In a culture obsessed with early professional success, the idea of a next installment typically isn’t top of mind. But for many, the most meaningful chapters of work life begin not at the starting line, but somewhere in the middle—like after a career change or an unexpected detour. Second acts are proof that it’s never too late to pivot, decide to chase a long-forgotten dream, or discover a purpose that eluded you the first time around. For a variety of reasons, these Westchester professionals dared to begin again.
Lydia & Gary Kris
White Plains
For years, Lydia and Gary Kris often thought about how White Plains was lacking a space where the community could gather, hang out, work, have a really good cup of coffee, and maybe a snack. “We just never expected we would be the ones to open it,” admits Lydia.
She’s one half of the husband-and-wife team behind The Pamplemousse Project, a cozy cafe in White Plains’ bustling commercial hub. Aside from serving expertly crafted, ethically-sourced coffee, the spot also supports an important mission: The for-profit business donates 100% of monies earned to local charities. Since opening in December 2022, The Pamplemousse Project has awarded more than $52,000 in grants to 15 nonprofits as voted on by their customers. Funds have benefited animal rescue organizations, food pantries, women’s justice groups, and more.
The duo, both Wharton grads, has always been the type to dive in and get their hands dirty. Gary cut his teeth working in mergers and acquisitions at PepsiCo, while Lydia worked in marketing for Kraft and Nestle Waters before they took a chance and purchased Johnson Prodominet, a dental supply company they owned until selling it in 2018. Even as one of the bosses, Lydia operated a forklift to help pack orders, and she recalls those days fondly. Today, those dirty hands are more likely to have coffee grounds on them. Both Lydia and Gary each take a few barista shifts each week in addition to their management responsibilities.
“We were semi-retired after selling our company, but too young to not do anything.”
—Lydia Kris
“We were semi-retired after selling our company, but too young to not do anything,” she said. “We’ve lived in White Plains for 25 years, so it’s nice to do something that is meaningful to us so close to home.”
As for the day-to-day of running a cafe, Lydia admits it can be a roller coaster. “We had no food service experience, so that was very new to both of us,” she said. “The highs and the lows are both all yours to enjoy and deal with. Hopefully we’ll keep getting more highs.”
Kacey Morabito-Grean
Cold Spring & Peekskill
Kacey Morabito-Grean has always had a knack for connecting with others. From her first job as a server at Jeremiah’s in Peekskill to her decades-long career behind the mic at WHUD, she had long made a point of figuring out what people want and need, and offering it to them.
These days, she’s doing more of the same, but this time on a mountaintop in the Hudson Valley. In October 2024, her career veered in a different direction when she became the executive director of the Holy Mountain Retreat Center at Graymoor in Garrison. A ministry of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement, the center sponsors and hosts retreats, conferences, and other events, and Morabito-Grean has her hands in everything from arranging meetings to checking guests into their rooms. Even so, she still hosts the “Shine On” show every Sunday morning on WHUD. “Everything grew out of my radio work,” she admits. “As I connected with more people on-air, the station would send me to community events and fundraisers and I was able to see the big things that regular people were doing. It was so inspiring.” In time, she started to pursue her own personal interests in health and wellness, which led to what she calls a “serious side hustle” hosting weekend events for women to connect with one another.
“The reason we succeed is because of our community. We see miracles every day.”
—Kacey Morabito-Grean
Last summer, Morabito-Grean was getting a bit antsy and craved something more in her life. Coincidentally around then, she saw the job posting for the executive director position and sent it to a friend. Instead, the friend told her that she should go for it. After some soul searching, she did, and the rest is history. Though her days are long and busy, the setting is a lot different—and a lot more restorative—than the walls of a radio station. Now she is surrounded by beautifully landscaped grounds and a striking vista which includes views of Manhattan from some spots.
Her make-it-happen mentality has served her and her community well throughout the years. For instance, during the pandemic, she noticed that commenters on her “Circle of Women” Facebook page were offering prayers to a woman whose daughter was trying to escape a bad marriage. Another post read, “We can do more than pray.” When Morabito-Grean saw that, she turned to her husband and said, “I’m starting a nonprofit.” Then she immediately got to work on what would become Let It Shine, which now runs a thrift store, food pantry, and pop-up markets and events in Verplank benefiting women in need. “The reason we succeed is because of our community,” she says. “We see miracles every day.”
Elizabeth Morrison Singh
Pleasantville
If you happen to drive down an unremarkable street near the heart of Pleasantville, you might notice a yard that seems to attract more birds and bees than the rest. A closer look will reveal why. Depending on the time of year, the property is filled with beautiful tulips, daffodils, zinnias, and dozens of other flowers. It’s where Elizabeth Morrison Singh spends her days—and sometimes her nights—tending to the garden that supplies her floral business.
