Civic Ventures today announced that Howard Johnson, from Jacksonville, is a 2010 Purpose Prize Fellow. Johnson was recognized as a social entrepreneur over 60 who, in his encore career, is using his experience and passion to make an extraordinary impact on society’s biggest challenges. Now in its fifth year, the six-year, $17 million Purpose Prize program is the nation’s only large-scale investment in social innovators in the second half of life.
Johnson was named a Fellow for his work in problematic fisheries in a number of countries help to develop and implement strategies for sustainability. As Director of Global Programs for the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP) [www.sustainablefish.org], a non-profit organization, Johnson has used his international knowledge and contacts from 20 years as a seafood industry consultant to help move international corporations to supporting fisheries improvement. Since joining SFP five years ago, Johnson has worked on finding sustainable solutions to fishery problems in Asia, Central and South America, Russia and the U.S. and Canada.
“Purpose Prize Fellows show what’s possible in our communities – and the world – when experienced adults apply their passion and skill to improve the lives of others.” said Alexandra Céspedes Kent, Director of The Purpose Prize. “Imagine the potential for society if tens of thousands of adults focused their know-how on the social causes they are most passionate about – it’s a tremendous opportunity.”
The 46 Purpose Prize Fellows of 2010 will be honored at the Purpose Prize Summit November 12-14 in Philadelphia. Approximately 400 attendees of the invitation-only event will hear from featured speakers such as W. Wilson Goode Sr. (former mayor of Philadelphia and 2006 Prize winner); writer and cultural anthropologist Mary Catherine Bateson (author of Composing a Further Life: The Age of Active Wisdom); civil rights leader and social innovator Robert Moses (founder of The Algebra Project); and bestselling author Martin Seligman (founder of the field of positive psychology).
“It is a great honor to be acknowledged as a Purpose Prize Fellow for doing such rewarding work at this stage of my life” said Johnson. “After 30 years in the seafood industry developing strategies for harvesting and marketing seafood I now feel I am giving back by ensuring that these resources are sustainable and able to provide seafood for generations to come.”
The Purpose Prize, funded by The Atlantic Philanthropies and the John Templeton Foundation, is a program of Civic Ventures’ Encore Careers campaign (www.encore.org), which aims to engage millions of baby boomers in encore careers combining social impact, personal meaning and continued income in the second half of life.