George Vega
Honorary Marshal - 2019
Mr. Gorge Vega was born in Bayamo, Cuba on September 08, 1946. He truly exemplifies the sacrifices of all hardworking immigrants in search of the American Dream. At the age of 13, he bravely came to the United States on July 10, 1959 and immigrated to Elizabeth, New Jersey.
He completed his educational studies here in Elizabeth and attended Cleveland & Jefferson High School. One of his very first employment opportunities was on East Jersey & Second Street working at a family member’s gas station, pursuing his passion for vehicles and learning the mechanical trade.
In 1962 thru 1969, Mr. Vega worked at the Union County Buick in Elizabeth, NJ. Not long after, his hard work and entrepreneurial spirit drove him to invest in 1969, by renting and later coming to own Elmora Gas Station in Elizabeth, NJ and later in 1992, he bought AA Auto Body, both of which he still owns today.
Mr. Vega’s strong love for cars and his talent for mechanics has enabled his passion and investment to grow into an eclectic personal collection of over 50 vehicles, spanning from diverse makes and models. [Including but not limited to one of three Lincoln models in the world. Which he houses right here in Elizabeth, New Jersey.]
Mr. Vega is one, to keep a very humble and low “behind the scenes” profile and can still often be found under a hood, working on one of his or his customer’s cars. His love for service, not just in within the automotive industry, has outpoured into several personal mentorships, and into several local communities, one being the Elizabeth Portuguese Community.
Year after year, for over 15+ years, he has selfless shared his car collection to honor our dignitaries of the Elizabeth Portugal Day Parade. Our Grand Marshals, Honorary Marshals, and the Families of Posthumous Marshals have been proudly escorted down Elizabeth Avenue in style, with grace and elegance. Thanks to Mr. Gorge’s generosity of providing the vehicles, gas and drivers (at no cost to the committee). Throughout all these years, our Elizabeth Portugal Day Parade has truly had a distinguished caliber of visibility through his antique cars carrying our dignitaries, and together marking our Portuguese community’s legacy in the City of Elizabeth.
He also proudly shares his cars at Elizabeth carshows and with other Elizabeth ethnic communities at their Annual: Cuban Day Parades, Puerto Rican Day Parades, Peruvian Day Parades, and the Pulaski Parade Day Parades up 5th Avenue in NYC.
After many years of hard work, Mr. Vegas was later able to bring his parents from Cuba in late 1990’s. 52 years ago, on December 8th, 1966 he married his middle- school sweet Ms. Darleen Vega. They are currently residing in Union County, not to far away in neighboring Clark, New Jersey and they are the proud parents of 3 grown children: Gorge Vega Jr., Rickey Vega, and Jeffery Vega and they have 6 adorable grandchildren.