When the housing market started its decline in 2007, many realtors scrambled to maintain new listings. Within a year, most everyone had lost significant value in their homes, and the majority of homeowners who had purchased in the previous 5 years were now locked into homes they could not sell. Over the next few years, homeowners were struggling to avoid foreclosure or locked into homes that they couldn't afford to leave.

Lidya Gongage saw a third option. Recently retired as a FedEx delivery driver at the age of 58, Lidya saw new opportunities in the decline of the housing market. She sought to provide top notch, full service property management so beleaguered homeowners could earn revenue from their homes, freeing them to move out. She formed Kumba Realty and Property Management as a full service management company, so homeowners and investors could concentrate on their own lives and leave their homes in the hands of a professional who would handle their property like it was their own. After 10 years, she has helped hundreds of owners and investors earn income from their homes and helped them to sell once the market recovered. She now manages over 250 homes, a handful of commercial units, and several community associations.

When Orlando's Medical City was in its infancy and the Lake Nona Community wasn't even on the map, Lidya had already been working in the area for years. She knew the amazing potential this area would realize one day. Seeing the need to organize and empower business owners in the area, Lidya turned to her network of associates and friends working to help organize the businesses in the area into a Chamber of Commerce. Founding the Lake Nona Regional Chamber of Commerce in 2012 to help others tap into the promise of business in one of the fastest growing and most unique areas in the Southeast United States.

As she begins her next decade in property management and her 5th year as a board member for the Chamber, Lidya is excited to see the growth and promise of Lake Nona's Medical City. With medical professionals coming to the area, the USTA locating its headquarters here, and the sports and training facilities moving in, she has promoted the area to her investors. As the creator of the area's premiere annual charitable event, Taste of Nona, Lidya is currently working on the 4th annual event to be held on November 12th, 2016 at the Courtyard Orlando - Lake Nona, right in the heart of Medical City. For info on tickets and becoming a contributor, please visit www.lakenonacc.org.