In 1999, Nanula ran for the open position of Buffalo City Comptroller, when the incumbent, Joel Giambra, stepped down to run for Erie County Executive. During his campaign, Nanula was criticized by opponents for wanting the position in order to better his credentials to run for state comptroller. Nanula was elected defeating Common Council Minority Leader Kevin Helfer. In 2001 and 2002, after State Comptroller Carl McCall launched a campaign for governor, Nanula announced his candidacy for the Democratic nomination for State Comptroller. Nanula campaigned around the state and then dropped out of the race before the primary and endorsed former New York City Comptroller Alan Hevesi. After Hevesi was elected State Comptroller, he appointed Nanula as a Deputy State Comptroller. Nanula resigned his city post to accept the state post. As a Deputy State Comptroller, Nanula was responsible for advising local governments on financial issues and for upstate economic development policy. Business career Nanula began his career working for his father's grocery store, Tops Friendly Markets. From 1988-1994, Nanula served as the President of Nanco Enterprises, Inc. a New York based commercial and industrial park operator and developer. In 1992, he and his three brothers co-founded Essex Homes of WNY, Inc., a well-respected regional homebuilder. Essex has built over 1,300 mid-market and upscale homes throughout New York. He was responsible in co-founding North America Center, a 425-acre industrial and commercial park in Western New York. It exists today as one of the largest public/private real estate partnerships in New York State history. Business ventures and investments Anthony Nanula is the Chief Investment Officer of Sinatra & Company Real Estate. He also serves as the Principal of The Nanco Group, owned by the highly respected Nanula Family, well known for their successes in the retail marketplace with Tops Friendly Markets and more recently Wilson Farms Stores. In 2005, he and his brothers successfully led a leveraged buyout of Wilson Farms, a subsidiary of Tops Friendly Markets, which was sold to 7-Eleven in 2011. Wilson Farms was a chain of approximately 200 convenience stores and was ranked as one of the 50 largest convenience chains in the country. In 2004, Nanula launched Niagara International Capital Ltd., a registered Broker Dealer (Member FINRA and SIPC) and Registered Investment Adviser that provides investment banking and strategic advisory services, asset management and retail brokerage accounts, and registration and compliance support services to advisors, RIAs