With more than 40 years of experience in Manatee County’s hospitality industry, John Horne first began his career working summers at Fast Eddie’s Place while completing his Business degree at Clemson University.
In 1995, John opened his first restaurant, Anna Maria Oyster Bar, on the City Pier in Anna Maria, Florida. Four more restaurants followed, and today the restaurants, affectionately known by locals as the AMOBs, are a well-known place to enjoy fresh, delicious seafood at a great value, served by a team of wonderful staff in a fun, family-friendly atmosphere. 2022 brought the next evolution of the Horne’s hospitality group with the purchase of Sarasota’s iconic Cafe L’Europe, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2023. Combining the two concepts led to the creation of Oysters Rock Hospitality overseeing all operations. In 2023, the AMOB at UTC opened, and Spring 2024 will bring the AMOB in North Port to life as well. In 2025, Oysters Rock Hospitality will franchise its first location, an Anna Maria Oyster Bar in the new terminal at the Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport.
John Horne and his 425+ co-workers have garnered many accolades over the years, including:
- USF 2014-2015 Hospitality Leadership Award
- 2017 Kent Schulz Award
- 2018 National Restaurant Association Education Foundation Restaurant Neighbor Award
- 2019 Leadership Florida Impact Award for Dive Into Reading
- 2020 U.S. Senate Small Business of the Week
- 2020 Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association Seal of Commitment (1st Restaurant in FL)
- 2020 Florida Department of Education Commissioners Business Award
- 2021 Manatee Chamber of Commerce Robert P. Bartz Award for Outstanding Leadership
- Small Business of the Year Award from the Manatee, Sarasota, and Longboat Key Chambers of Commerce
- DBPR congratulatory proclamation for positive impact to the community – 2022
- 2023 SRQ Good Hero Award for Corporate Philanthropy
- Manatee Community Foundation Spirit of Manatee Volunteer of the Year
- Manatee Community Foundation Corporate Spirit Award
- 70+ People’s Choice Favorites from Local Newspaper Publication Readers
- Bradenton Area Convention & Visitors Bureau – Champion of Tourism Award
- Bradenton Area Convention & Visitors Bureau – Tourism Ambassador Award
- Anna Maria Island Rotary Club’s Small Businessperson of the Year Award
- Bradenton Kiwanis Bert South Award
- TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best: Top 10% of Restaurants
- Tampa Bay Business Journal One Tampa Bay Corporate Philanthropy Honoree
- Longboat Key Chamber Ed and Marge Moran Memorial Award for Community Service
- National Restaurant Association – 2024 Board of Directors
John is very active outside of his restaurants, as well. He has contributed to many community organizations and has received the following recognitions for his service:
- Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association – State Board of Directors Chair 2023
- Leadership Florida – State Board of Directors Chair 2021-2022, Regional Council Chair, Co-Chair of Annual Meeting, Cornerstone Class 28
- Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association – Suncoast Chapter Past President and Treasurer
- US House of Representatives testimonial before the Ways & Means Committee
- Manatee Chamber of Commerce – Past Board Chair
- Bradenton Area EDC – Executive Board
- Manatee Technical College – Advisory Board of the Culinary Program (Past Chairman)
- University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee – Advisory Board for the College of Hospitality and Tourism Leadership
- State College of Florida – Member of Board of Trustees
- Campaign for Grade-Level Reading – National Reading Champions
- City of Bradenton Beach – CRA Board Member
- Leadership Manatee Alumni Association – Board Member
- School District of Manatee County – Citizens Advisory Board Member and Past Chair
- Bartow High School Hall of Fame
- PACE Center for Girls – Capital Campaign Co-Chair
- PACE Center for Girls – Honorary PACE Girl!
- American Cancer Society
- Manatee Tiger Bay Club – Community Advocate
- AMI Community Center – Executive Committee
- Hernando De Soto Historical Society – Honorary Member
John is married to Amanda Horne who shares his passion for improving education in their community.