Charles F. Vachris, a Yale University honors engineering graduate who went on to found his own geotechnical and foundations engineering firm, died on Oct. 7 in Flower Hill, N.Y. He was 75. The apparent cause was a heart attack, the firm said.

Vachris founded Vachris Engineering pc, based in Garden City, N.Y., in 1982 after working in his family's construction business and was its president. He also served in the Army Corps of Engineers and obtained a master's degree in engineering at Columbia University. Vachris, who was a member of The Moles, a national heavy construction professional group, since 1968, also was its president in 1996-97.

He also held multiple roles in the Flower Hill village government, including deputy mayor and village engineer. According to an online biography, he donated company services to plan and build a new basketball facility, which opened this summer, in the town.