Herman Chanen volunteered and served his country in the Navy toward the end of World War II. After his military service, Herman moved to Phoenix, population 90,000.

With no time for college education, Herman thought he should start a business. He became a TV pitchman for a grocery store, started an advertising agency, and started a car wash, Chanen Family Car Wash. None of the early businesses were what he hoped they would be.

In 1951 went to work for a local apartment builder and learned the construction industry. By 1955, and with a growing family, he was ready go out on his own. He borrowed $1000 from Household Credit and started Chanen Construction Company. The company grew and by 1960 Herman, and his company, built Terminal 2 at Sky Harbor International Airport, the company's first large construction project.

Being part of the business community during the phenomenal growth years of Phoenix brought Herman national attention. In 1963, Look magazine did a story featuring Herman and his family entitled "Boom in the Desert," in which Herman predicted that Phoenix would become a city of one million people.

He was appointed to the National Alliance of Business by President Lyndon Johnson in 1967 and worked with that administration to create prototype low-cost housing. Herman served for almost two decades on the board of Valley National Bank of Arizona, Arizona's then largest bank, now part of JP Morgan Chase.

Herman was appointed by former Governor Bruce Babbitt to the Arizona Board of Regents, the governing body for Arizona's three public universities, where he served for eight years, including the role of the Board president, modernizing Arizona's universities' capital development oversight and fiscal review process.

As a Regent, Herman had lasting influence on Arizona, chairing the selection committees that named Dr. Lattie Coor as President of ASU in 1992 and Dr. Michael Crow as President in 2002. In recognition of these efforts, Herman was granted a Doctor of Humane Letters (Honorary) in 1994.

Herman Chanen is predeceased by beloved parents Louis and Edith Chanen, and his former wife Lois Chanen.

He is survived by his two sons and three grandchildren. Services were held on November 20, 2022.

In lieu of flowers, for those desiring, a contribution is suggested to the Chanen Scholarship Fund at Midwestern University or the Chanen Preschool at Congregation Beth Israel.