The Woman Behind It All

Tara DiLaura, wife to Pete, mother to Jillian, Andy and Tom was the driving force behind numerous meaningful contributions throughout her lifetime. As we tell the story of her life, we uncover the remarkable tale of a woman whose passion, dedication, and vision has profoundly influenced everything she touched. Follow along as we celebrate Tara's extraordinary impact on CADimensions and the enduring legacy she has left behind.

From College Sweethearts to Life Partners  

From their initial encounter at Le Moyne College to the blossoming of their relationship into marriage, Pete and Tara's story is one of love, growth, and shared dreams. “Tara was an athlete and was always very good. She could throw a football like nobody else. I was watching her from a dorm window throwing a football with a couple guys in the quad and I said I think I want to get to know that girl.  I think I may even marry her. And lo and behold, 4 years later we ended up getting married.” – Pete DiLaura, Tara’s husband and CADimensions' CEO. Their college dating experience laid the foundation for a bond that would remain throughout the years, resulting in a beautiful partnership. After graduation, Pete and Tara began building their future together, navigating the challenges and victories of balancing home life with Pete’s various professional endeavors. This journey ultimately led to the emergence of CADimensions. “When I was with Bruning, I had the desire to start my own company and looked at a couple different options but knew nothing about the reseller channel. In 1985, that is when I realized the reseller channel could be a good opportunity for me. In 1987, I left my sales positions with then Prime Computer, and went to work for a reseller business that several friends had started. Tangent, was an early resellers of CADkey software. I spent a year and a half there, and then in 1989 I broke off to create CADimensions and that’s when Tara and I started the business. We sat down and said okay, here’s what I think is going to happen as we worked out the kinks of owning a business, and she supported everything I said.” – Pete DiLaura 

Groundbreaking Triumphs While
Raising Three Children 

From the start, Tara was the anchor at home, raising Jillian, Andy and Tom. Tara's strength kept the family grounded, even during the toughest times juggling business vs household. Despite Tara's responsibilities at home, she continuously carved out time to contribute to the growth of CADimensions. This often resulted in Tara bringing her children to the office to fulfill all responsibilities simultaneously. CADimensions quickly became an extension of her family. Andy and Tom often reflect on these days due to the time they spent with their parents being immersed in the family business. Believe it or not, they made a few monumental findings at only 8 and 4 years old – don’t believe me? Check out the proof below. 

As the children grew older and more independent, Tara’s professional journey continued at CADimensions, marking a significant turning point in her life. Initially, Tara handled various administrative duties, but as the company expanded, she took on additional responsibilities beyond her administrative tasks. This included organizing company events, coordinating the monthly newsletter “The CAD”, managing HR related roles, and actively participating in the interview process to ensure that new hires aligned with the CADimensions' culture. Tara consistently made herself available to address employee concerns and offer valuable advice, prioritizing the well-being of the team above all else. She often worked behind the scenes, managing essential tasks that set both employees and the business up for success. Her ability to adapt and excel in diverse roles earned her the admiration of colleagues. “From the earliest days, Tara was a large part of the social structure of CADimensions. She was the most inviting person at the company, she’d handle introducing you to the team, keeping track of our vacation, talking us through our medical benefits, organizing company meetings, you name it. She was the glue that held everything together so well.” – Kevin Holbrook, Product Team Manager

Personal Qualities, Family Values
Leading to CADLIFE Culture 

Whether it was her infectious laughter filling the room or her devotion to touching the lives of those around her, Tara's presence was always felt. Her quick wit and genuine warmth made her a beloved figure in any setting, leaving a lasting impression on everyone she encountered.  

 “Tara's impact went directly into building the culture at CADimensions. To the Birthday cards, cakes, singing Happy Birthday, anniversary celebrations and more. She always inspired everyone to put their family first. In the business world, you get caught up in the day-to-day, but she always made it a priority to pause and ask how my wife and kids were doing. She was the rock behind the scenes that did a lot of the stuff that matters most to people.” – Jeff Lewis, VP of Operations

 “Mom’s influence is mostly on the family side of CADLIFE. Where she really excelled was making those personal connections with employees. Anytime an employee had a baby, she would make sure to order the family a baby blanket, which we still do to this day. She was very big on building that family aspect into the business. When we came together to define the culture, that area of it came directly from her.” – Andy DiLaura, President

Tara's genuine concern for others and holding family values to the highest standard resulted in serving as the bedrock upon which CADimensions' culture “CADLIFE” was built. “As soon as you met Tara, she’d make you feel as though you’ve known her for 20 years. She had a special way about her, making you feel like family. And that’s what we are striving for here at CADimensions through our CADLIFE culture. We want to make people feel like they’re a big part of our corporate family and she is responsible for starting that.” – Laura Sage, Order Processing Manager

Tara’s Legacy and Impact 

Tara's impact on others extended far beyond the confines of her immediate circle; it reverberated throughout CADimensions and beyond, leaving a lasting impression on all who had the honor of crossing paths with her. Her genuine kindness and optimism uplifted those around her, inspiring them to strive for greatness. Whether it was lending a listening ear, offering words of encouragement, or spearheading community initiatives, Tara's outstanding empathy continues to resonate with those who were around her.  

