'Monumental milestone': Houston-based Venterra celebrates 20-year anniversary

Venterra, a Houston company that owns and operates 19,000 apartments, is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, according to a news release.

"Celebrating 20 years of business is a monumental milestone for Venterra, and it has been rewarding to watch the company's growth over the years," CEO John Fresis said in a statement. "From founding the business with a half dozen employees to now employing over 650 people, the success of Venterra reflects the dedication our company has to our values, people customers and investors alike."

The company "has always strived to provide a great workplace for its employees and offers an experience that allows them to flourish professionally and personally," the news release said.

It has received many awards over the years, including 2021 Best Workplaces for Millennials, 2020 Fortune Best Workplaces for Women and 2018 Fortune Best Workplaces for Diversity, according to the news release.

"Venterra's 7 Core Values and our people are the key ingredients that have made us who we are today, and we are very grateful," Andrew Stewart, Venterra Realty chairman said in a statement. "We have created an environment at Venterra in which people depend on and trust the brand and its future. We will continue to work hard to earn that trust from prospective residents, employees, investors and all of our other partners."

The company's portfolio is now worth about $3 billion in 13 U.S. cities. Its goal is to manage 40,000 apartment units by 2030, the news release said.