Midwest Real Estate News last year ran its first Commercial Real Estate Hall of Fame issue, honoring the industry’s top names. Since then, we’ve been running the profiles of these top pros on our Web site. Here’s a look at the stellar career of Sansone Group’s Anthony Sansone, Sr.
Anthony F. Sansone, Sr. Position: Principal, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer Company: Sansone Group Location: St. Louis
Commercial real estate truly is a family affair for Anthony Sansone, Sr. This real estate veteran, who founded his own company in 1957, currently works with four of his sons.
This family partnership has helped guide Sansone’s real estate firm, St. Louis-based Sansone Group, to the elite level of commercial real estate companies. The company, which started with just two employees, today boasts 160 full-time staffers, seven offices in four states and property in 14 states across the Midwest, Texas and Florida.
The reason behind this success? His peers point to Sansone’s steady leadership.
“Anthony Sansone has truly persevered in this business,” said one nominator. “He’s worked hard his whole career, and he’s achieved some amazing things. It’s a testament to him that his sons followed him in this career, too. They saw from him just how rewarding this business can be if you do things the right way.”
Sansone’s four sons – James, Timothy, Douglas and Nicholas – are also principals of the firm. All five work out of the St. Louis headquarters, and all are involved in the daily activities of Sansone Group.
Under Sansone’s leadership, Sansone Group has developed more than 7 million square feet of retail, office and industrial buildings and 1,000 residential units. Sansone has also made history; he was the first developer in the State of Missouri to use Tax Increment Financing in 1985, on what would be his 10th retail development. In all, he has developed 32 shopping centers and 16 freestanding Walgreens stores, and has a growing portfolio in excess of 22 million square feet of operating property valued at $2.5 billion.
In addition to his impact on the commercial landscape, Sansone has also earned recognition in the St. Louis business community for his success in real estate development and his devotion to civic and charitable causes.
Sansone is involved in numerous boards. He is a member of the board of directors of the Missouri Botanical Garden and the former President of Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital board of governors.
In addition, he is an executive committee member of St. Agnes Home; president of the board of directors for the Urological Research Foundation; a national board of trustees member of the Franciscan Foundation For The Holy Land; and has served on the board for the National Italian American Foundation.
In his career, Sansone has been the recipient of many awards including the Ageless Remarkable St. Louisan Honor in 2009. Past awards include the Saint Paul Man of the Year; Businessman of the Year by the Civic Italian American Organization; Man of the Year by the Building and Construction Trades Council of St. Louis; and the Multi-Housing Award for the provision of Special Services.
In 1993, Sansone earned the Order of St. Louis King Award by St. Louis Bishop Edward J. McDonnell at the Catholic Church of St. Louis, which is the highest award the Archdiocese can bestow.