 “She always took pride in knowing who you were. If you were in a conversation with her, she spoke directly to you, she talked directly to you, nothing else got in the way. When anyone was with her, it was all about them and never her.” – Pete DiLaura 

Tara also dedicated herself wholeheartedly to serving her community through multiple volunteering efforts. For years she pledged her time to CATS, a local cancer support group for children, school events for her children and grandchildren, she was on several alumni committees at Le Moyne College, and even co-chaired the annual fundraising event for Francis House, a local home for terminally ill patients. Tara's community-driven contributions reflected her selfless spirit and commitment to making a difference in the lives of others. 

Oh, The Memories 

Tara's influence was not only significant in her actions but also in her sneezes. Laura Sage fondly recalls a lighthearted moment when everyone still worked in the office. “I’m going to miss how loud Tara would sneeze. She was on the opposite side of the office from us and we’d jump every time. Kristen (former CADimensions employee and Laura's friend) and I would just laugh so hard over it.” – Laura Sage 

Having been a successful athlete for much of her life, Sara Reynolds, our Services Team Manager, encountered numerous injuries over the years. Concerned about potentially slowing down the team in the Chase Corporate Challenge 5K in 2015, she hesitated to participate. However, Tara swiftly altered Sara's perspective by sticking by her side throughout the entire race “I knew that I was going to be the anchor of our 5K. So she grabbed me by the arm and said ‘come on, let’s do this together’ and walked with me the whole way. We talked about everything and anything. From her family to my family, to the business, we had a great time, and it went by so fast! I mean, she could have walked with anybody, but she chose to walk with me, and I really appreciated that.” – Sara Reynolds 

 “Another cultural influence that came from my mom was definitely attitude. When I was working in Rochester and she was working in Syracuse, we would chat nonstop and I can’t think of a time when she was in a bad mood at work.” – Andy DiLaura. Tara was a firm believer in being in good spirits when going into the office. This along with her ability to navigate difficult or challenging situations with grace earned her the nickname “Teflon Tara.” 

 "Tom DiLaura and I are the same age, so we both started our career at CADimensions about 15 years ago when we were fresh out of college. When Tom was younger, Tara would always leave work at like 2 o’clock to get him off the bus. Even after years had passed, at 2 o’clock every day Tara would say, ‘I need to leave to get Tom off the bus.’ I would always laugh and say, Tom's in the office right next to you.” – Jeff Lewis 

And to further expand on Jeff’s memory, we hear from Tom himself, “My mom was a big proponent of work-life balance. Every day that she was working, she made sure to be home to get me off the bus. And that became a running joke throughout the years that she’d have to leave work at 2 o’clock to go get Thomas off the bus. That went right up to the point where I was working in the office next to her and she was still leaving at 2 to get Thomas off the bus!” – Tom DiLaura, VP of Technical Services

Back in 2015, there was a 25-year anniversary celebration for CADimensions and Tara was handling coordination of hotel reservations for the entire company. Kevin Holbrook had initially decided not to attend due to challenges in finding sitters for his children. “We had triplets at home that were only a year old. We were like ‘How are we going to do this?’” Kevin mentioned. Right before it was too late, Kevin and his wife found sitters for their four children. From there, Kevin anxiously fired off a last-minute request to Tara in hopes she could assist “So I sent her an email and said, hey, I hope it's not too late to add the hotel.” Their email correspondence was extremely lighthearted in nature, which set the stage for a bond that continued to flourish over years of working together. “She was very welcoming regardless of the situation. When you’re in that position ordering hotel rooms for people I'm sure it was an inconvenience, but she always knew how to make things fun.” – Kevin Holbrook

Both Laura and Jeff have been with CADimensions for 15 years and Dave Murray will be hitting his 30-year anniversary this year! (Jeff is located to the right of Pete in the white shirt, Laura is front and center and Dave is all the way on the right). 

