life.

He attributes his wife with keeping him grounded on what counts. Her encouragement, particularly during challenging times, has kept him moving ahead without ever losing the context. “She reminds me of what’s truly important, even on the most hectic days,” he says. That reminder has informed more choices than most can remember.

Philosophy of Progress

J.R.Hess keeps his goals in perspective. He focuses on a few important things at a time and avoids chasing too many outcomes at once. Growth for him is about movement, not pressure. He is selective about what captures his energy. “If everything is a priority, then nothing really is,” he says. By limiting his focus, he is able to accomplish more of the work that matters. That has helped him establish a consistent rhythm, one that provides consistency without losing momentum.

The Legacy Mindset

J.R.Hess is fully aware of the assumptions that come with his last name. Early on, people often saw him as the founder’s son before they saw the work he did. Rather than rebelling against it, he chose to let his actions do the talking. He still remembers how he felt when he was told he’d be working a construction shift the next morning at twelve years old. It wasn’t fun and it definitely wasn’t voluntary, but it lingered with him. “That first year was like something that I just had to wait out. But now, I look back on it and think, ‘Okay, this is when things began to make sense,’” he says. What he learned about responsibility came out of that experience. Not as a label, but as something that you take on.

Building for Tomorrow

For J.R.Hess, progress is something you can see when you pull over and glance at the steps you’ve taken. He doesn’t look at success as a far-off destination to pursue. It appears in day-to-day decisions, in living according to his values, and in assisting others to advance as well.

“My father didn’t build a legacy for himself. He created one for us,” he says. That notion is ever present in the back of his mind, shaping not only his work but his everyday life. J.R.Hess is not merely carrying on a legacy. He is forging what it will mean for those who follow.