Palm Beach group gives civic honor to landscape designers Wong, Johnson

The inaugural Richard M. Kleid Citizen of the Year Award perfectly reflected the Citizens’ Association of Palm Beach’s mission to strengthen civic engagement, thoughtful stewardship, and preservation of our town’s unique character. By honoring Fernando Wong and Tim Johnson, the Association celebrated leadership and vision that continue to enhance the beauty, sense of place, and quality of life in Palm Beach. Read the article below.



Landscape designers Fernando Wong and Tim Johnson were honored for their contributions to the community during the inaugural Richard M. Kleid Citizen of the Year Award ceremony hosted recently by the Citizens’ Association of Palm Beach.

The event, held at Glazer Hall, recognized Wong and Johnson for their leadership, creativity and stewardship reflecting civic engagement in Palm Beach.

Wong and Johnson co-founded Fernando Wong Outdoor Living Design, a landscape architecture practice that has designed gardens and outdoor spaces in Palm Beach and beyond. The company has offices in Palm Beach and Miami Beach.

The two men share a condominium on Palm Beach's South End, the area that is the focus of the Citizens’ Association's work.

The Citizen of the Year Award, established by Citizens’ Association directors Kay List and Geri Emmett, is named in memory of the late Richard M. Kleid, a longtime Palm Beach official and community leader who died at 93 in September.

“Fernando and Tim’s work reflect the very best of Palm Beach — thoughtful, enduring, and grounded in a deep respect for this community," Citizens' Association Co-Chairs Rick Salvadore and Skip Aldridge said in a statement to the Palm Beach Daily News. "We established this award as part of the Citizens' Association mission to promote civic engagement and help preserve the character of our town. It’s especially fitting that they are the inaugural recipients of an award named for Dick Kleid, whose legacy of quiet leadership continues to guide us.”  

The Glazer Hall program on April 15 also included a conversation with the honorees led by Betsy Shiverick, chair of the board of trustees of the Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach, focusing on their work and perspectives on landscape design and preservation.

Trained as an attorney, Kleid served on the Palm Beach Town Council for 13 years, two of which he spent as president pro tem and two as president before he announced in 2017 that he would not seek another term. He previously had served five years on the town's Planning and Zoning Commission, where his tenure included the title of chairman. He was reappointed to that board after he retired from the town council.



Kleid's other civic involvement in Palm Beach included service as chairman and a director of the Citizen’s Association of Palm Beach; and as a director of the Palm Beach Fellowship of Christians and Jews.

The Citizens' Association of Palm Beach, which represents the interests of residents living south of Sloan's Curve, works to strengthen civic engagement and community representation across the town, advocating for residents while promoting education, thoughtful stewardship and initiatives that preserve the town’s unique character, quality of life and natural resources, according to its website.

By: Jodie Wagner is a journalist at the Palm Beach Daily News, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach her at jwagner@pbdailynews.com. Help support our journalism.

The transformation of Phipps Ocean Park is progressing steadily, bringing new life to one of Palm Beach’s most valued public spaces. The Citizens Association of Palm Beach (CAPB), in partnership with the Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach, recently hosted a virtual presentation with opening remarks by Co-Chair Rick Salvadore.

Led by Danielle Del Sol, President and CEO of the Preservation Foundation, project leaders shared updates on both the park’s redevelopment and its environmental restoration efforts.

The 20-acre park is being redesigned to balance community use with environmental stewardship. Construction updates from Adam Rossmell highlighted completed work on the south parking area, tennis facilities, and relocation of the historic Little Red Schoolhouse. Additional work continues on the Coastal Restoration Center, picnic pavilions, restrooms, and improved pathways.

Environmental restoration remains a major focus, with 80,000 native plants being introduced across five ecosystems including dunes, mangroves, and maritime hammock landscapes. These efforts are intended to strengthen the park’s ecological resilience while enhancing its natural beauty.

The park will also include a nature-inspired playground and educational opportunities through the Coastal Restoration Center and Little Red Schoolhouse programming.

Project leaders also addressed park access, parking, safety measures, and stormwater management. With completion anticipated in fall 2025, Phipps Ocean Park is shaping up to become a model for thoughtful design, conservation, and community vision.



Residents who missed the presentation will be able to view the full recording on the Citizens Association website.

To view the replay - visit https://www.citizenspb.org/phipps-ocean-park-construction-update/

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