Irving and Barbara Gutin at their home in Royal Palm Yacht and Country Club.
Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star
By Rich Pollack
Over the years, Barbara and Irving Gutin have funded millions of dollars’ worth of projects in South Florida and previously in New Hampshire.
They were a major driving force behind bringing robotic surgery to Boca Raton Regional Hospital and helped finance the hospital’s first stroke center.
Their financial support extends throughout the community to organizations such as Family Promise of South Palm Beach County, which was able to establish a mentoring program thanks to a $150,000 grant.
But the contribution that may best illustrate the Gutins’ philosophy of philanthropy could be the donation of a ping-pong table their visiting grandchildren no longer used to a center serving homeless families struggling to get back on their feet.
“Philanthropy doesn’t have to be about a lot of money,” Irving Gutin said. “It just has to be something where you can see the impact.”
The Gutins share their philosophy of philanthropy with many others in South Florida, including Henrietta, Countess de Hoernle, and this month they will serve as honorary chairs of the countess’ 103rd Birthday Philanthropic Concert, “A Knight in Budapest.”
Hosted by the Order of St. John of Jerusalem Knights Hospitaller, the Sept. 19 concert at Lynn University’s Wold Performing Arts Center is both a benefit and a tribute.
Among the charities supported by the order are: The American Association of Caregiving Youth, Boca Helping Hands, Estella’s Brilliant Bus, Family Promise of South Palm Beach County, Gulfstream Goodwill Industries, HomeSafe and the Spirit of Giving Network.
“The countess has been an outstanding member of this community,” Irving Gutin said. “She has been a symbol and a reminder for all of us to do good.”
Gutin said that all organizations benefiting from the concert, which will feature the Lynn University Philharmonia under the direction of Dr. Jon Robertson, are ones he believes are making a positive difference in South Florida.
“These organizations are all having a real impact on our community,” he said. “It’s going to be a great evening.”
A former senior vice president of mergers and acquisitions at Tyco International, Irving Gutin understands the importance of due diligence and applies the skills he developed in the corporate world to his family foundation’s philanthropic giving.
“Giving is a tough job,” he said. ‘It’s a very difficult task to understand where your funds are going and to make sure they’re having the impact that you were promised.”
Their philosophy of philanthropy, the Gutins say, was developed while they were living in a small New Hampshire community, where charitable giving had a strong impact on the area.
“We continue to follow that concept of giving today,” Irving Gutin says.
Perhaps the contribution the Gutins made that has had the greatest impact is the donation of $4 million used to purchase two da Vinci robotic surgical systems.
Those systems, Irving Gutin says, have been part of a dedicated effort to make Boca Raton Regional Hospital a world-class facility where patients can find the state-of-the-art technology.
For the Gutins, support of the community goes beyond just giving money. Both Irving, 83, and Barbara, 73, also serve on several committees and boards.
Barbara Gutin serves on the advisory council of the Lynn Women’s Health and Wellness Institute at Boca Raton Regional Hospital while her husband is a member of the hospital’s board of trustees and chairman of the finance committee. Both also serve on the community advisory board of Family Promise of South Palm Beach County.
While finding the right organizations to support can be a job unto itself, Irving Gutin says he and Barbara don’t mind the work.
“I enjoyed what I did for 30 years with Tyco and we have enjoyed the last 12 years donating money to worthy causes in our community,” he said.
If You Go
Countess’ 103rd Birthday Philanthropic Concert, ‘A Knight in Budapest.’ In celebration of people who love humanity and contribute to the good of their community, Countess de Hoernle continues to sustain her life of philanthropy through her 103rd birthday wish, to be fulfilled with a memorable concert fundraiser for local charities.
When: 7:30 p.m. Sept. 19
Where: Wold Performing Arts Center, Lynn University, 3601 N. Military Trail, Boca Raton
Tickets: $35-$150
Proceeds: Go to charities addressing needs of the sick and the poor.
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