Every year since 1970, neighbors in of Garden City have recognized an individual who has provided outstanding service to the community as its Citizen of the Year. At the 2015 Pineapple Ball, Vinny Muldoon, owner of Old World Quality Corporation, will be recognized with that prestigious honor.
“It is an unbelievable honor,” said Muldoon. “It is a great honor in any town but this is a fantastic town. I couldn’t be any happier for myself but this is a team effort with all of my employees and family. I couldn’t do it without them. That’s what it’s all about.”
The local contractor recently helped to retrofit Floral Park-Bellerose School teacher Josephine Klein’s home on an episode of George to the Rescue. Klein has been battling multiple sclerosis and Muldoon was part of a team that helped repair her house to make it more accessible.
Muldoon had never done a television show before but when he was asked to do George to the Rescue he only had one request.
“I said absolutely as long as its a good cause,” Muldoon said. “I’ll donate time and effort for any good cause. Once I heard they [the Kleins] were a great family, I was in and within a month we got the project done.”
While the show features some aspects of Muldoon’s work on the Klein’s house, it doesn’t emphasize how involved he was in the project. The Garden City business owner was so involved in getting others to help make the Floral Park home accessible to the schoolteacher and that is something that she will always be grateful for.
“His work was incredible,” Klein said. “I think of him as nothing short of an angel. I am truly thankful to him every day when I come back to my home.”
Muldoon emigrated from Ireland to the United States in 1986 and lived in Boston to start off until he met his future wife and moved to New York. It was there where he knew that creating his own company like Old World Quality Corporation was in his future.
“I knew it was very ambitious but I wanted to start my own business,” Muldoon said.
The company started off in 1993 with just one-pick up truck and now employs more than 150 people. The first job Muldoon and his crew worked on was the repair of the St. James restaurant and 21 years later, “the rest is history,” Muldoon said.
The Irishman finds it a great combination to live and work in the same town. To be surrounded by friends and neighbors means that Muldoon and his employees for Old World Quality Corporation always “have to be on” to make sure there are no mistakes in their work. Still Muldoon sees living in Garden City as the “American dream” and the company he works for just makes life even better.
“There is nothing more satisfying then creating something for a lifetime,” Muldoon said. “We love what we do and you can’t wing it.”
The owner of the Garden City-based company says their main goal as contractors is to provide the best service and product in what they do. With an athletic background in his past, Muldoon never wants to be second best in anything and his unbelievable reputation including a Contractor of the Year award from Nassau County proves his goals are being achieved.
When it comes to the proudest moment in his career as a contractor in Garden City, Muldoon admits that it’s hard to top being named the Citizen of the Year in a village with more than 23,000 people.
“You put your heart and soul into being a good person and hope people see it,” Muldoon said. “This really validates and shows they appreciate it. It feels good that the majority of people appreciate it.”
