Anton Markola

He went from small-town boy to the Manager of the Year in one the world’s largest metropolises. 

For Anton Markola, the inspirational journey of becoming the Manager of Year in New York began in a village in Albania. Halfway between the historic Albanian towns of Shkodër and Ulqin there lies the picturesque village of Kllezna. Kllezna is a small village, but with a very large footprint and prominent history. It has a history of brotherly co-existence between Christians and Muslims that spans back centuries. It was also known at one point for having a church for each day in the calendar year. In more recent history, Kllezna developed a reputation for having an extremely high percentage of highly educated people in its population. Unfortunately, the village is also known for a large migration of its population.