David Herr, Jr.

On Wednesday, March 31, 2021, a light was taken out of this world after the sudden passing of Gilbert “David” Herr, Jr. David was born on September 11, 1963, in Marion, Ohio, and passed away at age 57 in Dallas, Texas. In February 2021, David married the love of his life, Michelle. The newlyweds valued their time together and also enjoyed spending time with Michelle’s family. The family quickly fell in love with David and admired the loving way he cared for his wife.

David served as the Chief Technology Officer of the Dallas Mavericks and was a deeply respected trailblazer and leader in the industry. He joined the Mavs in October 2017 and immediately became a beloved colleague and friend, making a lasting impression on the entire Dallas Mavs organization. David earned the respect of everyone who encountered him whether with the Mavericks, at the American Airlines Center or in the community. He was innovative, creative, passionate and witty. He always stood for equity and equality and took action to uplift members of underserved communities. Most of all, David had this incredible ability to connect with people from all walks of life and he always wanted the best for others.

“David was one of my all-time favorites”, Mark Cuban shared. “Not only was he a great human being, but he was one of the smartest technology experts I have ever worked with. There was no technology David didn’t know or couldn’t learn. His skills were extraordinary. He was a joy to work with in every way. We will all miss him deeply.”

David didn’t consider his career a job – but a calling. Cynt Marshall of the Dallas Mavericks remembers how David always said it was a dream of his to work for Cuban and the Dallas Mavericks. He often talked about being a True Maverick and wanting the Mavs to be first. His colleagues with the Mavericks also recall his constant reminders to guard passwords and be diligent about protecting information. He was fiercely loyal and wanted to comfort and protect everyone.

“I will miss David calling me just a few minutes before going on the air to tell me we were trying something new with our HUDDLE broadcast,” Marshall shared. “But David always said, ‘don’t worry, Boss, you’ll love it.’ He always made things better and different.”

It was that kind of spirit that captured everyone who was honored and blessed to work alongside David. He had a witty personality and always walked around with the strongest coffee. He loved to challenge and encourage others to rise to the “big leagues” and try his strong-black-vitamin infused coffee. Whether it was coffee or the latest app, David was always innovating and sharing what he was learning.

On the technology front, David was always a step ahead and was passionate about the critical issue of equity. He truly believed – and helped others believe – that we have the power to make a difference in the world. David spent countless hours quietly working on strategies to ensure a level playing field for all citizens of the community. Every person mattered to David and he was determined to use technology for societal good.

David graduated from Barrington High School in Barrington, Illinois, in 1981. Living out his desire to serve others and his country, David subsequently joined the United States Armed Forces and later became a police officer.

In 2002, David founded the Westlin Bunker, a former corporate nuclear fallout shelter. He took the property from a concept stage to an operating data center with multiple Tier 1 carrier connections and several Fortune 500 clients.

Prior to joining the Mavs, David was the Chief Operating Officer of Opus-3 Data Center, a position he held for over six years. Opus-3 is the former broadcast.com/yahoo data center that is situated in the heart of downtown Dallas. David helped renovate the 36,000 square foot center into a state-of-the-art multi-tenant data center with services ranging from single serve colocation to enterprise suites.

David was a leader and pioneer in the technology industry and co-founded or served in leadership roles with numerous other broadcast and technology companies. From 1992-1997, he served as the IT Director of Montgomery County, where he managed voice and data systems for one of the fastest growing counties in Texas. He also helped build a network from scratch that eventually linked 18 county buildings.

Most recently, David was thrilled to help the Dallas Mavericks organization implement several new systems to connect the Mavs with fans and seamlessly keep operating while employees worked from home. He was always driven to make life easier for employees and he loved new challenges. David never took no for an answer and would do whatever was necessary to solve problems.

David also served on the steering committee for the “Internet For All” coalition that aims to ensure every family and child has equal access to the internet. He joined 40 community leaders, beginning last May, to pursue short-term and long-term strategies to equip all students with reliable internet connection and was passionate about lending his time and expertise to close the technology gap.

David was the only son of Gilbert and Carol Herr. His mother preceded him in death in 2011. David is survived by his wife, Michelle Herr, father Gilbert David Herr, Sr., sister Erika Herr Zignego, and his married family, parents Arthur and Gloria C. Sosa, sister Shannon Kirk (Karl), brother Arthur Sosa, Jr., daughter Desiree DiStefano (Jason) and granddaughter Cheryl DiStefano.

A celebration of David’s life is to be conducted at eleven o’clock in the morning on Friday, the 9th of April, with family receiving friends at ten o’clock, in the Chapel of Sparkman Hillcrest Funeral Home, 7405 W. Northwest Hwy. in Dallas. For those unable to attend, a livestream will be accessible by selecting the “join Livestream” icon in the “Funeral” section. Please note that due to COVID-19 health and safety protocols, seating is limited and available for the first 100 guests.

A private graveside memorial will immediately follow services.

David was kind and full of grace. He certainly left his mark on this world and made it a vastly better place. The angels rejoiced on March 31, 2021, as they welcomed home another angel.