About

Our Mission & Promise

  • To be responsible stewards to the real estate and to our communities.
  • To provide our clients and customers unparalleled real estate service with the conviction of fiduciaries.
  • To do this with a dedicated work ethic, sound fundamentals and a healthy appreciation for fun.
  • To measure ourselves based upon our collective success, among constituents that we value and respect.

Our Story

Developing with a Difference

VanTrust Real Estate was founded in 2010 as a full-service real estate development company with a regional emphasis and a national reach. We provide a full spectrum of real estate services to our clients and capital partners, including acquisition, disposition, development, development services, and corporate services. Product types include office, industrial, multifamily, science + technology and mixed-use. We show up to measure our performance based on our collective success and to exceed all stakeholders’ expectations in every way. 

Developing with a Difference encompasses much more than finding the right property or building a successful project. Our core mission is to serve as responsible stewards to the communities we operate in. Our diverse team is made up of development experts, backed by the ownership and capital base associated with the Van Tuyl Group. We listen, process what we hear, then present solutions based on our expertise that will generate the greatest value while minimizing risk. For VanTrust, it’s about more than transactions; our goal is to deliver developments that become part of the community’s fabric and strengthen it. 

A Legacy for Decades

1955
After a successful career in the used car business, Cecil Van Tuyl opens his first new car franchise in Kansas City (the first of many). Cecil becomes a pioneer in the auto industry by acquiring multiple dealerships, hiring talented managers, and making them minority partners in the business.
1982
Cecil’s son, Larry Van Tuyl, starts his own company in the automotive industry in Phoenix called Automotive Investment Group, Inc.
2008
Cecil and Larry merge their two companies to create The Van Tuyl Group, Inc. and together they grow the family business into the largest privately held automobile dealership group in the country.
2009
Through attorney connections, Dave Harrison is introduced to Cecil to consult on a real estate project, and the two form a friendship.
2010
Dave and Cecil form a partnership and establish Caymus Real Estate with five employees. The headquarters is established in Kansas City, Missouri, and shortly thereafter, a second office is established in Columbus, Ohio. Caymus propels into the industry when it is hired to redevelop the stalled West Edge project in the Country Club Plaza area of Kansas City.
2012
Caymus Real Estate becomes VanTrust Real Estate, owned 100% by Larry Van Tuyl. VanTrust surpasses 1 million square feet in development.
2013
VanTrust’s third office location opens in Dallas, Texas.
2014
VanTrust’s fourth office location opens in Phoenix, Arizona.
2015
Larry Van Tuyl completes the sale of Van Tuyl Automotive Group to Berkshire Hathaway. VanTrust hits the billion dollar mark and becomes the largest operating company for the Van Tuyl family.
2016
VanTrust’s fifth office location opens in Jacksonville, Florida.
2019
VanTrust reaches $3 billion in development/acquisitions. The Jacksonville team wins Developer of the Year by NAIOP Northeast Florida.
2021
The Phoenix team wins Developer of the Year by NAIOP Arizona. The Columbus team wins Developer of the Year by NAIOP Central Ohio. The Jacksonville team wins Developer of the Year by NAIOP Northeast Florida.
2022
VanTrust reaches $6 billion in development/acquisitions and continues to grow thanks to the 63 "collective success" team members.
2023
VanTrust wins NAIOP's Developer of the Year!

In December, VanTrust’s sixth office location opens in Salt Lake City, Utah.
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family of companies

VanTrust Companies

VanTrust is a fiduciary-structured company founded on an atypical collective success model, which values and rewards everyone working together. We are not judged by the success of any one project or city, but rather by the success of the whole. Since our founding, VanTrust has grown to become one of the nation’s largest privately held commercial real estate companies. We take a relationship-based approach and work closely with our lenders, general contractors, consultants, local municipalities, and affiliate companies so that all parties involved share in the success. The following companies are in the affiliate network of VanTrust.

Van Tuyl Companies

The Van Tuyl Companies is the enterprise overseeing the business interests of the Van Tuyl family. It engages in a broad range of investment activities including public and private securities and real estate development. Van Tuyl Companies identifies investment and development opportunities with a long-term view on strategic partnerships to approach deal structure as well as tailor credit solutions.

VT LandGroup

VT LandGroup is an entity dedicated to land acquisition initiatives. The company operates in unison with VanTrust Real Estate to seek and acquire land nationwide in various stages from raw to fully entitled/developed, over a full spectrum of uses. The ability to commit and close, without financing contingencies, allows VT LandGroup to provide an extraordinary short due diligence and approval process with certainty of outcome.

FirethornTrust

FirethornTrust is a London-based real estate investment and development company that was formed to establish an international platform for Van Tuyl Companies and its affiliates. This team has a combined experience of more than 75 years in loan origination, delivery and execution with expertise across multiple sectors including office, retail, industrial, student housing, PRS and hotels.

Industry Achievements

Company Awards

Experienced Leadership

Keith Earnest

Executive Vice President, Development

Marc Munago

Executive Vice President, Development

Andy Weeks

Executive Vice President, Development

Rich Muller

Executive Vice President, Development

Dave Harrison

President

Grant Harrison

Executive Vice President, Development

Chris McCluskey

Executive Vice President, Development

Bill Baumgardner

Executive Vice President, Development

Join Our Team

Careers at VanTrust

At VanTrust, we are passionate about the development of people. We devote significant time and resources to identifying, developing, and supporting our team, as they are the driving force behind our success. People are at the heart of everything we do, and at VanTrust, you will be a part of something greater than yourself. 

VanTrust actively seeks candidates in commercial real estate development, construction and development services, and corporate services, which includes finance, accounting, marketing, and administrative support.

 

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