Joseph A. Bonura
Joseph A.
Bonura is well known for catering to the needs of the Hudson Valley
through his restaurant and hospitality endeavors.
Joe and his family have been involved in the food service and
hospitality business for over 30 years. It all began back in 1971
when Joe and wife Mary opened their first restaurant, a Perkins
Pancake House in Newburgh. Five more Perkins and a Mr. B.’s
Steakhouse later came Joe’s most notable venture to that point,
Anthony’s Pier 9.
In 1994, along with the late Cosimo DiBrizzi, Joe purchased the
failing Radisson Hotel in downtown Poughkeepsie. They transformed
it into today’s flourishing Poughkeepsie Grand Hotel. Their
partnership continued with the establishment of Torches on the
Hudson on the Newburgh waterfront in 2001.
In 1996, Joe shifted his focus to the neglected Poughkeepsie
waterfront. It wasn’t until 2001, after five years, three separate
sets of proposals and countless hours of work for Joe and his sons,
Joe Jr. and Michael, that the City of Poughkeepsie chose the
Bonuras to head the redevelopment of its waterfront. In September
2006, The Grandview opened its doors. Shadows on the Hudson
followed suit in January 2007. These two successful ventures are
just the beginning of the Bonura family’s plan to fully revitalize
the Poughkeepsie waterfront.
In 2009, along with philanthropist William Kaplan, Joe began a
reinvention of the Newburgh Waterfront. They created Billy Joe's
Ribworks, a barbecue restaurant and bar like none other.
Joseph Bonura is dedicated to providing the highest quality
hospitality and food service to clientele in the Hudson Valley.
Whether it’s dinner for two or a party for six hundred, his goal is
excellence.
After obtaining an accounting degree at Fordham University,
Joe’s professional career began at Peat Marwick, Mitchell, &
Co., then one of the ‘Big Five’ accounting firms. Once Joe realized
time sheets and audits weren’t for him, the entrepreneurial spirit
took over and he sought his own restaurant.
One fruitful franchise convention later and he was faced with a
decision – to open a chain of McDonalds in Utah, or to stay at home
in the Hudson Valley and give the upstart Perkins Pancake House
franchise a shot. As they say, the rest is history. Now Joe enjoys
his hobby as a self-proclaimed gopher – procuring the specialty
supplies and ingredients to make the creative ideas that his
children come to fruition.
Joe and Mary have three wonderful children who all have
different roles in the family business, Mary, Joe Jr. and Michael.
They have literally grown up working side-by-side with their
parents and know the dedication, hard work and perseverance that
the demanding restaurant and hospitality industries require.
Award Recipient