Melissa Gerber Brams is succeeding her father as president and CEO of Gerber Realty.
David Gerber, 81, founded the firm in 1989, the Houston Business Journal reported.
He will stay on in a “semi-retired” role, but Brams will take over as managing broker of the firm, whose offices are in Bellaire. He said the time was right to take a step back.
“Melissa sets herself apart from other real estate professionals with her ability to listen to the clients to understand their needs truly,” he said. “I am proud of her accomplishments in business and the community.”
Brams, 51, worked in financial sales, life insurance planning and enterprise information technology sales for 20 years before switching to commercial real estate and joining her father’s firm in 2014.
“He was a great mentor,” Brams told the outlet. “I’ve only been in the business 10 years, but it feels like a lot longer because of all he introduced me to.”
Retail, office and industrial buyer and tenant representation have been her specialty, as well as disposition of commercial real estate in Greater Houston.
The firm is expanding, with plans to add the firm’s fourth broker and hire another assistant within a month.
While her father liked to keep a small office, Brams has plans to add strategic support staff.
“There are so many talented people out there who can help the business grow, including accountants, architects, designers, et cetera” she said. “I’ve had to realize that I can’t do everything myself, which is a good thing.”
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Brams is putting her marketing background to use, launching a new website and company logo.
She hopes to increase representation of women in commercial real estate, and says she is proud to be one of the few Jewish women leading a commercial brokerage in Houston.
“It’s important to bring more women into the industry, especially in the buyer and tenant representation side of the business,” she told the outlet.