NSU Horizons Spring 2010

7 8 HORIZONS ach year, NSU de nes excellence through the men and women it honors during the university’s Celebration of Excellence awards presentation. NSU’s annual Celebration of Excellence began in 1997 to honor community leaders and industry pioneers who have made signi cant contributions to their professions and communities. Don Taft, a philanthropist who has spent more than 50 years as a business leader, and John C. Johnson, a hospital innovator, were awarded the Chancellor’s Community Award, NSU’s highest honor, which is given by Chancellor Ray Ferrero, Jr., during the annual event in January. Taft has founded, owned, and managed both private and publicly traded com- panies. He also is a major supporter of NSU. The 366,000-square-foot University Center is named in honor of Taft and his gift from the Taft Foundation. Proceeds from Taft’s gifts also were used to help Special Olympics Broward County (SOBC) have a permanent home for its athletes on the NSU campus. (See story on page 4) Taft’s philanthropic and charitable endeavors show his commitment to the community. He is an honorary chairman for Gilda’s Club of South Florida and a member of the board of directors of several organizations, including the SOBC, the Children’s Diagnostic and Treatment Center, and the Ronald McDonald House. He is on the advisory board for the Children’s Cancer Center at Broward General Medical Center and the Jeff Conine Golf Tournament. He has contributed to the Conine Clubhouse at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital and donated to the cost and upkeep of its chapel. Johnson has served as president and CEO of Holy Cross Hospital in Fort Lauderdale since 1998. Under his leadership, Holy Cross Hospital has been named one of the “Top 50 Hospitals” by HealthGrades for three consecutive years and one of the top 100 cardiovascular centers in the United States. Johnson also became president and CEO of Mercy Hospital in Miami in 2008. Johnson has been honored for his service to the community. He received the Alexis De Tocqueville Award from the Broward County United Way in 2002 and served as the United Way of Broward County’s chairman from 2004 to 2005. He has also supported the American Heart Association’s Heart Walk and the American Cancer Society. Johnson received the Sun-Sentinel Publisher’s Community Service Award in 2005. aX ([FHOOHQFH &HOHEUDWLRQ