Manhattan Construction Company Announces Retirement of Leader Bob Vecera After 45 Years of Service
Manhattan Construction Company today announced the retirement of Bob Vecera, senior vice president, after 45 years with the company. During his tenure, Vecera helped shape Manhattan’s approach to contracting, operations, risk management, team development, and leadership, contributing to more than $10 billion in construction projects nationwide.
“Bob’s impact on Manhattan Construction is significant,” said John Reyhan, president of Manhattan Construction Company. “He helped navigate some of the most complex projects in our history, strengthened our risk management culture, and invested deeply in developing the next generation of builders. His legacy lives on through the countless team members he has mentored.”
Vecera joined Manhattan Construction in 1981 as an office engineer just before the Texas oil bust—a challenging time for the industry that became a lasting chapter in his development. As Manhattan navigated the downturn, he gained invaluable experience in contracting, dispute management, and the legal aspects of construction. This knowledge would shape his leadership approach throughout his career.
Among his early projects was the Amoco Center in Houston, a landmark multi-structure office complex featuring a 28-story tower. He later joined the team for the River Center development in San Antonio, which encompassed 13 public and private contracts for retail, hotel, and entertainment projects and extended the River Walk, becoming an important milestone in Manhattan’s history.
“River Center was a special and unique project,” Vecera said. “We built everything from a bridge and river extension to major retail and hotel components, often in complex conditions. It was a tremendous incubator for learning.”
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Vecera served as a trusted project leader on several large, complex, and groundbreaking projects. These included the 701 Harris County Jail—the nation’s first public private partnership (P3) of its kind and an early model of adaptive reuse, the Harris County Criminal Justice Center, a 21 story, 800,000 square foot judicial facility; the Baker Street Jail, one of the largest maximum security county jails in the country; and the METRO Fallbrook Bus Facility, the fourth transit project Manhattan delivered for Houston’s Metropolitan Transit Authority.
Vecera also played a key role in NRG Stadium (then Reliant Stadium), the first NFL stadium with a retractable roof and home to the Houston Texans, and in AT&T Stadium, home to the Dallas Cowboys.
In 2002, Vecera moved to Tulsa to serve as operations manager for Oklahoma, leading the region through significant growth. Under his leadership, Manhattan delivered the company’s first Oklahoma gaming projects—including Cimarron Casino (Perkins) for the Iowa Tribe and Downstream Casino Resort (Quapaw) for the Quapaw Nation, which was followed by work for the Cherokee, Choctaw, Creek, Chickasaw, and Delaware tribes. Also, under his leadership, Manhattan delivered major healthcare expansions, including Saint Francis Children’s Hospital and additions to St. John Medical Center’s main campus. He also provided executive oversight for the construction of the BOK Center, a signature Cesar Pelli-designed landmark completed in 2008, and the State Capitol dome addition.
During his tenure, Manhattan’s Oklahoma team achieved a major safety milestone: 1 million work hours without a lost-time incident.
Vecera returned to Houston in 2010 to serve as senior vice president, becoming a companywide resource for contract evaluation, risk mitigation, and the development of Manhattan’s internal risk management platform. His technical knowledge and teaching approach earned him the nickname “Professor Bob,” as he regularly trained project teams across the company.
A respected industry expert, Vecera is known for his passion for developing emerging construction professionals. In addition to mentoring Manhattan team members, he returned to his alma mater and served for 10 years as an adjunct professor in the Construction Management program at the University of Houston, where he taught contracting, project delivery systems, and risk evaluation.
He also served as an instructor for Manhattan’s inaugural Manhattan Construction Management Institute (MCMI) and National Association of Minority Contractors (NAMC) Fundamentals of Construction Management, teaching business management, project delivery systems, and contract risk management to emerging trade partners. His expertise played a central role in shaping the company’s “The Manhattan Way”, helping teammates understand both the purpose and practice behind the company’s guiding principles.
“This month, Manhattan Construction Company proudly honors ‘Professor Bob’ for his 45 years of service, mentorship, and leadership,” said Larry Rooney, president of Manhattan Construction Group. “While he steps into retirement, his influence will continue to shape Manhattan’s teams, practices, and culture for many years to come.”
