- “Fred Sands and Vintage Capital Group are qualified capable buyers. They do what they say in an efficient
and timely manner. Their performance allowed the transaction to close with no delays. I would gladly recommend them as a buyer to my clients.”
— William S. Palmer, President & CEO, The Palmer Team 
Chairman
Career Highlights
Mr. Sands is the Chairman of Vintage Real Estate, LLC, a firm specializing in the acquisition and redevelopment of under-performing regional malls and large shopping centers. Vintage Real Estate is led by a team of senior executives formerly with Westfield, one of the largest mall owners in the world. Mr. Sands is also the Chairman of Vintage Fund Management, LLC, a private equity fund that was established to expand his diverse private investment activities spanning more than two decades. Vintage Fund Management is led by a team of experienced private equity professionals and invests in middle market companies. Its investor base includes one of the largest state pension funds, a well-known fund of funds, banks, as well as high net worth family offices. It has outperformed 85% of all private equity funds in the United States.
Mr. Sands is the former Chairman and sole shareholder of the second largest real estate and financial services company in California, and the seventh largest in the United States, including owned and operated entities in title insurance, home warranty, mortgage banking, and escrow. The company was staffed with 4,000 people, including franchised operations, and generated $9.4 billion in volume per year. In December, 2000, the company merged into Coldwell Banker; (the franchised offices were not part of the transaction). Mr. Sands’ background also includes acquiring and turning around distressed companies, including FM and AM radio stations and insurance companies, as well as commercial real estate projects. He has developed hotels, office buildings, shopping centers, and high-end single family housing projects.
Mr. Sands was honored as the recipient of the American Academy of Achievement Award. Former recipients of this prestigious award include U.S. Presidents, Nobel Laureates, and entertainment industry executives. He was also named one of the “Top 25 CEOs of the Decade” by California Business magazine and named one of the industry’s top 13 “Movers and Shakers” (nationwide) by the National Association of Realtors.
Personal Activities
Mr. Sands was appointed by President George W. Bush to the President’s Advisory Committee on the Arts and liaison to the Kennedy Center and to the California Arts Council by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. In addition, Mr. Sands is the Chairman of The United Way’s Million Dollar Roundtable. Active in numerous community activities, Mr. Sands was a founder of the Museum of Contemporary Art and currently serves as a Trustee, as well as Chairperson of its Investment Committee. He also serves on the Boards of Chrysalis (a charity that rehabilitates homeless people); the Los Angeles Opera; and the Los Angeles Police Foundation.
Mr. Sands resides in Bel Air with his wife, Dr. Carla Sands, and their daughter, Alexandra. Mrs. Sands serves on numerous Boards including The Colleagues; The California Cultural and Historic Endowment; The Los Angeles Philharmonic; The Council of the Library Foundation of the Los Angeles Library; and The Blue Ribbon. Mr. Sands also has an adult son, Jonathan.