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Making Places Better®

We work to create economic value, cultivate community, and protect the environment. We believe creative solutions can overcome the most difficult problems and that through our work, we can help build a better future. We understand our collective responsibility to stay in balance with nature while finding ways to meet the growing needs of our community.

WHAT WE DO

Our business operates as two integrated platforms of Development and Investment Management.

Our investment process is built on a framework that identifies and mitigates risk through comprehensive analysis, deal structure, and stakeholder relationships. We manage complex ground leases with institutional partners, raise and fund private credit investment vehicles, and acquire and resolve non-performing loans and REO assets.

Our development efforts focus on infill opportunities in walkable locations with access to transit and green space. We integrate public art into our projects to build community and promote social equity. We find our purpose in improving neighborhoods, strengthening communities, and enhancing the built environment.

Meet The Team

Founded in 2013, Tideline has grown into a diverse team of experienced and forward-thinking individuals that are passionate about value investing and creating places that enrich the tenant, customer, and community experience. We are relentless in the pursuit of quality and operate with unwavering integrity.

Principal, Founding

Lev Gershman

Lev is the founding and managing partner of Tideline Partners. Prior to launching Tideline in 2013, Lev held roles with GE Capital and Merrill Lynch where he managed a $225M portfolio of debt and equity assets, as well as directly overseeing $3.0B of workouts, asset sales, and bridge financing. Lev is a past Global Trustee of the Urban Land Institute, a member of the Global LAI Honorary Land Economics Society, the founding Co-Chair of ULI’s San Diego Small Scale Infill Development Council, and former faculty for the National League of Cities Rose Center for Public Leadership.

Lev came to the US as a refugee from the USSR in 1989. Lev worked full-time while attending community college and received his BS from California State University San Marcos and his MSBA in Finance from San Diego State University. Lev lives with his wife and two children in San Diego and enjoys surfing and going on family adventures.

Operations Manager

Kim Kaplan

Mrs. Kaplan is an Operations Manager at Tideline Partners. She is responsible for property-level operations and works closely with tenants and investors. Prior to joining Tideline Partners, Mrs. Kaplan oversaw the management and operations of multiple properties and renovation projects.

Mrs. Kaplan’s background also includes administrative and management experience at leading private equity and management consulting firms including Berhman Capital, TPG, and Bain & Co.

Sr. Associate

John Helfrich

Mr. Helfrich is an associate of Development and Asset Management at Tideline Partners. He is responsible for project management and underwriting across Tideline’s portfolio. Prior to joining Tideline Partners, Mr. Helfrich worked with Orange County-based developer, Brooks Street, where he focused on entitlements, underwriting, and project management for multi-family, retail, and agriculture projects across California.

Mr. Helfrich’s background also includes experience working as a staff engineer at one of the top mastering studios in Nashville, working with artists including Jack White, Blake Shelton, and Neil Young. He earned his B.A. in philosophy from Hampshire College.

Principal, Architect

Ryan Spruston

Ryan Spruston is an accomplished architect and designer who has led design efforts on some of the most significant development projects in California. Ryan has 27+ years of experience and has worked on projects of varying scale, including major new ground-up office, residential, mixed-use development, adaptive reuse projects, and significant repositions.

Ryan is a past Associate Director of the American Institute of Architects East Bay Chapter, Hollywood Design Review Committee, Urban Land Institute Mixed-Use Council, and Urban Land Institute LA District Council Program Committee.

Ryan studied Architecture at the UC Berkeley and Universitario di Architettura Venezia.

Principal, Managing

Michael Praggastis

Michael joined Tideline Partners as a Principal in 2024. With an 18-year tenure at H.G. Fenton, he ascended from a financial analyst to Executive Vice President and was instrumental in shaping the company’s strategic direction and growth. As an executive, Michael pioneered a new business model for the company focused on acquiring non-institutional apartments at scale, culminating in 3,000-unit portfolio and investments exceeding $500M.

The model was pivotal in establishing Fenton’s expansion into the nascent Austin and Dallas markets as well as driving long-term bottom-line growth. Additionally, Michael spearheaded a land banking strategy in up-and-coming areas that would be critical to securing Fenton’s development pipeline.

