Jon Deal, founder and co-developer of Sawyer Yards and a native of Houston, earned his Bachelor of Business Administration from The University of Texas at Austin in 1988. He began investing in small, multi-family projects within the Houston 610 loop in 1995. By 2004, Deal was focused on renovating and repurposing industrial and historic commercial structures. His efforts have garnered several accolades, including four Good Brick Awards from the Greater Houston Preservation Alliance (GHPA) and the 2021 Urban Land Institute's Americas Award for Excellence, and ULI's Distinction Award in 2018.