CDLH 2017 Spring Gala Journal

Growing Stronger Toge t her

Growing Stronger Toge t her

Octavio Cardona

Lia Di Angelo-Allan

Founder Chardonas Key Lock Service, Inc.

Executive Floral Designer Westbury Floral Designs

Lia was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina on December 18th, 1971. Daughter of Eric Di Angelo and Patricia del Valle Baralo, she grew up in a house of artists. Her parents Eric and Patricia created the dance duet, “Duo Acuario”, and traveled all over Europe performing tango shows in the 80’s. Lia’s love for tango and Argentinean culture started at a young age with her parent’s background and increased when she moved to USA in 1987. Being away from her Patria, gave her a sense of missing home and her Argentinean traditions. In the last 28 years, even though she has been away from her “home” she has cultivated her culture in her daily life and in the life of her children. From drinking mate, eating empanadas and asado, listening to tango and folklore and of course, teaching them Spanish! Lia has four children, Luigi (25), Antonella (23), Cameron (6) and Kate (5). She also has a grandson, Liam (1) who lives in Hawaii with Luigi and Megan, his parents. Lia is married to Gordon Allan, a gringo with Scottish background who speaks Spanish pretty well and loves her Argentinean accent! Lia carries a crown for Argentina since May of 2016, with the title of ‘Señora Bonita International y Belleza Latina 2016”. As the Queen of Argentina in New York, she is happy to have been giving the homage by Gil Bernardino to be honored at this important gala. One of her dreams is to help everyone, especially around the Holiday Season. This is why in December of 2016 she created a “Zumbathon”, at the YMCA in Glen Cove. Over 250 toys were collected and donated to The Toys for Tots organization and the “Yes We Can Center” in Westbury. She received a citation from NY State Assemblyman Chuck Levine and a special Thank You from Nassau County Legislator Siela Bynoe. Lia is the co-owners of “Westbury Floral Designs”, a flower shop in Westbury with her business partner Tracy Rhee. Together they create beauty daily and bring smiles to many people and events. Lia has been honored and recognized with a Citation of Nassau County, by the Nassau County Executive, as an American Latina Business woman who has contributed to the economic, social and cultural enrichment of Nassau County. Her business has been named the “Business of the Year-Negocio del Año” en los Premios Hispanos Al Talento Latino en Febrero del 2017. She has also been chosen to be part of the DRI Grant Committee with Mayor Cavallaro of Westbury. This committee will be important in the process of determining how best to utilize the $10 million grant for downtown Westbury. Lia loves giving back to the community, helping the less fortunate, helping the church and missionaries and re-inventing herself daily to be a better person, woman, wife, mother, friend, partner, daughter and sister. Her new ideas in giving back to the community include a “Back to School Program” in Westbury and Glen Cove, a “Keep Moving Program” to help people understand the importance of healthy living, detox and exercising.

In 1972, Octavio Cardona traveled to New York from Colombia to start a new life. With little money, he worked odd jobs until he found himself a job at a factory making fabric in Brooklyn, NY. In 1979, he found employment as a superintendent in a six-apartment building complex in Long Beach, New York, making $119 dollars a week. With his wife, Rosa Cardona and young son in tow they began their new venture. Years later, now a father of two, he was promoted to a much larger apartment building called The Beach House in Long Beach. Here is where his good friend gave him his first key cutting machine. He found his niche, there is where he started teaching himself about the craft of locksmithing which he now masters today. Octavio and Rosa worked hard every day showing their young children the value of hard work. While Octavio was going to night school in New York City to obtain his locksmith license, he would leave at 4:00 am to catch the train and not come back until late at night. Rosa attended to the responsibilities of the building and to the needs of their two young kids so he could get his training. Making sure the garbage was picked up on every floor, the hallways were cleaned and the lobby was mopped were no ordinary chores for children. For that reason Octavio’s kids have learned the value of hard work and have excelled in their own professional lives. The determination and focus to become a better man and to build a better life for his family was the driving force to his business success. His first investment was a small work van that the family now calls “Ol’ Faithful” and there is where he ventured off doing local service calls. When he was finally able to support his family full time and purchase his first home, like a true entrepreneur, he took a risk and opened up a shop in Oceanside which he named Chardonas Key Lock Service, Inc. The vision never stopped, even with English being his second language he was able to overcome any obstacles and barriers that came his way. With his son by his side his business began to flourish. The business expanded from one work truck to a fleet of work vans and employees, providing residential service calls to local customers and landing large commercial accounts. There was no limit to where his drive was going to lead him. After many years his son José would go off to run his own successful business called No Limit Auto Body, leaving his second child, Vanneza the opportunity to help run the business. With the guidance and mentorship of her father and brother, Vanneza was able to find her niche in this business. Together they have continued to build Chardonas by relocating and purchasing their building now situated in Island Park. With growing success Chardonas Key Lock Service, Inc. has now become one of the tri-states’ largest locksmith companies. Now certified as Minority and Women Owned Enterprise by New York, the sky is the limit. Octavio Cardona hard work and ambition is the foundation of the business he built.

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