Zaya Younan

Zaya S. Younan is an Iranian-born American entrepreneur and real estate mogul of Assyrian descent.
Career
Zaya S. Younan founded Younan Properties in 2002 and serves as its Chairman and CEO. He has more nearly three decades of executive management experience with publicly-traded Fortune 500 companies, including General Motors, Johnson Controls and TRW among others in the United States, Asia and Europe. Mr. Younan has successfully leveraged his experience in the commercial real estate industry over the last 16 years.
Mr. Younan has directed the growth of the company from inception to a portfolio worth nearly $2.8 billion of high-quality Class "A", high-rise office buildings in six large U.S. office markets. In less than a decade, the company upgraded its portfolio from smaller Class C buildings to Class A, high-rise office buildings and grew the employee base to nearly 150 employees in six cities with regional service centers in each city to more effectively manage company assets and serve the tenant base. Through successful acquisitions and strategic dispositions, the company has assembled a fully scalable, national platform.
Younan Properties' performance in leasing and operational management is the result of employing an approach to continuous improvement, process controls and efficiency management utilized in manufacturing and high technology. Mr. Younan has been recognized for excellence and a discipline for performance in the commercial real estate industry as evidenced by Real Estate Forum's 2007 recognition as one of the Industry's 100 Leading Companies. Forum also named Mr. Younan a CEO to Watch. Mr. Younan received his Mechanical Engineering degree from the University of Illinois. In 2016, The U of I awarded Mr. Younan with the University Distinguished Alumnus Award. The award is given to selected Alumni for their tradition of excellence and for bringing credit to the University for personal accomplishment, professional achievement and humanitarian services.
Mr. Younan has served as a member of the executive committee of the board of directors of the Lusk Center for Real Estate at the University of Southern California, a member of the board of directors of the Smithsonian Institute's Frontiers of Flight Museum in Dallas, Texas and a member of the board of advisors of Oaks Christian School in Westlake Village, California. He supports myriad charitable endeavors including the Boys and Girls Clubs, Wounded Warrior Project, Oaks Christian School, Red Cross and A Child's Hope Fund.
The company makes investments on behalf of private, corporate and institutional investors and is involved in all aspects of operation and asset management. It also specializes in acquiring Class A office properties in high-growth markets throughout the United States.
In 2007, Younan announced the funding of the establishment of a Dallas-based war museum to be housed in the renamed Patriot Tower, with exhibits that pay tribute to American troops who have served and sacrificed, from the American Revolution to the 2003 Iraq War.
In 2016, Younan Properties initiated an aggressive expansion plan in Europe. Starting in France the company formed La Grande Maison Younan Collection, a French based company specializing in the acquisition and operation of luxury hotels, spas, golf courses, and vineyards. In less than a year and half the purchased 5 hotels, 3 golf courses in France, and a high production vineyard in Bordeaux Saint Emilion region. The company has over 100 employees in France and is planning to expand in Germany, Spain, Italy, UK, and Switzerland.

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