Buey Ray Tut immigrated to the United States when he was 11 years old. Growing up, Buey’s family called Wintergreen Apartments in North Omaha home.  Buey graduated from Burke High School before becoming the first person in his family to attend college. Buey graduated from the University of Nebraska Omaha with a degree in Political Science and Government. He served as the student body vice president and captain of his speech and debate team. Buey continues to call the city of Omaha home, where he now resides with his wife and son.

For the past decade, Buey worked in international development as the Founder, Executive Director and ultimately, Chief Executive Officer of Aqua-Africa. Under his leadership, the organization has grown from a $15,000 budget in 2011 to over $700,000 as of 2023. Under Buey’s leadership the organization grew from a donor base of a handful of personal philanthropists to a portfolio which included international foundations and the federal U.S. government. Most importantly, under his guidance, the organization has impacted the lives of over 22,000 people with an additional 10,000 to be reached at the end of August.

In the Omaha community, Buey has served on the Omaha Library Board of Trustees and currently serves on the Nebraskaland Foundation board. Buey has been awarded Midlands Business Journal 40 under 40 Recipient, Ten Outstanding Omahans (TOYO), and was selected as a TEDx Omaha Speaker on Community Development.

Buey brings an extensive background in community development and organizational capacity building. This, coupled with his personal experience growing up in a low-income immigrant household and his deep involvement in the Omaha community, will greatly support Spark’s mission to help profoundly transform disinvested neighborhoods into prosperous and thriving communities.