Dan Honc receives Chamber’s Citizen of the Year award
Each year, members of the Greater Pine Island Chamber of Commerce board of directors considers nominations for its Al Mills Citizen of the Year Award. This year, in recognition of his continued support and contributions to Pine Island charities, Dan Honc of Honc Industries, was presented this esteemed award during the Chamber’s annual dinner and elections.
“I cannot express to you how much I and my family appreciate this prestigious honor. I know that in the past, people who have done so much for our community, like last year’s Capt. John Bunch with Operation Open Arms, have been given the Al Mills Award, I feel very humble,” said Dan Honc. “Since I was a boy growing up on Pine Island, I was taught to cherish my home and its people. I believe I carried this on to my children, who I hope will do the same for theirs. I have been honored throughout my life to call Pine Island home for my family and my business, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for holding me so high.”
Presenting the award was Chamber board member, DJ Ruscik.
“There is not a charitable event or organization on Pine Island that the Honcs do not support when there is a need,” said Rucsik. “From donating Dumpsters to the fund raisers of the Matlacha Hookers, Mariners, Kiwanis, Bobby Holloway Foundation and the Pine Island Chamber, to sponsorships for the Pine Island Elementary School, MangoMania, Little League and hundreds of other organizations and events, Dan has always been an easy call to make for groups that needed help.”
Honc and his wife Donna, of 32 years, have raised five children on Pine Island and have taught them the importance of supporting island businesses.
“From buying groceries to auto repair, the Honc family patronizes their island neighbors everywhere they can and Dan and his family have and will always be proud to call Pine Island their home,” said Ruscik.
Honc was born and raised on Pine Island and began working with his father John Honc, Sr., as a laborer in 1976. The Honc family of companies has been in business in the area for 54 years and Honc Industries is only one of four located on the island. While the industry has changed over the years, Honc has continued to run the business out of the industrial park at Doug Taylor Circle on Pine Island. Over the years, Honc Septic and Grading has grown to become one of the largest of the Honc companies and is the largest employer of its kind on the island. Looking ahead, in 2006, Dan Honc made the decision to aggressively diversify his company and Honc Industries was born. Honc Industries now encompasses five divisions which provides more services throughout Lee County and in the site development arena than any other site contractor in the area, officials said.
A genuine show of his commitment to the island and its residents presented itself during the aftermath of Hurricane Charley in 2004.
“When Hurricane Charley tried to shut down the island, Honc was there to open her back up. Dan’s excavators, Dumpsters, loaders and bull-dozers were on the roads within hours clearing the way for Pine Island businesses and emergency services,” said Ruscik.
Dan Honc, along with employees and family members had weathered the hurricane at the Honc Industries building at Doug Taylor Circle, just south of the island center. After the storm passed over, Honc and his crew manned vehicles to clear the roadways of fallen trees and downed telephone poles to clear the way for emergency vehicles who were deployed to search the island for victims of the storm.
Honc also will be among the nominees for the Paulette Burton Citizen of the Year Award presented by Lee County later this year.