HL | Milestone Series – Honors Classico Building Maintenance

HL | Milestone Series – Honors Classico Building Maintenance

May 15, 2026 | Milestone

HL | Milestone Series – Honors Classico Building Maintenance

Building New York City While Creating Opportunity Through Entrepreneurial Leadership

For more than two decades, Maria D. Rios has built a company that reflects the power of vision, perseverance, and operational excellence.

As President and CEO of Classico Building Maintenance, Maria has grown the firm into one of New York State’s most successful Minority Women Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (MWDBEs), delivering custodial building maintenance, construction cleaning, and trade labor services to some of the region’s most significant public and private development projects.

Classico Building Maintenance,will be recognized during the HL | Milestone Series — New York, taking place on May 20, 2026. This invitation-only reception brings together a curated audience of executives, entrepreneurs, and community leaders for an evening of connection, conversation, and recognition.

👉 Event details & RSVP: https://bit.ly/4bApDkE

Maria Rios’ milestone is defined by building a company that has helped shape New York City’s skyline while creating opportunities for workers, partners, and communities throughout the region.

Maria Rios, Classico Building Maintenance Inc.

From iconic infrastructure projects to mixed-use developments, Classico has contributed to some of New York City’s most recognizable projects, including Moynihan Train Hall, Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, Yankee Stadium, John F. Kennedy International Airport Terminal 8, and LaGuardia Airport.

Under Maria’s leadership, Classico has earned long-standing relationships with major developers, construction managers, and government agencies. The company has provided mechanical maintenance services for more than nine years at Bronx Terminal Market, supported the redevelopment of JFK Terminal 8, and delivered multi-year services for La Central.

Maria’s accomplishments have been recognized by the Bronx Borough President, the New York State Comptroller, chambers of commerce, and industry organizations. She is also a graduate of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program and other executive development initiatives that helped strengthen her entrepreneurial journey.

Milestone Moments

  • President and CEO of Classico Building Maintenance, one of New York’s leading MWDBE firms.
  • Delivered services on landmark projects including Moynihan Train Hall, JFK Terminal 8, and LaGuardia Airport.
  • Built long-term partnerships with top developers, contractors, and public agencies.
  • Completed the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program.
  • Recognized by government, business, and community organizations for entrepreneurial achievement.
  • Created a company that continues to generate jobs and economic opportunity throughout New York City.

Maria D. Rios’ leadership reflects the power of entrepreneurship, resilience, and a commitment to excellence. Her work demonstrates that business success and community impact can go hand in hand.

The HL | Milestone Series is a national platform designed to celebrate leadership across business, community, education, and innovation.

The 2026 HL | Milestone Series is made possible through the support of Wells Fargo, the series’ funding partner, whose commitment to community engagement and financial empowerment helps bring these important conversations and recognitions to life.

Westchester County: Where Wealth, Access, and Influence Continue to Shape the Future

Westchester County: Where Wealth, Access, and Influence Continue to Shape the Future

May 7, 2026 | Business

Westchester County: Where Wealth, Access, and Influence Continue to Shape the Future

by Richard Sandoval, for HL and Home, Tu Casa

For generations, Westchester County has represented a unique intersection of wealth, proximity, education, and influence.

Located just north of New York City, Westchester has long attracted corporate executives, entrepreneurs, financial professionals, healthcare leaders, athletes, entertainers, and an increasingly influential multicultural professional class seeking both opportunity and quality of life.

Today, the county continues to evolve not simply as a suburban extension of Manhattan, but as a powerful economic region in its own right.

For HL, Westchester represents more than affluence. It reflects a broader conversation about access, ownership, generational opportunity, and how communities continue redefining influence in one of the nation’s most competitive economic corridors.

A County Built on Access

One of Westchester County’s greatest assets has always been location.

Residents can access Manhattan by rail in under an hour while maintaining proximity to some of the Northeast’s most desirable residential communities. Over time, that accessibility helped fuel a concentration of wealth tied to finance, law, healthcare, media, technology, and corporate leadership.

Communities such as Scarsdale, Rye, Bronxville, White Plains, and New Rochelle have become synonymous with strong school systems, real estate stability, professional networks, and long-term investment potential.

At the same time, Westchester’s economic story continues expanding beyond traditional perceptions of wealth.

A growing number of Latino professionals, entrepreneurs, healthcare executives, small business owners, and civic leaders are helping reshape the county’s business and cultural landscape building companies, purchasing homes, supporting educational advancement, and creating pathways for future generations.

Westchester County by the Numbers (2025–2026)

  • Median Household Income
    $118,976
    Among the highest median household incomes in New York State.
  • Per Capita Income
    $72,705
    Reflecting the county’s concentration of high-earning professional households.
  • Median Single-Family Home Price (2025)
    $985,000
    Up approximately 6.5% year-over-year.
  • Average Single-Family Home Price
    $1.31 Million
    Demonstrating continued strength in the luxury and executive housing markets.
  • Residential Real Estate Sales Volume
    More than $6.3 Billion
    Westchester residential sales volume increased over 10% in 2025.
  • Number of Households
    Approximately 373,000 households
    Supporting a large, affluent suburban economy tied to New York City.

Real Estate Remains Central to Generational Wealth

Like many affluent regions across the United States, real estate continues to play a defining role in wealth creation throughout Westchester County.

Homeownership in established communities has historically provided families with long-term equity growth, financial stability, and intergenerational opportunity. Even amid changing market conditions, Westchester real estate remains among the most competitive in the region.

For many families, ownership is not simply about property value it represents stability, education access, business leverage, retirement planning, and legacy building.

That conversation increasingly resonates with younger professionals and first-generation homeowners seeking to establish long-term roots while remaining connected to New York City’s economic ecosystem.

As housing inventory, interest rates, and affordability continue shaping national conversations, Westchester remains an important case study in how location, infrastructure, and community investment influence long-term value.

The Evolution of Influence

The image of Westchester County is also evolving.

Today’s leadership community reflects a wider range of voices and experiences across business, media, healthcare, education, public service, and entrepreneurship.

Professionals who once viewed Westchester primarily as a commuter destination are increasingly investing directly into the region’s business ecosystem launching companies, opening offices, supporting nonprofits, and participating in civic and cultural initiatives.

That evolution mirrors a broader national trend:
Influence is no longer defined solely by title or institution. It is increasingly measured by visibility, access, collaboration, and the ability to create opportunity for others.

For HL, that perspective aligns directly with the ongoing conversations surrounding culture, leadership, business growth, and community impact.

Why Westchester Matters to HL

For more than 30 years, HL has documented the stories of leaders, entrepreneurs, organizations, and communities shaping culture and influence across the country.

Westchester County represents an important part of that conversation.

Its proximity to New York City, concentration of professional talent, evolving demographic landscape, and long-standing connection to finance, media, healthcare, and education make it one of the most influential regions in the Northeast.

As HL continues expanding its presence in the New York market through the HL | Milestone Series, the county offers important insight into how wealth, leadership, and community continue to evolve together.

The future of influence in America will not be defined by a single city or industry.

It will be shaped in communities like Westchester  where access, ambition, culture, and long-term investment continue to intersect in real time.

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