Business leaders honored as anchors

The Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce honored two local business leaders with the Silver Anchor Award at a luncheon Thursday.

This year’s recipients were CPA Roger Alford and Daily Pilot newspaper publisher Tom Johnson, each chosen for their ongoing work in the community.

“This award is presented for outstanding contributions to our city,” chamber director Richard Luehrs said. “It’s not for any one particular thing these individuals did, but for being the ones who always say ‘I’ll help’ and then goes out and does it.”

Alford, a partner with Hausmaninger Benoe Lang Alford & Geselowitz has been a member of the chamber for 16 years and has served on its board of directors since 1994, including a stint as chairman.

He has volunteered his time for events like the Taste of Newport, the Fire & Lifeguard Appreciation Beach Party and was honored as the commodore of the year in 2005. Next year he will serve as the commodore skipper.

“I’m glad to be part of an organization that I can dedicate my services to,” he said during a brief acceptance speech. “It is such a positive influence in the community, and I’m proud to be part of it.”

Johnson, publisher of Daily Pilot since 1993, was also honored for his contributions to the chamber where he served on its board of directors from 1994 to 1997.

Besides his work for the chamber and organizations such as Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian, Johnson received praise for the Daily Pilot’s coverage of Newport Beach.

“It really is fantastic to be recognized,” he said. “But so much of what I do and what the Daily Pilot does for the community is a result of so many people that work at the newspaper.”

Both Alford and Johnson were given silver anchor lapel pins, affixed to their coats by Lula Halfacre, a former recipient of Silver Anchor Award and owner of Traditional Jewelers, which donated the pins to the event.

The chamber’s meeting Thursday provided a chance for Luehrs to present the group’s annual report on the community.

About two dozen volunteers were also honored for assisting with community events like Mr. Irrelevant Week, the Christmas Boat Parade and the Mentor for a Day program.