Gilbert Moen, from a large family of Norwegian immigrants, was raised on farmland in Northern Minnesota. After working as an automobile mechanic, he became a carpenter, a foreman, and then a contractor. He moved his family to Yakima in 1930 and in 1933 started building homes.

World War II and the Hanford development created a large demand for housing in the Tri Cities area, allowing Moen to construct several hundred homes. He continued for a few years after the war, building several hundred more homes in the Yakima area.

During the 1942-47 period, there were strict wage and price controls that resulted in a $6,000 maximum price of a house, including the lot. It was still a period of rapid inflation, which resulted in each project being a little smaller. The first homes had full basements, three bedrooms, and an attic. The next year, the basements were eliminated and the third year the attic was much smaller.

School construction occupied much of the following years, including projects at Central Washington University and Yakima Valley College. Projects have become larger and more complicated over the years. Gilbert was always interested in new construction techniques and was the first to use tilt-up construction north of Los Angeles in 1947. Moen also was among the first to use metal studs, thin wall plaster, Dryvit (a distributor) and concrete pumping.

Gilbert retired in 1969 with management passing to his son, Donald, and the business continued to change. During Don's years, the company completed 27 projects, including jobs for CWU, The Museum of Flight, The Temple of Justice and several hospitals. Many of the contracts were out of the Yakima area, with projects in all four corners of the state.

Michael Moen, Don's son, is assuming the management of the company going into the third generation. Michael has been involved in many projects, including Shaw Smyser Hall at CWU, Catholic Credit Union, Children's Village and Epic Place. Sandi Culver, Michael's sister and a CPA, is the company's controller.