Before becoming a stay-at-home mom juggling soccer schedules and equestrian competitions, Singh had a brief career in marketing. Now that her children are older—22, 19, and 14—she’s able to focus on her own passions. “This is just for me,” she says.
Singh and her family moved to Pleasantville in 2012. The home they bought had well-established plantings that she added to year after year. Growing up, her parents always had gardens. “I wasn’t into it as a kid, but I grew up thinking that’s what adults did,” she recalls. She fondly recalls spending time in the Pioneer Valley of Massachusetts, which is dotted with farm stands selling fresh vegetables and flowers. When the pandemic hit, she wanted to offer something similar to her Westchester neighbors to help brighten their days. In May of 2020, she cut some flowers from her yard, arranged simple bouquets, and put them at the end of her driveway. She sold them for $5 with a cash box and the honor system.
“I never would have imagined this is where I would end up, but it’s where I’m meant to be and I feel so lucky.”
—Elizabeth Morrison Singh
Over time, word of mouth about the “Garden on Grandview” spread and her Instagram posts (@gardenongrandview) gained traction. Soon, whatever she put out was snapped up. Over the next few years Singh expanded her garden and her green thumb. Last year she planted 2,500 tulip bulbs, all by hand, to bloom this spring. This summer, hundreds of dahlias will pop open.
As her business has matured, so have her skills. Average bouquets—which have a more wild, natural aesthetic than you’re likely to get at a traditional florist or online—now cost $30 and up, and she also does custom orders for events, promposals, and more. Earlier this year she even lent her skills to help arrange flowers for a gala at Blue Hill at Stone Barns. “I never would have imagined this is where I would end up, but it’s where I’m meant to be and I feel so lucky,” she says.
Spencer Pingel
Bronxville
When Spencer Pingel accepted an early retirement package in 2020, he wasn’t sure what his next move would be. What he did know was that he wanted his life to be wildly different. “I had had enough of the corporate world and PowerPoint presentations,” he recalls
Pingel spent 30 years at Colgate-Palmolive and held more than a dozen jobs during that time. He began in marketing, lived abroad in Warsaw and Paris for a time, and then landed back in the U.S. and ascended through a handful of global roles.
Though Pingel spent some of his childhood in Westchester, he mostly grew up in Los Angeles, then returned to the East Coast for school. After his stint overseas, his family settled in Bronxville, where the walkable community and proximity to NYC caught their eye. Over the years he took many trips to Mexico and Mexico City, where he fell in love with the culture and the food.
“I had always wanted to own my own business, but my wildcard idea was to open a restaurant,” he said. “So many people advised me against it, but when I started doing research and diving into everything, it seemed like it might not be such a ridiculous risk after all.”
“I had always wanted to own my own business, but my wildcard idea was to open a restaurant.”
—Spencer Pingel
In 2021, he opened La Casa Bronxville, an upscale Mexican restaurant in the core of the village he and his family have called home for more than 20 years. In January 2025 he opened a second location in Purchase. And this summer, he plans to open La Maison, a French bistro in the space adjoining his original restaurant.
While Pingel admits that the restaurant industry can be physically demanding and tricky at times, he appreciates how the pace differs from the corporate world. “It doesn’t take 18 months to solve a problem in a restaurant,” he said. “You get to see and feel your impact immediately and that’s exactly what I wanted.”
Frank Caputzal
Port Chester
Frank Caputzal spent more than 30 years building a career at Purdue Pharma, first as a scientist, then in Quality. His work took him all over the world to far-flung destinations including Germany, Australia, and India.
When Caputzal retired in 2015, he set his sights on completing a triathlon, which he did within a year. He was training for his second one when he suffered a stroke. It took six months for him to regain most of his physical mobility and strength, but aphasia took a toll on his speaking abilities. After three years of speech therapy at Burke Rehabilitation in White Plains, his therapist recommended that he interview for a volunteer position at the facility’s Marsal Caregiver Center. He got the gig.
While his responsibilities vary from day to day, Caputzal says he most enjoys offering caregivers emotional support. As someone who needed post-stroke care, he was “excited to have a way to give back.” He also helps out with the center’s Adaptive Sports program, assisting disabled individuals with activities that might include bowling, hand cycling, and hiking. When he’s not volunteering or at the gym, Caputzal is usually pedaling around Westchester, on his own or with fellow members of the cycle clubs he joined. He’s logged 10,000 miles on his 5-year-old ebike, and has become a trip leader for the Five Borough Bicycle Club while still riding with the Westchester Cycle Club. In other words, he still travels—just much closer to home.
