28 NOVEMBER 3, 2016 RIDGEWOOD TIMES WWW.QNS.COM Gina Argento a Star vschneps@ gmail.com It was a few years ago that I got to meet Gina Argento, president of Broadway Stages, at her offi ce in Greenpoint and I immediately understood her specialness. Last week, Futures in Education honored her at a sold-out, record-breaking fundraiser at the Waldorf Astoria to benefi t scholarships for children in the Diocese of Brooklyn and Queens. Well deserved! She is a beautiful person on the outside and inside, born of immigrant parents who spoke no English, yet she is living the American dream of her parents. I’m her big fan because I love a person who balances family and career. She lives in Astoria, next door to her mom, with her devoted, brilliant husband John Ciafone and their three children, while also running an extraordinarily successful business, Broadway Stages, that off ers studio space for TV and movie production. And she actively gets involved with and generously supports many community organizations, nonprofi t groups and local businesses. When we fi rst met at her Greenpoint studios, she showed me the booklet she was creating in full color for her “tenants” (the movie studio employees) with pictures and profi les of the businesses in the neighborhood so they would know where to fi nd delis, caterers, dry cleaners, restaurants and more, basically to support businesses within a few blocks of where they are working – her Broadway Stages! With her parents working two jobs, they sent her to Catholic schools her entire life and she received her master’s degree from St. John’s University. At the impressive gala honoring her achievements, she shared with the audience her belief that “I persevered and obtained an education that nurtured my faith in God, which ultimately enabled me to get to where I am today,” and has she come a long way! While still in school, she worked with her brother Anthony to help him fulfi ll “his dream” of creating a full fi lm and television production company. Today, the company has studios in Queens and Brooklyn and plans to turn the closed Arthur Kill Correctional Facility on Staten Island into a fi lm studio. Popular shows such as “Third Watch,” “The Good Wife,” “Blue Bloods,” “Mr. Robot,” “Madame Secretary,” Marvel Comics TV shows and many more have fi lmed at Broadway Stages! Besides providing endless jobs, Gina and her brother have put into action their belief that “as a corporate entity, we must invest in children and schools in all the city because educational programs enrich the lives of children – our future.” She shared this philosophy with the attentive audience brought together by the indomitable, stunningly successful development leader of Futures in Education Monsignor Jamie Gigantiello. When I was recently honored by the Ridgewood YMCA, I saw a powerful video and photographs of kids who benefi t from coming to the Y. When I commented on its quality, the Y off ered that the funds for the project came from Gina and Tony Argento. I wasn’t surprised because they quietly make a diff erence every day with their activism and generosity. I love that they recently created a rooftop garden and Brooklyn’s fi rst Audubon Roof Bird and Butterfl y garden to educate children about nature that probably came out of her involvement with the Queens Botanical Gardens, where Broadway Stages sponsors aft er-school programs and summer interns. With the holiday season coming, they and their staff will again sponsor a Halloween party for kids, deliver food to the hungry for Thanksgiving and collect toys with the local police precincts for Christmas. Neighborhood aft er neighborhood has benefi ted thanks to her philosophy that “our neighborhoods are only as good as the schools and children in them,” as she said at the dinner honoring her. How fortunate I feel to have Gina as a friend and role model for all of us. How great a country we are that through hard work and education, the dream of her Italian-speaking parents for their children to have a better life has come true! Victoria’s Secrets Victoria SCHNEPS-YUNIS tweet me @vschneps Msgr. Jamie Gigantiello, Honoree Gina Argento and Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio The Argento family, staff and friends Broadway Stages partner and brother Tony Argento, with Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio, Gina Argento, and Msgr. Jamie Gigantiello
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