The Collaborative Journey of “PeteandTara,” Gary, and Linda 

During their time at Le Moyne College, Pete and Tara became very close friends with Gary McHugh. Gary was Pete’s roommate and once Pete and Tara “or PeteandTara – one word, began dating” – Gary, their connection unfolded into a lifelong friendship. After graduation, Pete and Tara maintained close ties with Gary, and when CADimensions was established, Pete enlisted Gary's company as a product supplier, after he had already hired his wife Linda years earlier as the company bookkeeper. As CADimensions expanded, Pete needed additional help and asked Gary to join the team, initially focusing on new products and marketing. As they all became more engaged in the business their roles emerged into the corporate structure we see today. The enduring friendship among Pete, Tara, Gary, and Linda bloomed over the years, their collective efforts contributing significantly to CADimensions' inception and subsequent success. 

“Tara had her hand in everything. She answered most of the calls that came through. All of our customers knew Tara. They enjoyed speaking with her and they trusted she would get them what they needed every time.” – Gary McHugh 

Pete, Tara, Gary and Linda

Continuing to Inspire and Guide the Business into the Future 

Tara's memory serves as a guiding light, continuing to inspire those who worked with her. Her essence is deeply ingrained in the fabric of CADimensions' culture, consistently leading the team in their daily endeavors. Tara's enduring spirit serves as a constant reminder of the importance of kindness, compassion, and community, fostering a work environment where individuals feel valued, supported, and empowered to reach their full potential. Her love and natural integrity influenced her family to continue to carry on her legacy through the CADimensions culture even into the future – ensuring that CADimensions remains not only a thriving business but one of the best places to work for years to come. 

 “A lot of the decisions we make as a business, we always point back to CADLIFE. The family and attitude aspects are constantly being brought into any path we go down, and we don’t want to lose that. So when faced with questions like ‘is this the best decision for our employees?’ or ‘is this what we should do to keep the business growing?’ this is when Tara’s impact continues to be a driving force for us.” – Tom DiLaura 

 “Her guidance is to treat everyone like family. She had the ability to make an instant connection. Always making people feel comfortable, like engaging with a family member. So, our plan is to continue to carry that forward.” –  Andy DiLaura 

CADimensions Crew Throughout The Years

2010 Kick-Off Meeting

2015 Anniversary Party

2023 July Company Meeting

You Will Live in Our Hearts Forever

In honoring Tara, we recognize the significant impact she had on the development of our CADimensions family. Her vitality will continue to inspire us, guide our actions, and refine our culture. The memory of Tara will live eternally in our hearts, encouraging us to uphold the values she cherished and continuing to strive for success each and every day. 

Acknowledgments 

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Pete, Andy, Tom, Gary, Linda, Sara, Laura, Jeff, Kevin, and the entire team for their invaluable contributions in making this blog a meaningful piece. Your dedication, insights, and collaboration have brought depth to our message. And for that, we are truly grateful, thank you. – CADimensions Marketing Team 

 “I think it’s important to celebrate Tara’s life. Her countless contributions and how she managed to balance everything. Being a successful wife, mother, business owner, and friend. All while making it look effortless. Even while facing cancer, her attitude towards life and her relationships never changed. And for that, we will always remember her for her incredible strength.” – Sara Reynolds 

 “It was her ability to keep a sense of humor and joy in her life even when faced with the darkest moments. Wherever she went, she brought smiles and laughter to everyone around her. I will always remember her laugh and the great jokes she made.” – Jeff Lewis 

 “She was like an open book. Unlike most people who tend to keep their personal lives separate, especially at work, Tara shared stories about her family and all the unique experiences they had. She was always eager to incorporate the family aspect into our business by giving us the opportunity to do the same.” – Kevin Holbrook 

 “Tara was a part of every big milestone in my life. When I think about her, I reflect on her being a big part of my story. She took me under her wing when I started my career, she attended my baby shower, wedding shower, and wedding. She was there for me with Dempsey (Laura’s son), treating him like one of her grandkids. I will always be grateful for the relationship I had with her.” – Laura Sage 

 “It was always a pleasure seeing Tara at the company meetings. She always asked how me and my family were doing and made me feel like part of the CADimensions family. I knew she had family located in Staten Island, which is near me in Long Island/New York City, so we would speak about that as well.” – John Quinn, Sr. 3DX Account Manager 

 “In all of this sweetness of Tara, don’t discount the fact that she had a viciously sarcastic sense of humor. You could always count on her to be involved in a practical joke for people. She was so fun to be around.” – Gary McHugh 

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