About Us

From the Military to Managing Everyday Business  How Vanguard Started

We’re a husband and wife team who built Vanguard Operations Group from the ground up, backed by decades of leadership in managing people, systems, and operations across the globe. Eric serves as President and Candelaria as Vice President, each bringing a distinct set of leadership skills and operational expertise to the company.

 

We met in the Army, where we both served for over a decade. From Germany and Poland to Afghanistan, Iraq, Korea, Manas, and Kuwait, we led teams under pressure, solved complex problems, and ensured mission success. Those experiences continue to shape the way we lead with structure, reliability, and respect.

 

Today, we’ve been married for over 10 years and are raising a fun-loving, energetic family with our three boys. Family keeps us grounded and is a big part of why we’re so passionate about helping other small businesses find stability and success.

 

After our military careers, we continued sharpening our skills in the private and public sectors, managing operations for companies like UPS, a chemical compounding facility, and a cabinetry and construction business. We've also supported government agencies, including logistics and personnel systems for U.S. Forest Services operations. Along the way, we earned degrees in engineering technology, medical management, and operations management.

 

At Vanguard Operations Group, we bring over 25 years of combined experience in operations, logistics, HR, compliance, and IT shaped by both military service and corporate leadership.

As a veteran owned and operated company, we’ve managed high stakes operations around the world. Whether in active duty environments, corporate logistics, or government agencies, we know what it takes to lead with precision, build high performing teams, and implement systems that keep businesses moving forward.

 

Why We Do What We Do

We started Vanguard because we noticed a lot of business owners juggling too many hats  trying to keep up with HR, operations, compliance, and tech without the right support. We knew we could help.

Now, we work with companies across the U.S. to bring structure and clarity to the chaos. Whether we’re setting up cloud systems, building SOPs, fixing workflow issues, or handling HR documents, our goal is to make life easier for business owners like you.

We offer:

• HR & team management

• Workforce compliance support

• Operations & logistics help

• IT systems setup and guidance

• Remote or on-site support