I met Barry Dunaway in the fall of 1984 at a dinner meeting of financial analysts. Another analyst had pointed him out and had remarked about Barry’s talents. During the next decade, I was impressed with Barry’s deep financial knowledge, and more than a little intimidated by his centered focus on investing.
Barry had grasped the concept of investing like he was the owner of a business. He looked for companies that were well run and whose businesses created long strings of profitability without having to make crazy “bets.” Obviously, Barry had picked these traits up from following another Omaha investor, Warren Buffett. (In fact, Barry’s dad had worked for National Indemnity, an early part of Buffett’s empire). I believed that Barry was a good example for me to emulate.
In the late 1990’s, I was able to work with Barry. We were at an investment firm that had been focused on investing in a way similar to that “Buffett way.” I learned that Barry is not only truly talented in investment research, but he is also a very nice person who has a great sense of humor. (I think Rhonda, his wife, has much to do with these qualities). I generally used up a lot of Barry’s time talking and listening to him. It seems that we only get a few of these opportunities in our careers and I relished this.
Keeping the Focus
Later, after I had come to America First, we had come to a critical point in our development. We were growing, but we needed to keep to our roots. In 2004, too many other firms had fallen for buying sparkly things and had paid the price for their wandering eyes. We needed someone with a stalwart investment focus who could look for diamonds and sift out cubic zirconia. I picked up the phone and called Barry Dunaway.
I wished I could say that I had a strategy for my call to him, or that I was optimistic that he would like to come and help us. Neither of these things were true! I just felt that I would be foolish not to ask the person that I thought would be the best fit for our firm if he’d be interested. Thankfully, Barry agreed!
AFIA is an amalgamation of friends, each with different backgrounds and talents who work together to help our client friends reach their long-term financial goals. You might think that Barry’s part in this is to choose attractive long-term investments. That is only part of his work. As Managing Director, Barry reinforces our investing and service philosophy. He orients our team and our clients towards long-term success. Beneath his gentle manner, he is a touchstone who helps guide us. If you ever come to our office and wonder where we are, you probably will find us hanging out around his desk, drinking a soda, and picking his brain.
Please join with us in thanking Barry for not only answering the phone in early 2004, but for his guidance, direction, and friendship over the past two decades. We look forward to many more years of drawing on his experience and perspective.
Eric Ball, CFA
Chief Executive Officer
America First Investment Advisors, LLC
Omaha, Nebraska
This post expresses the views of the author as of the date of publication. America First Investment Advisors has no obligation to update the information in it. Be aware that past performance is no indication of future performance, and that wherever there is the potential for profit there is also the possibility of loss.
