Art of Aging: Working for the family business

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Philadelphia is famous for cheesesteaks, and Geno's has been at the corner of 9th and Passyunk since 1966.

The Vento family has been dishing it out at for 52 years.

Thursday in Art of Aging, meet Geno's aunt, Diana Vergagni, who joined the family business after retiring.

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When the iconic shop's founder, Joey Vento, passed away in 2011, the business went to his son, Geno and his 85-year-old sister, Diana Vergagni, stepped up.

"I leaned on her a lot. She was more like my rock and my wall than just my aunt," said Geno Vento, President, and CEO of Geno's Steaks.

Vergagni is the office manager. She said, "It's a family thing to be there for him, and make sure he's okay."

Vergagni had a life of her own before Geno's. A navy wife, she lived all over and settled in Washington, DC, working at the Department of Labor. After retiring, though, she wanted to help out the family business.

"Right now, I'm on the Board of Trustees, make sure he doesn't sell the business while I'm asleep," said Vergagni.

Officially, Vergagni is the office manager, handling payroll. But she also keeps Geno and the staff on their toes.

"She's very sassy, very to the point, she has tons of energy, at 85 years old she runs circles around everybody in here," said Vento.

She's still working and playing.

"I like to travel. I love to go to the theater, and Geno shares a lot of this with me," said Vergagni.

"The gay men's chorus is Saturday. Everybody is excited that they're seeing Aunt Diana," added Vento.

"I have to be active. I don't want to sit home," she said.

And Vegagni says she's proud of the legacy her brother, Joey, has left.

"It's an icon and tourists want to come here as well as people that live her," she added.

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