Immigrant. Entrepreneur. Husband. Father. Nominee for the United States Congress in New York's 14th District.
My story began on a small farm in Kosovo in 1982, where 36 members of my extended family lived together in three farm homes. My parents worked long hours in factories under the former Yugoslav communist regime, and despite having little, our home was rich with love, family, and opportunity. That life changed dramatically in 1991 when, at just nine years old, I fled Kosovo with my family as a communist dictatorship tightened its grip and instability spread across the region. We arrived in the Bronx carrying little more than a suitcase and hope. Growing up in one of New York City's toughest neighborhoods, I faced poverty, gangs, and language barriers, while also enduring the pain of seeing my homeland torn apart by conflict. Yet those experiences taught me the values that continue to guide my life today: resilience, accountability, perseverance, and the belief that strong communities can overcome even the greatest challenges.
By age 11, I was already working, delivering newspapers, shoveling snow, and learning the construction trade alongside my father. After earning an associate's degree, I chose entrepreneurship over a traditional career path and launched my first construction company in 2005. When the financial crisis of 2008 forced that company to close, I lost everything and had to start over. Refusing to give up, I worked three jobs to rebuild my future, selling cars, driving nights, and taking construction jobs on weekends, often carrying my suits, work boots, and work clothes in the trunk of my car as I moved from one job to the next. In 2014, I founded DCG New York Inc., overcoming long odds to build a successful construction and development company in Midtown Manhattan. Today, DCG has contributed to the development of more than one million square feet of residential and commercial projects, luxury homes, acclaimed restaurants, and innovative developments across New York, Miami, and beyond. Through years of hard work, sacrifice, and determination, I built not only a business but a reputation for leadership, innovation, and delivering results.
For 35 years, New York has been my home. I am a devoted husband, father, entrepreneur, and proud member of the community. Since 2017, I have been married to my college sweetheart, Tereza, and together we are raising our two young children in New York. Our mixed-faith household reflects the American values of religious freedom, mutual respect, tolerance, and cultural pride that we are committed to passing on to our children. My journey from immigrant child to business owner has shown me both the struggles families face and the opportunities they work so hard to create for the next generation. I am not a career politician or a college-to-Congress insider. I am an immigrant who built a life through hard work, overcame setbacks time and again, and remains deeply grateful for the opportunities America provided my family. I am living proof that the American Dream is still alive, and I remain committed to representing the United States with pride, gratitude, and unwavering dedication. My campaign is about more than politics; it is about people, opportunity, and ensuring that every family, every neighborhood, and every New Yorker has a voice in shaping our future.
