Ilona is a first generation immigrant from Transylvania, the mysterious land of “Dracula,” possessing the rich culture of both Romania and Hungary.

Hungary was born out of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. With this naissance came great folk traditions, pottery, carvings, and the famous Herendi china. Hungarians (Magyars) are most known for being adventurers, seekers of the unknown, and lovers of art, classical music, and literature, e.g. Imre Kertesz, who won the Nobel Prize in literature in 2002. Less known but equally impressive, its people are especially proud of their inventions, such as the match, hydrogen bomb, ballpoint pan, basic programming language, and electric railway engine.

While her Romanian enslavement hindered full manifestation of her gifts, her Hungarian heritage drove her to overcome and succeed. Ilona daringly escaped Romania with her seven-year old daughter Ottilia in 1986. After a year in a political refuge camp, she emigrated to America. Studying American language and culture, she obtained a medical and realestate license. She is an adventurous spirit, having traveled extensively throughout all seven continents, enjoying her freedom after 31 years of living in a restricted communist country.

After becoming a citizen, she grew stronger as an American, with particular desire to help people in similar situations. She helped many newcomers to the States by finding job opportunities through her solely owned company “Multi National Employment Agency.” Of particular joy was helping Hungarians and Romanians finding their first homes.

She is an in-demand motivational speaker; her most sought-after subject is “…from Rags to Richest.” She enthusiastically tells her tale of coming to America as a single mother with her daughter, with only a small handbag, a few clothes and a foreign tongue. Now she confidently speaks to many single women, about overcoming fear and worry. She is a highly regarded consultant for personal finances and investments. She also became a successful real estate broker/investor during her years in Detroit and is a licensed real estate agent in the states of Michigan and Illinois.

Currently she is working on writing her first book: “For My Daughter’s Freedom,” A Memoir of Escaping Ceausescu’s Romania, expecting to be published in 2007 in the United States as well in Europe.

She is fluent in both Hungarian and Romanian. She has an insatiable love of the literature and music she learned from the old country. She currently resides in Illinois, with her loving and devoted husband Larry.