Celebrating 60 Years of Legacy
This year, Vanir celebrates a momentous milestone in our history – our 60th anniversary. For six decades, Vanir has continued to be at the forefront of innovation, transforming and enhancing communities across the United States.
Vanir was founded in San Bernardino, California in 1964 by H. Frank Dominguez, a 25-year-old visionary entrepreneur with a desire for making this world a better place through economic empowerment and a strong philosophy of giving back to his community. Widely recognized for his business acumen, entrepreneurial spirit and community leadership, H. Frank Dominguez came from humble beginnings. As a native of San Bernardino, he attended Burbank Elementary School and graduated from Colton Union High School. H. Frank Dominguez attended San Bernardino Valley College from 1957 to 1958 before joining the U.S. Army. He was stationed in Germany, where he met his wife of 42 years, Gisela. He later returned to San Bernardino where he brought to life his vision of a creating a successful company that would do purposeful work that enhanced and uplifted communities. Under his leadership, Vanir completed more than $6 billion in real estate development; design-build lease; and program, project and construction management (PMCM) services.
In addition to leading Vanir, H. Frank Dominguez was also:
- Selected as Hispanic Businessman of the Year by the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
- Appointed to the California Commission for Economic Development by the Governor of California
- Served on advisory councils and committees for various U.S. presidents
- Served as a two-term board member for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund
- A founding board member for the New America Alliance (NAA)
H. Frank Dominguez possessed a business and personal philosophy that placed philanthropy and giving back at the forefront of everything Vanir did. He was personally involved in a number of community activities and projects, many of which placed special emphasis on assisting disadvantaged schools and underprivileged youth through scholarships, work programs and financial support.
Posthumously, in June of 2004, the NAA honored H. Frank Dominguez by awarding him their Lifetime Achievement Award in Philanthropy. The NAA also renamed their annual award recognizing philanthropy “The H. Frank Dominguez Philanthropist of the Year Award” in honor of their founding board member.
H. Frank Dominguez’s philanthropic efforts were also recognized by numerous publications and organizations through personal letters and formal resolutions, most notably by former President George W. Bush, former Lieutenant Governor of California Cruz M. Bustamante and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.
Vanir is a top ranked minority- and
woman-owned PMCM firm
The Legacy Continues
Dorene C. Dominguez has served as the Chairwoman and CEO of Vanir since 2004. This year, she celebrates 20 years at the helm of Vanir. Continuing the legacy of her father, H. Frank Dominguez, Dorene has successfully positioned Vanir as a national leader in PMCM and real estate development. Ranked as a top PMCM firm by Engineering News-Record for more than three decades, our award-winning team is comprised of certified project, construction, design, real estate and sustainability professionals; licensed engineers; experienced executives; and skilled support staff.
We have delivered $30.8 billion in construction value to hundreds of clients nationwide. Our tremendous repeat business rate, which stands at 85%, is a testament to our team’s ability to provide high-quality, innovative solutions that result in successfully executed programs and projects. We currently have offices in Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Louisiana, Nevada, Texas and Washington.