Meet Our Developers

Frank Rainieri

Frank Rainieri: Chairman and founder of Grupo Puntacana. In 1969, Rainieri and Theodore Kheel, a high-powered New York attorney and labor mediator, acquired a 58-million square meter lot on the eastern end of the Dominican Republic, which was covered with jungle and six miles of beach. Their first project was a 40 guest hotel called the Punta Cana Club, inaugurated two years later. In 1979, they constructed The Puntacana Hotel. The Punta Cana International Airport followed in 1984. In 1997, Rainieri and Kheel partnered with Oscar de la Renta and Julio Iglesias to start working on the Punta Cana Marina and the real estate development of the area.

“We embrace the authentic Dominican Republic traditions and familiarity on always assuming a leadership role in the community. With an emphasis on preservation, sustainable development, planning, health, education and culture development we assure this charming local culture will forever be preserved”

Frank Rainieri

Ted Kheel

Theodore Kheel: High-powered New York attorney and labor mediator. Kheel was one of the lead developers of the Puntacana Resort & Club in the Dominican Republic. Kheel founded the Nurture Nature Foundation to help resolve the continuing conflict between environmental protection and economic development.

“Tourism depends so heavily on nature. People go on tours because they want to get to a warmer climate, they want to get to more sunshine, to beautiful landscapes, to beautiful water. Tourism depends very heavily on the protection of the environment of the places that attract tourists. For tourism the environment is the attraction. If the environment is damaged, the business is damaged. Vacation destinations have a tremendous stake in the protection of the environment. We pride ourselves on protecting Puntacana Resort & Club”

Ted Kheel

Oscar de la Renta

Oscar de la Renta: Dominican-American fashion designer, who joined Grupo Puntacana as a co-investor in 1997 and made Puntacana Resort & Club his home. In 2000, the first of the residential community developments began and six years later (2006) Tortuga Bay opened, a boutique hotel designed by de la Renta.

“Every morning I go out on the balcony, look over the shimmering sea and say, God, thank you”

Oscar de la Renta

Julio Iglesias

Julio Iglesias: Spanish singer and songwriter. In 1997, Julio Iglesias joined Grupo Puntacana as co-investor and made Puntacana Resort & Club his home. He took up residence at Punta Cana, where he had acquired ownership of several hotel complexes. Among his other investments was the Punta Cana International Airport, of which he had acquired joint ownership with other investors.

“The beauty of nature is at once inspiring and relaxing – it is the perfect inspiration”

Julio Iglesias