Monday, October 13, 2003
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Local businessman honored for his philanthropic efforts

Nevada Community Foundation awards John Ritter with its 2003 Hero Award

John Ritter received the 2003 Hero Award from the Nevada Community Association.

John Ritter, 46, won't admit to being a hero. But that's how the Nevada Community Foundation thinks of him.

The organization that fosters local philanthropy presented Ritter with its 2003 Hero Award on Oct. 1.

"I honestly don't consider myself a hero in any way," says Ritter, chief executive officer of Focus Property Group in Las Vegas, which has residential and commercial projects. "We don't do our giving in anticipation of recognition."

The Ritter Charitable Trust, established by Ritter about a year and a half ago, is a supporting organization of the Nevada Community Foundation. The foundation is a nonprofit organization that acts as a community savings account. It helps charitable donors -- including individuals, companies and nonprofit organizations -- give gifts to various charitable organizations.

Ritter focuses his donations on families and children in need in Southern Nevada.

"We really wanted to help those that need it the most," he explains. "Children are defenseless. They don't have the means to support themselves or change things."

Some children's organizations that have benefited from Ritter's donations include Candlelighters of Southern Nevada, Shade Tree shelter and the Andre Agassi Charitable Foundation.

Stacey Wedding, vice president of donor services and programs for the foundation, says Ritter is an obvious choice for the award.

"He represents the spirit of the Community Foundation's mission, to help promote philanthropy," she says. "It was a natural fit."

The foundation also recognized J. Scott MacDonald, a professional adviser, with its 2003 Facilitator of Philanthropy Award and the United Way of Southern Nevada with its 2003 Nonprofit Spotlight Award.

Ritter says he has always been around giving people and wanted to give back to the community. He was raised by his mother after his father died, and says his mother was involved in many civic organizations.

"I guess I feel that people that have prospered in a community have the ability and the privilege of giving back to that community," he says. "I don't think it's a choice."

Ritter notes that his significant other, Hilary Westrom, does most of the hands-on work for the Ritter Charitable Trust.

He says he accepted the award because he thinks of himself as a salesman.

"I did the event to promote others to give back," he says. "My goal is to sell the concept to the community to give back to the community."

Ritter intends to continue his charitable giving.

"My goal in life is much less business goals and much more philanthropic goals," he says. "I have a renewed ambition and renewed energy."

In other news:

• Claudia Swift, transplant coordinator at the Renal Transplant Center at Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center, was named one of three finalists for the 2003 Governor's Points of Light Award in the category of outstanding individual south.

• Dr. William A. Zamboni was named the 2003 recipient of the Alumnus of the Year Award by the University of Nevada, Reno. Zamboni helped establish Nevada's first limb reattachment center at University Medical Center in Las Vegas.

• Mediators of Southern Nevada Inc. presented the 2003 Peacemaker of the Year Awards last month to: Park Place Entertainment; Summerlin Lions Club; North Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Stephen Dahl; Kathy Ojeda, crime prevention specialist with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department; and Helen D. Myers and Chuck Gates, volunteers with the Clark County Neighborhood Justice Center.