The chairman and CEO of the Henry S. Miller Cos., Vance C. Miller, passed away unexpectedly this morning at the age of 79. He was the third-generation leader of the firm, which was founded by his grandfather, Henry S. Miller Sr., in 1914. That one-man office has since grown to become one of the largest independent real estate brokerages in Texas.
Vance Miller joined the company in 1959, after serving as a fighter pilot in the U.S. Air Force. A year later he was named vice president, and in 1970 became president, overseeing the firm’s growth from $81 million in volume in 1971 to more than $2 billion by 1981. He succeeded his father, Henry S. Miller Jr., as chairman and CEO.
The Miller family of companies have had a profound impact on the North Texas commercial real estate community, not just because of the deals and developments they’ve driven and the investments they’ve made, but because they’ve helped launch the careers of some of the area’s most notable real estate professionals, including Roger Staubach, Herb Weitzman, and Wayne Swearingen.
The North Texas Commercial Association of Realtors has recognized the Miller family’s contributions to the industry by inducting Vance Miller, Henry S. Miller Jr., and Henry S. Miller Sr. into its prestigious Commercial Real Estate Hall of Fame.
Sam Kartalis, president and chief operating officer of Henry S. Miller Realty Services LLC, said Vance Miller has been his good friend and mentor since 1974.
“He has been the guiding spirit for this company, and was always loyal and generous to his friends, family, employees, and associates,” Kartalis said. “We will miss him, and I, especially, will miss him.”
Additional information will be posted as it becomes available.
