Local developer honored

Tourism industry will recognize Newport firm’s president, who built luxury hotels in Huntington Beach.A Newport Beach developer is being honored this month for his contributions to the local tourism industry.

Stephen Bone, president and chief executive officer of Newport Beach development firm the Robert Mayer Corp., will be presented with the Orange County Tourism Council’s legacy award at the upcoming Service Excellence Awards. The award recognizes lifetime contributions to businesses that serve tourists.

Bone has been instrumental in developing and building two beachside resorts in Huntington Beach: the Hyatt Regency Resort and Spa, and the Hilton Waterfront Beach Resort. His company has also contributed to dozens of charity projects across Huntington Beach.

The Huntington Beach Chamber of Commerce named him the 2005 citizen of the year for his leadership in the community. Since Bone joined the Robert Mayer Corp. in 1986, the Illinois native has helped turn Huntington Beach from a sleepy, motel-lined beach town into a destination whose name is recognized by 93% of travelers in the Southwest.

He was the founding chairman of the Huntington Beach Conference and Visitors Bureau and a past chairman of the Chamber of Commerce. He was a founding co-chairman of the Orange County Tourism Council and founding chairman of the Orange County Film Commission.

Bone is spearheading the development of a third coastal resort in Huntington Beach. Another two resorts are scheduled to be completed in 2008. During his tenure with the company, the Robert Mayer Corp. has grown to become the ninth-largest contributor of property taxes in Orange County.

Bone is a graduate of the College of Wooster and Columbia Law School. He and his wife, Pat, live in Huntington Beach.

This year’s program is scheduled for April 3 at the Hilton Costa Mesa and will begin with a reception at 6 p.m., followed by dinner and the presentation of awards beginning at 6:45 p.m. A silent auction and raffle are included in the program. Tickets are $75 per person; a table of 10 is $750; parking is free.