Michael is a member of NAIOP and a part of NAIOP’s national forums. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Vanderbilt University and an MBA from the University of San Diego. Michael lives in San Diego with his wife and two kids and enjoys golfing, skiing, and finding the next adventure.

VP of Acquisitions

Greg Gershman

Greg Gershman leads acquisitions, dispositions, and leasing for Tideline Partners. With over a decade of principal experience in brokerage, Greg has completed over two billion dollars in acquisition, leasing, and development deals, bringing a wealth of expertise to his role. Known for his integrity and ability to get deals across the finish line, Greg has built a reputation and a network of broker, landlord, tenant, and agency relationships that further enhance his effectiveness.

Greg has significant experience negotiating complex sale and lease transactions for institutional clients, national and franchise tenants, as well as handling the sensitive needs of small mom-and-pop operators and multigeneration family estate assets. His adept negotiation skills and deep understanding of the real estate market make him an invaluable asset to Tideline Partners and its clients.

Outside of his professional achievements, Greg enjoys spending time with his wife and son, cruising and fishing on his boat.

Advisory Board

Partner, Cox Castle, Nichelson

Ron Silverman

Ron Silverman has a reputation for facilitating strategies that lead to creative and practical business solutions for his clients. In addition to his land use and entitlements background, Ron has in-depth experience with purchase and sale transactions, title and survey issues, leasing and financing transactions, and master-planned communities. Ron prides himself on being a deal maker and on never having been to court.

Ron has been an active member of the Urban Land Institute, serving in both national and local leadership positions, since 1988.

Ron has been named in “The Best Lawyers in America” since 1991 and a “Southern California Super Lawyer” since 2004. He received his JD and BA degrees from UCLA.

President, Lachman Associates

M. Leanne Lachman

M. Leanne Lachman is president of Lachman Associates, an independent real estate consulting company. Previously, Ms. Lachman spent 13 years as a partner at Schroder Real Estate Associates, a boutique real estate manager that was acquired by Lend Lease, a global institutional investment manager, where she spent four years. Her early career was with Real Estate Research Corporation, where she served as chief executive officer. A highly sought after speaker and widely published author of books and articles on the real estate industry,

Ms. Lachman is also a Key Leader of the Urban Land Institute and a Governor of the Urban Land Foundation, and a director of Lincoln National Corporation. She received her BA from the University of Southern California and her MA from Claremont Graduate University. Areas of interest: real estate, demographics (U.S. and global trends), and corporate governance.

Managing Director, Morgan Stanley

Kev Zoryan

Kev Zoryan serves as the Co-Head of U.S. Acquisitions and Head of Western U.S. Investing for Morgan Stanley Real Estate’s various private equity real estate funds. He is responsible for the sourcing, execution, and asset management of real estate investments. Mr. Zoryan established the Firm’s Los Angeles real estate investment office in 2005.

Mr. Zoryan received an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BS from the University of Southern California. Mr. Zoryan is a member of the Executive Council of the USC Lusk Center for Real Estate, the Policy Advisory Board of the Fisher Center at Berkeley, and the Urban Land Institute Los Angeles Advisory Board.

Sr. Vice President, Continental Developerment Corporation

Alex Rose

Alex J. Rose serves as Senior Vice President for Continental Development Corporation and is responsible for managing all development, acquisition, and redevelopment activities for the suburban office/medical/R&D park developer, whose holdings cover over four million square feet in Los Angeles County South Bay and City of San Francisco markets.

Mr. Rose received his MBA from the University of Southern California, his JD from Southwestern University School of Law, and BA, Political Science from UCLA. He is an Urban Land Institute Foundation Governor and has served as a ULI Trustee, Chair of ULI’s Los Angeles District Council Executive and Governance Committees as well as a number of national ULI leadership roles.

President & CEO, The Ratkovich Company

Wayne Ratkovich

(in memoriam)

Wayne Ratkovich founded The Ratkovich Company in 1977 and is its President/CEO. The company’s specializes in developing urban infill and rehabilitation projects including 17 historic buildings. In doing so, the company partners with some of the nation’s largest financial institutions including its most recent project, The Bloc (formerly Macy’s Plaza).

Mr. Ratkovich is an Emeritus Trustee of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. In 2011 he was named a Life Trustee of the Urban Land Institute, one of 13 in the organization’s 75 year history. He is a graduate of UCLA.