The story of Vittorio Grossi is an inspiring chronicle of a dynamic, hardworking immigrant who pulled himself up by his bootstraps to pioneer a successful, caring business enterprise. Mr Grossi immigrated from Italy in 1956 with very humble means. But what he lacked in resources, he amply made up for in boundless ambition and drive. He’d always dreamed of starting his own company, and he set out to do just that.

Mr Grossi was great at networking and knew his strength was working with people. That naturally steered him towards a career in real estate, and he set his sights on obtaining his real estate license. With little fluency in English, he relied on the English/Italian dictionary (there was no Google Translate in those days!) to help guide him through the course material. He successfully received his license in 1966 and there was no looking back after that.

After a few years of working as a real estate Salesman and gaining valuable experience and contacts, Mr Grossi was ready to establish his own company. In 1970, V. Grossi Real Estate Ltd. started operations with an office at Dufferin St. and St. Clair Ave. in Toronto. The early years were challenging but Mr Grossi persisted in his efforts, never losing sight of his goal of helping his fellow new immigrants realize their home ownership dreams.

Soon the business was growing, and Mr. Grossi became a popular and influential business leader in the St. Clair and Oakwood community. His quick wit and charm made him a people person and he had a unique way of making his clients feel special. In 1981, he changed his company name to Intercity Realty Inc., Brokerage and relocated his office to North York. By the early 1980’s Vaughan was emerging as the epicenter of Italian culture in the GTA with generations of Italians – Mr Grossi’s principal clientele – moving there in large numbers. Quick to recognize trends, Mr Grossi made the astute decision to move his business and family to Vaughan. In 1988, he opened the first Intercity office in Vaughan and set about establishing his name and reputation in the new location.

The groundwork for succession in the family business took root when Mr Grossi’s son, Lou Grossi, joined the firm in 1988 and introduced a new business perspective with the potential to take Intercity to the next level of service and value. The company grew rapidly as new development boomed and population rose, leading to the opening of a second Vaughan office in 2007.

No longer content with only resales, Intercity now expanded and launched a pre-construction sales and marketing component to the company, procuring business opportunities with top builders and developers. Since then, Intercity has played a pivotal role in the success of several high-profile new developments in the Greater Toronto Area.

Through all this, Mr Grossi never relinquished his key role as a community builder and supporter. His love of family and friends was evident in all that he did. He took pleasure in celebrating his victories and milestones with everyone. He was honored for the success of Intercity Realty Inc., Brokerage with the prestigious Vaughan Chamber of Commerce Award for Professional Services. Mr Grossi has left a legacy of hard work, compassion and undeniable charisma that will transcend generations to come.