The history of GIS goes back to the early 90s when our founder, Igor Gershman, first registered a business. The original thought behind the name was to name it “Gershman and Son” in honor of Igor’s dad. His father never formally joined the business and retired from his government job soon thereafter. The business name got abbreviated and evolved to “GIS.” Over the years, there have been many iterations of the name. Multiple legal entities, properties, and projects have carried this name.

GIS’s early projects were diverse and had little to do with construction. However, as the business grew, GIS transformed into a robust commercial contractor, acquiring several related businesses. This diversification included a design and engineering firm, a concrete plant, general contractor entities, a development firm, and various special purpose entities that held real estate, demonstrating the company’s adaptability and expansion.

The family tradition continued when Eugene and Tanya both joined the business. They have degrees in Economics and Business, respectively. Real estate development came naturally to the family, so when the kids finished their respective universities, they started doing just that in the Seattle area.

First with smaller single-family homes, then townhomes, and later big apartment buildings. Today, we have a family of companies that develop, build, find capital, market, and sell real estate, and this story isn’t ending any time soon. Our appetite for more is strong. We are proud to live and work in our local, diverse communities, make it better, and leave a legacy behind.