For six decades, Solon Gershman has been closing commercial real estate deals in St. Louis. The company, of course, will keep doing this. But now it will close office, industrial and retail deals under a new name, Gershman Commercial Real Estate.
The company will also tackle its next six decades with new leadership. Bruce Pompe, Gershman’s long-time executive vice president and chief operating officer is now the company’s president and chief executive officer, a move that became effective on Aug. 1.
Tom Stern is now Gershman’s executive chairman, while Chris Fox has joined the company as executive vice president of brokerage and advisory services.
Most people in the St. Louis area refer to the company as Gershman. That’s because the newly christened Gershman Commercial Real Estate has been around since 1949, when Solon Gershman founded the company under the name Solon Gershman Realtors. In 2005, Solon Gershman Inc. merged with Follman Properties. In 2011, the company acquired Coldwell Banker Commercial.
Gershman today employs more than 65 people and manages more than 7.5 million square feet of office, industrial and retail property throughout the St. Louis area. Some of the company’s more notable projects include Park 270, Barrett Woods Office Park, Orchard Bend Shopping Center and Flower Valley Shopping Center.
According to Gershman Commercial Real Estate the leasing signs on these properties, and the ones on Gershman’s 200-plus others, will begin to switch to the company’s new name and logo during the next two weeks.