Barbara Prignano is an attorney and small business owner in East Islip. New York.
She is the president and counsel of Magnolia Abstract Services. Inc.. where she issues title insurance and related products for residential and commercial transactions throughout the state.
Prignano has over 30 years experience in the title industry. Prior to forming Magnolia Abstract in 2007, she was president and counsel for Great Oak Abstract Corporation from 1998 to 2007.
She received her B.S. from SUNY Old Westbury and graduated Magna Cum Laude from Touro Law School in 2000. Prignano was admitted to practice law in New York State in 2001, and was admitted to the U.S. Supreme Court in 2015. She is a member of the New York State Bar Association, the Suffolk County Bar Association and the New York State Land Title Association.
Together with her title underwriters, she hosts an annual Continuing Legal Education program for her clients and attorneys. She has also been a guest lecturer at Touro Law School on Real Estate Transactions.
In addition to her full-time career, she has successfully authored four internationally recognized and awarded children’s books, including her first successful book “How Bunnies Got Their Cottontails.”
She has spent many years sharing her books with young children throughout Long Island, and promoting their lessons on manners, perseverance and respect for nature.
WHAT ATTRACTED YOU TO YOUR INDUSTRY?
I started in the title insurance industry as a typist while I went to college in the evening. My career started typing descriptions of properties and was primarily just for the paycheck. I soon took an interest in the historical chain of title for each property.
WHO OR WHAT INSPIRES YOU, AND WHY ?
My parents always inspired me to be my best and to be true to myself. My children continually inspire me to do better and to always remember to be my very best me.
WHAT’S THE BEST ADVICE YOU HAVE RECEIVED IN BUSINESS THAT YOU WISH TO PASS ON TO OUR READERS?
The best advice I received in business was to keep looking forward, to always be true to yourself and remember that success is not necessarily measured in dollars.
HOW HAS COVID-19 IMPACTED YOU AS A WOMAN IN BUSINESS?
The pandemic has forced me to reduce staff and learn new ways to conduct business. Trying to navigate through the many changes, stay informed and assist others with their transactions was, and continues, to be challenging. Throughout it all, I am still a mother of two school-age children and I had to find ways to keep them motivated and learning remotely. It has been exhausting.