Why Ken Vona Believes in Giving Back

While Ken’s known for being one of the most exceptional builders in his field, he’s also become known for his deep commitment to philanthropy. Whether it’s his local community or people who need help in other parts of the country, Ken is on the front lines of giving back. And his enthusiasm for helping others is contagious in leading the company culture while inspiring others as well. Everybody at Kenneth Vona & Son Construction is always willing to get into the act and give their time or their money to a “Ken Cause.”

Ken is a proponent of helping communities near and far. Take for instance, the countless hours Ken and his team have given to the Rox-Wes Pre- School, which Ken’s children, now adults, attended when they were young. Ken continues, all these years later, to lend them a hand (or two!), most recently updating their outdoor space. But Ken doesn’t just give locally, back in 2007, he took the team and headed to Waveland, Mississippi, where a 40-foot tidal wave had destroyed the coast during Hurricane Katrina. For 14 weeks, he led a building effort with 400 other skilled tradesmen and 150 volunteers who built eight new homes for those who’d lost them. Did he know anybody there? He didn’t, he just knew he had to help.

It’s no wonder that in 2016, The Foundation for MetroWest honored Ken for his philanthropic work, with their Business Community Leader Award. As a long-time trustee and former Board Chair, they were more than familiar with Ken’s exuberant generosity. As Judy Salerno, the Executive Director of MetroWest, said of Ken at the time, “Ken’s heart is much bigger than MetroWest. He cares deeply about many things and wants to help in any way he can.”

What makes a person as committed to giving to others? An award-winning, successful business owner, Ken struggled with dyslexia as a kid. He was bullied and told by his guidance counselor he’d never be more than a sanitation engineer. But instead of letting adversity define and stop him, he became a more compassionate person who wanted to help others. His challenging early experiences made Ken an adult who never passes up an opportunity to give. He believes he can make a difference, and as he says, “I just try and do the right thing, day in and day out. It’s really pretty simple.”

As his pastor Luis Lozano says of Ken, “He doesn’t seek praise for himself. He doesn’t like that. He seeks the well-being of his community and those people around him, and to me that’s the right spirit.”

The same commitment Ken has toward doing the right thing spills over into his company and his work. Return clients come back again, not just because of the beautiful homes Kenneth Vona and Son build, but because of the principles and morals that guide the building process. Check out the “Doing Good” section of our site to read more about some of the good Ken’s spearheaded throughout the years. And stay tuned here for the details of the next “Ken Cause.”