Tony Romano began his professional career at just 16 years old as a carpenter through a high school work program in his hometown of Decatur, Illinois. By the age of 18, he had advanced to an estimator and project manager role, and by 25, he was leading his own construction company.

Over the next three decades, Tony built and operated a highly successful construction business, delivering approximately $700 million in contract work, with a focus on real estate and commercial development. As an early adopter of the design-build approach, he cultivated long-standing partnerships with top-tier industry professionals. Tony has a strong intuition for valuing real estate and commercial assets, and his attention to detail—combined with a disciplined and patient approach—has been a key driver of his success.

In 2015, Tony was introduced to renowned philanthropist Howard G. Buffett when the Howard G. Buffett Foundation purchased land from him. Through that transaction, Tony and Howard developed a strong working relationship. To date, the Foundation has invested well over $300 million in construction projects throughout Illinois, including law enforcement training facilities, a Department of Corrections training center, a new state crime lab, and a state-of-the-art ICAT (Integrating Communications, Assessment and Tactics) training facility that serves law enforcement agencies from across the country.

In addition, Tony played a key role in the development of a comprehensive drug rehabilitation campus, consisting of multiple facilities designed to support individuals struggling with addiction and help reintegrate them into society. Another notable project included an 80,000-square-foot childcare facility serving underprivileged communities.

Tony has also partnered with Hospital Sisters Health System (HSHS), a multi-institutional healthcare network across Illinois and Wisconsin, to design, build, and lease back 13 family medical facilities throughout Illinois. His broader design-build portfolio includes projects for national and regional brands such as Walgreens, Dairy Queen, Taco Bell, Monical’s Pizza, as well as municipal projects like the Decatur Police Department, among many others.

Today, Tony brings his expertise to South Florida while maintaining strong ties to his Illinois roots. He enjoys traveling with his wife of many years and supporting his daughter as she begins her professional career.