GALA

As President of the Roslindale Board of Trade, Joe actively fought disinvestment while advocating for small businesses and making Roslindale a welcoming place to shop and live. In a pivotal moment, Joe joined then-City Councilor Tom Menino on a trip to Washington, D.C. to petition the National Historic Trust to expand the Main Streets program. Their successful advocacy led directly to the formation of Roslindale Village Main Street (RVMS) in 1985 as part of the first-ever urban Main Streets pilot programs, creating a model replicated across the country. 

A violinist, Joe has performed with the Newton Symphony, Longwood Symphony, and various chamber ensembles. As a Justice of the Peace fluent in German and Hungarian, he has married countless couples throughout the community. Joe continues to live in Roslindale just doors from the hardware store and next to his son Alex, who now runs Roslindale Hardware, ensuring the family's commitment to the neighborhood continues. Joe Porteleki's legacy embodies community building through entrepreneurship and civic leadership that has made Roslindale Village thrive.