Children: Ethan Ramsey (with Hannah Nichols)
Father: Alexander Cambias (deceased)
Siblings: Michael Cambias (deceased)
Niece: Miranda Montgomery
Significant Romantic Relationships: Maria Santos Grey

Zach Slater was born Alexander Cambias Junior. Growing up, Zach felt the tyrannical rule of his father, Alexander Senior. Alexander expected his eldest son to run the family empire as Alexander saw fit, a life Zach did not want to lead. With the help of his younger brother Michael, Zach faked his death and adopted the new identity of Zach Slater (the name of a boarding school friend).

Zach worked odd jobs and eventually built his own empire of Casinos. Zach met Maria Santos Grey and the two fell in love. Maria was suffering from amnesia, and going by the name Maureen Gorman. Maureen couldn't remember her past, and Zach wanted to forget his. Their desire to live for the moment drew the two together and fed their love. Their affair was cut short when David Hayward, who was trying to hide Maria from being discovered by her family, lied and told her the police were closing in on her (from an imagined murder David told Maria she committed, to keep her on the run). Maria was forced to leave Zach. Zach assumed he would never see her again.

Years later, Zach learned that Michael had been murdered following an extended stay in Pine Valley. Soon Erica Kane, one of Michael's many enemies and a suspect in his murder, arrived at his casino for an extended stay. Zach kept close tabs on Erica as he researched her family and all those in Pine Valley that had reason to hate Michael. During the course of his research, he found that his beloved Maureen was living in Pine Valley, having regained her memory. Zach traveled east to Pine Valley, where he made plans to open a casino outside of town.

Zach made his presence known to Maria, who was affected at the sight of him. The feelings between the two were strong, and Zach wanted to resume their relationship, but Maria explained she was married. She did not tell her husband Edmund, now paralyzed in a wheelchair, that she had a relationship with Zach during the time she was away from Pine Valley. Edmund eventually discovered Maria and Zach's past, building enmity between Zach and Edmund.

Zach met Bianca Montgomery and grew to like and respect her. Bianca had killed Michael, which Zach had trouble comprehending given her kind and compassionate nature. Zach was unable to accept that Michael had become a monster, assaulting women and ruining lives. The Michael that Zach remembered was a sweet, trustworthy young man. Zach was convinced that someone close to Bianca---Erica, or Bianca's sister Kendall Hart---had killed Michael. He had lots of enemies in the town and Zach was not impressed by the moral composition of these people. At the grand opening of his casino, Zach designed a murder mystery game whose elements were similar to the Michael Cambias murder case. Watching via security cameras, Zach hoped to weed out the real killer by observing them play a game similar in design to Michael's real death. Maria discovered him and confronted him on his action, and Zach revealed to her that he was Michael's brother. During the course of the murder mystery game, Ryan Lavery was shot by an unknown assailant.

Maria tried to convince Zach that Bianca did kill Michael, and that Michael was a horrible man. Maria promised Zach that she would help him accept the truth about Michael and come to terms with it. Edmund did not want Maria around Zach, so Maria had to keep her meetings with Zach a secret. Finally Zach was able to accept the monster Michael had become, and broke down in Maria's arms. Erica saw the two together and reported everything to Edmund. Furious that his wife continued to see Zach when she promised she wouldn't, Edmund initiated divorce proceedings. Despite his strong feelings towards her, Zach respected Maria's determination to make her marriage work.

Zach was shocked when Ethan Ramsey arrived in town claiming to be Alexander Cambias Junior's son. Ethan's story, of Alexander Junior impregnating maid Hannah Nichols, only to die soon after, rang true with Zach. He remembered sleeping with Hannah, and faking his death soon after. In secret, Zach had Ethan's DNA tested and learned that they were father and son. Shortly after, Zach announced to the whole town that he was really Alexander Cambias Junior, and apologized to Bianca for Michael's actions. Zach told Ethan that they were not father and son.. Zach later confessed to Maria that Ethan was his son, but he would deny Ethan the Cambias name at all costs, for he did not want the Cambias money to corrupt Ethan as it did Michael and their father.

Ethan was arrested for shooting Ryan Lavery, and Zach worked behind the scenes to clear him. While Ethan was incarcerated, Zach took shots at Ryan and his wife Greenlee. Zach was confident that doing so while Ethan was still in prison would weaken the case against Ethan. Ethan was granted bail. Ryan accused Zach of taking the shots at him, and wondered if Zach was responsible for the shooting both times.

Zach remained determined to keep Ethan from obtaining the Cambias name, and wanted him to leave town as soon as he was cleared of the charges against him. To that effect, Zach tried to convince Kendall (now dating Ethan) to break up with him, so Ethan would leave town once he was cleared of the charges against him. Kendall refused, and the ordeal only brought Ethan and Kendall closer, while building the animosity between Ethan and Zach. Determined to get Kendall out of Ethan's life (and in doing so, get Ethan out of town), Zach presented compelling evidence to Ryan Lavery that would suggest that Kendall was responsible for poisoning Greenlee. Zach was also elated when Miranda, Bianca and Michael's presumed dead daughter, was revealed to be alive.