1937 President Albert Dunbar Vance

Mr. Vance was born on April 11, 1883, in Decorah, Iowa, where he attended grammar and high school and made his home until 1906. His formal education was obtained at the University of Wisconsin, where he majored in Civil Engineering.

ALBERT DUNBAR VANCE  Charter Member

In 1906 he went to Big Horn Basin, Wyoming, on a government land survey contract, and in the fall of that year was appointed a United States Deputy Land Surveyor for Wyoming. With S. W. Brunt as a partner, the firm took contracts for the survey of twelve townships; contracts were completed in 1908.

During the winter of 1907 and through 1908, with the exception of that summer, Mr. Vance worked for the Reclamation Service on the Shoshone project, including work on the Shoshone dam surveys. When he resigned in 1910 to move to Portland, he was in charge of survey party on canal location and construction on the Ralston Unit of the Shoshone Project.

From November 1910 to January 1916 he worked for the City of Portland; from February 1916 to October 1916 he was employed as surveyor draftsman, field mapping a timber cruiser for the U.S. Forest Service. From November 1916 to October 1920 he worked at shipbuilding, starting with the Columbia Engineering Works on engineering for launching ways, and ending with the Coast Shipbuilding. He started with the latter firm as chief draftsman in June 1917 and when he completed his ship­building experience in 1920 he was Superintendent of Construction.

After a year each with the Portland Dock Commission and the Port of Portland, Mr. Vance returned to city service in 1923,  working through the positions of draftsman, senior engineer, assistant to City Engineer (1929 to 1939).  In June 1939 he was appointed Assistant to Commissioner of Public Works William A. Bowes, which position he still holds (1950).

On January 19, 1911, Mr. Vance was married to Florence Juliet Oviatt of Missouri Valley, Iowa, and Powell, Wyoming. They have two children - a daughter, now Mrs. William M. Hiney, Jr., of Los Angeles, Calif., and Albert D. Vance, Jr., of Portland, Oregon.

Mr. Vance is a member of the Presbyterian Church and a lifelong Republican in national politics.