Peter George Krokondelas passed away on Saturday, May 29, from a sudden heart attack at the age of 52. Born on March 23, 1969 in Queens, he will be remembered as a man who was devoted to his family and dedicated to his clients.
Tom Grech, President of the Queens Chamber of Commerce, became close with Krokondelas in Malvern where they both lived. He described him as a Queens man “through-and-through.”
Their sons played baseball and the two bonded together over Little League games.
“I’ll always remember Peter for how dedicated he was to his wife and kids,” said Grech.
Krokondelas worked for the lobbying firm Kasirer at the time of his passing. Company president Suri Kasirer described him as a warm and engaging individual who always had a smile on his face.
“Whether it was an elected official or someone in a community complaining about the sound of construction, he treated everyone the same with a sense of respect a decency,” Kasirer said.
Costa Constantinides former member of Council District 22 and CEO of the Varisty Boys & Girls Club worked for Krokondelas’s father at Chase. He said that the young Krokondelas was a gentleman in every sense of the word.
“He was really one of the good guys in this business, and we all have a story about how his kindness made a positive impact on our lives,” he said.
Krokondelas made close connections over the course of his career in all aisles of the political world. Bill Driscoll is the principal of The Driscoll Group and met Krokondelas on the campaign trail when Krokondelas worked as a political consultant for The Advance Group.
“I’ve known him for over 20 years and even if we were on the other side of a campaign, he was always warm and professional,” Driscoll said.
Councilmemeber Jim Gennaro described Krokondelas as a close friend and a confidant. The two met when Krokondelas was assigned to Gennaro’s first City Council race by The Advance Group. According to Gennaro, he was an “in-the-trenches” kind of guy, who did everything from help with fundraising, provide input on literature pieces, and listen passionately during late-night discussions.
“When you saw his name pop up on caller ID it was always a call that you always wanted to pick up,” Genmaro said. “We talked business, but there was camaraderie and a real sense of brotherhood. He was one of the best in this business and a lot of people are going to miss him.”
