Business Briefs

+ LeadingAge names Bill Johnston ‘Trustee of the Year’
LeadingAge Florida named William “Bill” Johnston, Plymouth Harbor board of trustees member and Plymouth Harbor Foundation board chairman, as its 2014 “Trustee of the Year” at its July 30 luncheon, at the Hyatt Regency Orlando.

LeadingAge, a professional association comprised of more than 6,000 nonprofit organizations, including more than 400 in Florida, presents the honor annually to an exceptional LeadingAge Florida trustee.

Johnston is a past president of the New York Stock Exchange and is now retired. His parents, two aunts and uncle were Plymouth Harbor residents. Johnston hopes to someday move to the community with his wife, Betsy, and serves as an advocate of continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs). He is a founding member of the Plymouth Harbor Foundation.

“Plymouth Harbor is a better CCRC today than it was prior to Bill Johnston becoming a trustee,” said Plymouth Harbor CEO Harry Hobson in a prepared statement. “His leadership and passion for services to older adults is obvious in all aspects of his life. He had a reputation for being an ideal son to his parents regardless of his busy schedule on Wall Street. He never forgot his parents. He looks at this aspect of his life as paying back.”

+ The Chiles Group supports No Kid Hungry campaign
The Chiles Restaurant Group will participate in the national Share Our Strength Dine Out for No Kid Hungry program from Sept. 8 through Sept. 21. During the two-week campaign, Mar Vista Dockside Restaurant & Pub, the Sandbar Restaurant and the BeacHhouse Restaurant will donate $1 from the sale of each grouper sandwich and burger toward the initiative, which aims to end childhood hunger in America.

For information, visit groupersandwich.com.

+ Columbia Restaurants to hold annual Community Harvest
The Columbia Restaurants will hold the 17th annual Community Harvest event at its seven locations. During September, the Columbia donates 5% of checks to the participating charity of guests’ choice.
Participating nonprofits at the St. Armands Circle restaurant are All Faiths Food Bank, Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota County, Cat Depot, Foundation for Dreams, Lifelong Learning Academy, Make-a-Wish Foundation, Meals on Wheels PLUS of Manatee, Moffitt Cancer Center, Mote Marine Laboratory, Second Chance Last Opportunity, Suncoast Charities for Children, Sunshine From Darkness, The Players and Tidewell Hospice & Palliative Care.