History Fort Lauderdale Honors Florida Panthers, Raises $60K for Heritage Preservation

Boca Raton, FL – January 20, 2026 – Hundreds of community supporters and sports enthusiasts celebrated the Florida Panthers, back-to-back 2024 & 2025 Stanley Cup Champions, at History Fort Lauderdale’s 29th annual History Makers fundraiser at War Memorial Auditorium on January 8. Presented by Alligator Ron & Ali Bergeron, Miles & Tara Forman and Murphy Family Charitable Trust and hosted by WSVN 7 Sportscaster Donovan Campbell, the History Makers event raised more than $60,000 for History Fort Lauderdale and its mission of preserving our collective heritage, promoting historical literacy, and fostering a sense of pride and stewardship for the vibrant tapestry of our region’s history. The yearly event recognizes individuals and companies who have made significant contributions to the growth of the City of Fort Lauderdale.

WSVN’s Donovan Campbell, Florida Panthers COO Rob Stevenson, History Fort Lauderdale’s Erin Farrington Finlen And Bob Denison

The evening began with an exclusive VIP tour by Florida Panthers Vice President, Programming & Development, Keith Fine who shared a history of the team’s emotional journey toward redeveloping War Memorial Auditorium. All guests enjoyed a cocktail reception, silent auction, a meet and greet with Florida Panthers alumni players Serge Payer and Peter J. Worrell plus the opportunity to view Florida Panthers memorabilia and other collectibles from the exclusive Wayne Huizenga collection, which was donated to History Fort Lauderdale.

A synchronized stage presentation included previous History Maker honoree Bob Denison of Denison Yachting who shared his passionfor the team’s redevelopment efforts and reinforced the importance of keeping cultural institutions like History Fort Lauderdale essential and fundamental for the education of future generations.

City of Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis, Vice Mayor/Commissioner John Herbst, Commissioner Steve Glassman, Commissioner Ben Sorensen, Commissioner Pamela Beasley-Pittman, and History Fort Lauderdale Board Chair Erin Farrington Finlen presented Florida Panthers COO Rob Stevenson with a memorial plaque commemorating the team’s unmatched legacy of award-winning sportsmanship, hometown corporate philanthropy, civic responsibility and historic preservation efforts. Mayor Trantalis also presented a proclamation, recognizing the team as this year’s History Makers for their community investment, philanthropy and overall excellence.

According to the Fort Lauderdale Downtown Development Authority, the Panthers have impacted the local economy by at least $110 million over the last two seasons during the team’s long playoff runs; a number that is expected to grow exponentially in the coming years. As a catalyst for urban growth in the greater Fort Lauderdale area, the Florida Panthers have invested $100 million into the construction of their official practice facility Baptist Health ICEPLEX with two NHL-regulation sized ice rinks and the recently revitalized historic War Memorial Auditorium, a 44,000-square-foot multipurpose concert venue. The Florida Panthers Foundation has donated over $8 million to local nonprofits in the South Florida community since the 2016-17 season.

History Fort Lauderdale’s 29th annual History Makers was presented by Alligator Ron & Ali Bergeron, Miles & Tara Forman and Murphy Family Charitable Trust and was sponsored by Baptist Health, City of Fort Lauderdale, Denison Yachting, Hudson Family Foundation, FPL, Allini Water Filters, CBI, Cathy & James Donnelly Charitable Fund, Fort Lauderdale Downtown Development Authority, Hooper Construction, Inc., Miller Construction Company, Core Construction, Pier Sixty-Six, Wards Marine Electric, Waste Management, The Kelley Law Firm, Gulf Stream Distillery, Tarpon River Brewery, Revolution Live, Primo Liquors, Bob Golden, GPR | Goodman Public Relations, 41 North and Sun Sentinel Media Group.

For more information about History Fort Lauderdale, please call (954) 463-4431 or visit historyfortlauderdale.org.

The Florida Panthers enter the 2025-26 season as the two-time defending Stanley Cup Champions, having gone to the Stanley Cup Final in each of the past three seasons. The National Hockey League’s southernmost team, the Panthers, have reached the postseason in a club-record six consecutive campaigns. The Panthers operate four facilities in Broward County, Florida: Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, the Panthers IceDen in Coral Springs, the new state-of-the-art practice facility Baptist Health IcePlex in Fort Lauderdale, as well as the renovated War Memorial Auditorium, which hosts concerts and events for the South Florida faithful. An organization with deep roots in the community, the Panthers are owned by Vincent J. Viola, a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and a veteran of the U.S. Army. Emphasizing a culture of selfless service both on and off the ice, the Panthers pillar program ‘Heroes Among Us’ honors a United States military veteran at every game and the Florida Panthers Foundation has four main focuses including veterans affairs, children’s health and education, raising awareness for the endangered Florida panther and growing youth hockey.

War Memorial Auditorium is South Florida’s newest premier entertainment destination, located in the heart of downtown Fort Lauderdale while still only minutes away from the city’s scenic beaches. The recently revitalized venue offers 44,000 sq. ft of versatile space with a 3,400-person capacity featuring a general admission floor and premium seated mezzanine level. Originally opened in 1950 and situated in the 93-acre Holiday Park, the venue combines historical significance with modern amenities, including state-of-the-art lighting and sound systems. War Memorial Auditorium can host a diverse range of events, from concerts and performances to community gatherings, galas/dinners, graduations or reunions and more. For more information, visit FTLWarMemorial.com. Follow us on Instagram, X (Twitter) and Facebook at @ftlwarmemorial.

Since 1962, History Fort Lauderdale has been committed to preserving our collective heritage, promoting historical literacy, and fostering a sense of pride and stewardship for the vibrant tapestry of our region’s history. Through dynamic exhibitions, engaging educational programs, and meaningful community initiatives, we strive to connect individuals of all ages and backgrounds with the stories, artifacts, and experiences that shape our shared past, present, and future. Guests to Fort Lauderdale are invited to explore the city’s rich past that is housed in historic buildings on a lushly landscaped campus – the History Museum of Fort Lauderdale situated in the 1905 New River Inn, the 1907 Pioneer House Museum, the 1899 Ivy Cromartie Schoolhouse Museum and the Hoch Research Library, South Florida’s foremost history center housing print resources and newspapers from 1910 – present plus 400,000 archival photos, 2,500 maps and 5,000 architectural blueprints. History Fort Lauderdale is located at 231 SW Second Avenue in Fort Lauderdale. Museum tickets are available online at HistoryFortLauderdaleTickets. History Fort Lauderdale is a nonprofit agency supported by memberships, grants and charitable contributions. For more information, call (954) 463-4431 or visit us online at historyfortlauderdale.org. Follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/ftlhistory and on Instagram @ftlhistory. Subscribe to us on YouTube at youtube.com/user/FTLhistory.

The Hon. Robert Lee, Erin Farrington Finlen, City Of Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis