by Joseph H. RADDER
Real estate often accounts for over 25 percent of a company's assets. Such companies
need consulting by a qualified real estate advisor to help them evaluate their existing
real estate and determine present and future real estate needs. Tony D'Auria recognized
this early on in his career. Now, as executive vice president and partner in Waterbourne
Real Estate Advisors, he is responsible for that firm's new business development,
corporate marketing, property disposition and client public relations. As a key client
contact for managing their real estate planning processes he helps them find effective
solutions and prepare sound real estate plans for the future.
His experience qualifies him well for this position. He spent five years with Uniland
Development Corporation as marketing manager. Prior to that he was a college administrator—first
at D'Youville College and later at Canisius and Medaille.
However, Tony D'Auria's talents are not limited to business. He is a musician, an
accomplished percussionist and an actor/director, who has been involved in amateur and
professional theater production.
Five years ago, D'Auria was appointed to the board of directors of the Erie Community
College Foundation. Currently, he is in his second year as president. "I've been very
involved in fund-raising, and 'friend-raising' on behalf of the college," he says.
.
Anthony M. D'Auria was born in Lockport on December 9, 1958. His father and mother are
alive and well and still living in Lockport. Tony's father, Samuel D'Auria, now retired,
was a foreman at Harrison Radiator (now Delphi), and his mother, Mary Sherrifs D'Auria,
spent her earlier years as a full-time parent and housewife and then went to work at
AM&A's, managing various departments. She retired from Bon-Ton, AM&A's successor,
just a year ago.
He has a sister, Therese, who lives in Williamsville and has her own business in the
beauty supply industry. His brother, Tom, is a butcher at Tops Market in Newfane, and a
younger sister, Tonya, who is a full-time mother and home-maker in Lockport.
Tony D'Auria and Lynn Baldwin were married in Buffalo in 1985. Their daughter, Alexandra,
is 13 and will enter Nardin Academy this fall.
It's clear that Tony D'Auria still loves his home town, Lockport. "Everybody kind of
knows everybody," he says. "and when I was a kid it was the type of community
where you could really walk anywhere any time of the day or night and be completely safe.
You kept your doors unlocked. I lived in a neighborhood where there were just a ton of
kids. I'll bet there had to be twenty boys within a one block radius of my house, all
about my age. So I was never without companionship."
He was very active in his church, St. Patrick's, where he was an altar boy. "I did
many weddings and funerals," he remembered fondly, "as well as morning masses on
Saturdays and Sundays."
He was also active in scouting. Anthony M. D'Auria had the distinction of being the
youngest Eagle Scout in Western New York, completing all of the requirements for that
honor just short of his 14th birthday.
Tony attended John Pound elementary school in Lockport, Emmet Belknap Junior High and then
Lockport Senior High School. He then went to Niagara County Community College where he
earned an asssociate's degreee in communications. He earned his four year degree in
theater arts at SUNY, Brockport.
During his college years, D'Auria was awarded a work scholarship by the Kenan Center where
he was exposed to opportunities in theater.
Actually, he began his professional career in theater as an adjunct faculty member in the
theater department at Niagara County Community College, where he taught acting classes and
directed plays.
Tony then became a college administrator, first at D'Youville and later at Canisius
College and finally Medaille, serving as director of admissions and public relations.
It seems like quite a jump from academia to real estate. Tony explains it by saying
"I was kind of looking for a new challenge. In connection with my work at Medaille, I
met Nancy Dobson, executive vice president of Uniland, They were looking at the time for
someone to head up their marketing department. As it turned out, I spent five years there
as manager of the marketing department."
In 1993 Tony joined forces with James Carminati, also a long-time real estate
professional, to form the Waterbourne Group, specializing in strategic real estate
planning, tenant/buyer representation, property disposition and start-to-finish
development management.
This puts him in a very good position to know what the future looks like in
Buffalo/Niagara. His response to a question on this subject was, "For the first time
in a long time I'm optimistic about the future. We've seen some interesting things happen
politically where people are now starting to question the status quo. For a long time
nobody questioned anything. Now, people are beginning to question the process. The whole
community seems to have an interest in re-branding itself and finding a new path. I'm very
excited about the renewed focus on downtown."
Indeed, greater Buffalo does have a bright future thanks to young leaders like Tony
D'Auria.
Joseph H. Radder, a frequent contributor to Living Prime Time, is author of a
new book, “Young Jesus, the Missing Years”. For more information, phone
1-888-280-7715 or visit www.1stbooks.com