David A. Tiberii.

AuthorBoynton, Donna
PositionLocal

Byline: Donna Boynton

Age: 67

Address: 1 Bayberry Lane, Worcester, originally from Southbridge.

Occupation: Semi-retired lawyer, wine importer/distributor with Panther Distribution

Family: Married to Jean Killeen for 15 years, two adult children

After more than 40 years as a lawyer, David A. Tiberii decided to semi-retire. While he maintains a limited law practice, Mr. Tiberii now focuses on his hobby, wine. Today, he is the Central Massachusetts sales rep for Panther Distributing. "My hobby has become my future,'' Mr. Tiberii said. I haven't given up the practice of law, it is still something I have a passion for, but I wanted to do something different than what I was doing for the past 41 years. This is a lot less stressful. It's a second career for me that came out of my hobby; it's an avocation.''

Tell me about your career as a lawyer before you became a wine importer.

"I passed the bar in 1971 after graduating from Case Western Reserve University School of Law. I earned by undergraduate degree at UMass Amherst. I began working as a lawyer for the state of Massachusetts Office of the Attorney General. I spent four or five years there and left that position to take the position of assistant clerk of court at Dudley District Court. I was there for six or seven years and left that for a partnership in a private practice. That ultimately dissolved and I ran a solo practice in Dudley until 2007. Then, I took a position with the Worcester District Attorney's Office, where I was until the spring of 2010. Shortly after that I looked around and didn't know if I wanted to continue full-time in law.''

How did you become a wine importer?

"I've always had a penchant for food and wine. It's always been my passion. I looked around with my friends and found Panther Distribution. I started with Panther in 2011, and I am still doing some private practice, but focusing more on wine. It's a win-win.''

When did your passion for wine begin?

"A lot of people ask me that, and I tell them this story: It began when I was about 3 years old. Being the grandson of Italian-American immigrants, we always shared food and wine together. My great-grandfather, grandfather, father and uncles always made wine. One day, they were all in my uncle's wine cellar crushing grapes. My great-grandfather was sitting to the side watching and directing, and I was sort of underfoot. I was close to the grape crusher, patting down the grapes in the crusher. My great-grandfather, he had...

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