From the Beatrice Inn to Wall Street: Vivian Cardia's Remarkable Journey

Vivian Cardia's life is a quintessential New York story. Growing up, she witnessed the vibrant heart of the city's high society firsthand, working at the legendary Beatrice Inn in the West Village. She recalls a clientele that included Woody Allen, Mia Farrow, Gena Rowlands, Charles Kuralt, and the Lovin' Spoonful. But her grounded perspective stemmed from her hardworking immigrant family.

Her grandparents' love story is one for the ages. They met, married in New York, returned to Italy, and then, after World War II devastated their homeland, her grandfather instructed her mother to return to New York and summon him and her grandmother. Similarly, her parents' romance began with a chance meeting facilitated by the American and Italian Navies at the New Yorker Hotel. "I can honestly say that I was made in Italy and Born in the USA!" she proudly exclaims.

After graduating from Notre Dame High School and Fordham University, Cardia made history as the first Italian-American woman to trade on the American Stock Exchange, facing the chaos of Black Monday in 1987. She later took over the family business.

Today, Cardia serves on the board of John Cabot University in Rome and actively supports young Italian-American scholars through the Columbus Citizens Foundation in New York. Her journey embodies the spirit of perseverance and achievement, a true testament to the dynamism of the New York experience.