George Washington Mortgage & Investment Corporation ("GW," or "the Company"), a Delaware Corporation, was founded by E. Hart Schuette, the present owner's father. The Company commenced operations located in Alexandria, Virginia in early 1987. It received its mortgage banking license from the Commonwealth of Virginia Banking Department and was certified by the Federal National Mortgage Association ("FNMA") and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation ("FHLMC"). As a mortgage banking corporation, GW originated and closed single and multi-family residential and small commercial mortgages in Virginia, Maryland and Washington D.C. These loans were subsequently packaged and sold in the secondary mortgage market through FNMA & FHLMC.

In 1994, Elizabeth A. Schuette acquired her father's interest in GW and moved the business to Rockville, Maryland and Greenwich, Connecticut. At that time, the Company's principal business was modified from traditional mortgage banking to commercial real estate investment (both debt and equity), development, brokerage and sale.