GenIV Capital Partners

“GenIV” is a reference to Chris Gilbert II, the Fund’s Managing Partner, representing the fourth generation to continue his family’s proven and polished real estate related business models. For over 70 years, the Gilbert family has invested in the Southeast Texas real estate market and, during the last 30 years, has invested millions of dollars into single family residential mortgage portfolios. The family’s business history includes real estate construction, development, banking, insurance and property management. In 1985, a Gilbert related company was selected by the United States Resolution Trust Corporation to manage $165 million of properties on its behalf.

The Gilbert family history in Texas real estate dates back to the Great Depression when Benjamin Gilbert decided to moved his family to Houston from Grand Rapids, Michigan at the advice of his cousin, Earl Gilbert, who at the time was an architect collaborating on the design of the San Jacinto monument. Ben started a lumber company in Houston in 1940 called Gilbert Lumber and shortly thereafter he entered into the home building business as well, which was not uncommon for lumber company owners at the time. One of Ben’s first development projects was with a group of inspiring builders and together they started building homes on raw land outside of downtown Houston; an area now known as West University.

Ben continued to build houses and develop neighborhoods around the Houston area while managing Gilbert Lumber. When his son, Earl M. Gilbert, returned from serving in World War II, Ben asked his son to join him in running the family’s business. Earl however wanted to capitalize on the population growth in Houston and, in 1952, Gilbert Lumber was sold and Earl started Gilbert Builders, a Houston based real estate development company that focused on fist time home buyers. From the early 50’s to the late 80’s, Earl built homes and developed subdivisions in Harris, Montgomery, Jefferson, Orange, and Ft. Bend counties.

The third generation, Chris and Brad Gilbert as well as Earl’s son in law Bill Leigh, started their residential real estate business during the 1970’s. The next 20 years marked periods of high inflation, an energy crisis and a volatile stock market. Chris began the era by building homes in Sheldon and La Porte, Texas while Brad built homes in Baytown, Texas and Bill became one of the first and eventually one of the largest private home builders in the Woodlands, Texas.

When the local housing market became stagnant followed by periods of high inflation, Chris made the transition from building homes to sell to building homes to rent. As inflation began to stabilize he made another transition and financed the sale of his rental properties to owner occupants. The economic environment created a unique opportunity which allowed the Gilberts to expand by acquiring residential mortgage portfolios as a long term investment.

By the mid 90’s a fourth generation family member, Chris Gilbert II, entered into the residential real estate market space by investing in residential mortgages on properties in Austin, Texas located in a neighborhood adjacent to Disch Faulk Field. Chris was quickly acquiring residential mortgages in Austin when he accepted the opportunity of a life time to join Governor George W. Bush’s reelection campaign which would eventually transition into a presidential campaign.

After the 2000 election, Chris moved to Washington D.C. to serve under the 43rd President of the United States working for a close family friend, Secretary Donald L. Evans, at the U.S. Department of Commerce. At the Commerce Department, Chris worked in the Business Liaison and Congressional Affairs Offices promoting the Bush administration’s economic agenda.

In addition to GenIV, Chris founded and continues to run Bainbridge Investment Partners I & II. Both are private investment funds, with investment strategies virtually identical to GenIV, that utilize family knowledge and expertise that dates back to the Great Depression.

			HISTORY “GenIV” is a reference to Chris Gilbert II, the Fund’s Managing Partner, representing the fourth generation to continue his family’s proven and polished real estate related business models. For over 70 years, the Gilbert family has invested in the Southeast Texas real estate market and, during the last 30 years, has invested millions of dollars into single family residential mortgage portfolios. The family’s business history includes real estate construction, development, banking, insurance and property management. In 1985, a Gilbert related company was selected by the United States Resolution Trust Corporation to manage $165 million of properties on its behalf. The Gilbert family history in Texas real estate dates back to the Great Depression when Benjamin Gilbert decided to moved his family to Houston from Grand Rapids, Michigan at the advice of his cousin, Earl Gilbert, who at the time was an architect collaborating on the design of the San Jacinto monument. Ben started a lumber company in Houston in 1940 called Gilbert Lumber and shortly thereafter he entered into the home building business as well, which was not uncommon for lumber company owners at the time. One of Ben’s first development projects was with a group of inspiring builders and together they started building homes on raw land outside of downtown Houston; an area now known as West University. Ben continued to build houses and develop neighborhoods around the Houston area while managing Gilbert Lumber. When his son, Earl M. Gilbert, returned from serving in World War II, Ben asked his son to join him in running the family’s business. Earl however wanted to capitalize on the population growth in Houston and, in 1952, Gilbert Lumber was sold and Earl started Gilbert Builders, a Houston based real estate development company that focused on fist time home buyers. From the early 50’s to the late 80’s, Earl built homes and developed subdivisions in Harris, Montgomery, Jefferson, Orange, and Ft. Bend counties. The third generation, Chris and Brad Gilbert as well as Earl’s son in law Bill Leigh, started their residential real estate business during the 1970’s. The next 20 years marked periods of high inflation, an energy crisis and a volatile stock market. Chris began the era by building homes in Sheldon and La Porte, Texas while Brad built homes in Baytown, Texas and Bill became one of the first and eventually one of the largest private home builders in the Woodlands, Texas. When the local housing market became stagnant followed by periods of high inflation, Chris made the transition from building homes to sell to building homes to rent. As inflation began to stabilize he made another transition and financed the sale of his rental properties to owner occupants. The economic environment created a unique opportunity which allowed the Gilberts to expand by acquiring residential mortgage portfolios as a long term investment. By the mid 90’s a fourth generation family member, Chris Gilbert II, entered into the residential real estate market space by investing in residential mortgages on properties in Austin, Texas located in a neighborhood adjacent to Disch Faulk Field. Chris was quickly acquiring residential mortgages in Austin when he accepted the opportunity of a life time to join Governor George W. Bush’s reelection campaign which would eventually transition into a presidential campaign. After the 2000 election, Chris moved to Washington D.C. to serve under the 43rd President of the United States working for a close family friend, Secretary Donald L. Evans, at the U.S. Department of Commerce. At the Commerce Department, Chris worked in the Business Liaison and Congressional Affairs Offices promoting the Bush administration’s economic agenda. In addition to GenIV, Chris founded and continues to run Bainbridge Investment Partners I & II. Both are private investment funds, with investment strategies virtually identical to GenIV, that utilize family knowledge and expertise that dates back to the Great Depression.