Tony Piraino is the Team Leader of The Key Team with Brinkoetter Realtors, the largest residential real estate team in the Greater Decatur area. A lifelong Central Illinoisan, Tony has called Decatur home since 1987, growing up in the Sunnyside Park neighborhood where his love for homes began. By the time he was a teenager, he was walking through nearly every house built there between 1987–1997. His passion for real estate deepened when his family renovated a Victorian in Cerro Gordo in 1997, sparking his interest in restoring older homes.
After graduating from Cerro Gordo High School, Tony earned degrees in Physics and Mechanical Engineering from Illinois State University and the University of Illinois, followed by an MBA from Millikin. While working as an engineer at Caterpillar, he began investing in real estate in 2005, remodeling and selling his first property in Bement. By 2018, after 14 years at Caterpillar, he transitioned to real estate full time, following his passion for helping others achieve their goals. Licensed since 2017, Tony has closed 624+ transactions with sales volume over $100M, while The Key Team has surpassed 1,000 transactions and $161M in sales.
Tony is also deeply involved in leadership, serving as 2024–2025 President of the Central Illinois Board of REALTORS® and contributing to Illinois REALTORS® committees. He and his team have been voted Readers’ Choice “Best Team” five years running, while Tony himself has been named “Best Real Estate Agent” five different years. With 94 Zillow reviews, 131 Google reviews, and dozens more across Realtor.com and Facebook, his track record is backed by consistent client satisfaction.
Outside of real estate, Tony is dedicated to his family, his four children, and his wife, Alyssa. He serves on local boards, supports nonprofit organizations, and is an avid CrossFit athlete and coach—most notably completing a Guinness World Record of 26,100 air squats in 24 hours. Guided by The Key Team’s motto, “Where Every Key Counts,” Tony believes the four keys to a great real estate experience are integrity, communication, education, and celebration. For buyers, sellers, and investors across Central Illinois, he offers both local roots and proven expertise.
Home Types:
House, Lot/Land, Commercial, Condo, Manufactured, MultiFamily
Years of Experience:
8
Education:
University of Illinois, Illinois State University, and Millikin University
