Zaya S. Younan founded Younan Properties in 2002 and serves as its Chairman & CEO. He has nearly more than 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. This also includes several high-tech start-up companies in the Silicon Valley and in Europe.

Mr. Younan brings depth and operational experience in the areas of turnaround management, continuous improvement practices, strategic planning, marketing, engineering, acquisitions and operations, and successfully has leveraged this experience to the commercial real estate industry for nearly two decades. 

Since 2016, the company has also invested in several hotels, golf courses and other properties in France, Portugal and Switzerland.

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 discipline for performance in the commercial real estate industry as evidenced by Real Estate Forum’s recognition as one of the Industry’s 100 Leading Companies. Mr. Younan received a 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.