Zayad Roumaya

Zayad Andrew "Zad" Roumaya, 67, passed away on May 11, 2025, in Dallas, Texas. Born on October 24, 1957, in San Antonio, Texas, Zad lived a life defined by creativity, innovation, and an unrelenting entrepreneurial spirit.

A graduate of Stephen F. Austin State University, Zad began his professional journey with a 17-year career in the technology sector. He held leadership roles including Director and Vice President positions in Sales, Strategic Partnerships, and Alliances within the Austin Ventures Portfolio. His work took him to major innovation hubs across the country-Silicon Valley, Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, and Austin-where he led high-performing teams and laid the foundation for his future ventures.

In 1990, Zad relocated to Dallas and opened several Pro Golf Discount stores, later expanding operations to Denver and Kansas City. This marked the beginning of his shift from corporate leadership to entrepreneurship.

In 1998, he founded The Win Win Company in Dallas, a software executive recruiting firm that launched a new chapter in his professional life. Over the next two decades, Zad became widely known as "The Idea Man," launching and nurturing a diverse array of ventures across commercial real estate, software, retail design and build sectors, and fine arts.

Zad's passion for urban renewal and architectural innovation led him to focus on real estate investment beginning in 1998. Through his company Buzz Works and its portfolio at buzzworks.us, he developed over $35 million in commercial loft-style office spaces, condominiums, market-rate apartments, and creative live-work environments. His projects-including Buzz Lofts (2007) and Digit 1919 (2017) in Dallas's Cedars District-reflected his commitment to revitalizing inner-city neighborhoods through thoughtful design and community engagement.

His influence extended beyond real estate. In 2002, Zad co-founded The Cedars Open Studio Tour to promote local artistic expression and community involvement. He also launched numerous creative ventures including Change Chamber Studios (1999), Equals Three (2004), Stay On The Mark (2007), Spectrum Housing Partners (2008), as well as initiatives such as the North Central Texas Congress for New Urbanism.

In recent years, Zad remained deeply engaged in innovation. In 2025, he was an adjunct professor at SMU's Lyle School of Engineering-a testament to his enduring commitment to education and forward-thinking development. After exiting all prior investments between 2018 and 2019, he assembled a closely held investment fund of $20 million with select high-net-worth investors.

Beyond his professional accomplishments, Zad was a lifelong artist whose passions included metal and aluminum sculpture, pen and ink drawings, acrylic renderings, architectural art, and poetry. These creative pursuits were not merely hobbies but essential expressions of the same vision that fueled his entrepreneurial endeavors. His public art commissions include installations at HALL Winery in St. Helena, Senza Hotel in Napa Valley, and the Texas Sculpture Garden in Frisco, amongst others for private collectors.

Zad is lovingly remembered by his beloved daughters Eva McNeill Roumaya and Ella Mary Roumaya of Dallas; his ex-wife Heather Maud McNeill of Dallas; his sister Mary Baring and brother-in-law Roy Baring Jr. of Elmendorf; sister-in-law Barbara Roumaya of Philadelphia; step-brother Robbie Williams and step sister-in law Sandra Williams of Boerne; nephews Roy Baring III, Ryan Baring, Matthew Roumaya, Zachary Roumaya; and niece Mary "Anne" Baring.

He was preceded in death by his father Louis E. Roumaya, mother Patricia Roumaya, and brother Louis T. Roumaya.

A Memorial Mass will be held on May 27, 2025, at 3:00 PM at St. John's Episcopal Church, 848 Harter Road, Dallas, Texas 75218. A reception will immediately follow.

A man of boundless ideas and unwavering determination, Zad left an indelible mark on every field he touched-from technology to real estate to the arts. His legacy lives on through the vibrant communities he helped build and the many lives he inspired along the way.

May his memory bring comfort to those who knew and loved him.