Bill McGinnity has spent years helping others in the Ocean City community and itt has not gone unnoticed. The chef and owner of Cousin’s Restaurant in Ocean City and Nobil Catering and Food Services, has been selected as the 2024 Citizen of the Year, the Ocean City Regional Chamber of Commerce announced Thursday.
He will be honored at the Chamber’s 2024 Citizen of the Year Award and Outstanding Business and Beautification Awards dinner on Thursday, Nov. 21 at 6 p.m. at the Ocean City Yacht Club, 100 Bay Road.
McGinnity, a graduate of Ocean City High School, has dedicated 30 years to the restaurant business and as many years to helping others.
One of his favorite ways to give back is to help veterans. He works with Ocean City’s American Legion Post 524 and VFW Post 6650 to provide meal deliveries to veterans, shut-ins, and others in need.
He has been a part of the Right Notes fundraiser for the MS Foundation for a decade, the Renee Parker Monihan Foundation for two years and the Tara Miller Melanoma Foundation fundraiser for seven years.
In 2022, the City of Ocean City honored Bill with a Martin Luther King Jr. Community Service Award for helping the community during the COVID-19 pandemic.
During the pandemic, McGinnity volunteered his time and cooking talents, while partnering with OCNJ CARE, a nonprofit organization created to help those in need from the community. McGinnity made holiday meals, which were distributed at various locations in the community.
He also worked closely with the Ocean City High School administration to orchestrate the first-ever outdoor prom on the football field.
McGinnity is also active on boards and organizations. He is a member of the Ocean City Tourism Development Commission, Ocean City Regional Chamber of Commerce, president of the Ocean City Restaurant Association and a board member of the Epicurean Society.
For dinner reservations or to congratulate the winners in the 2024 Program Book, please contact the Ocean City Regional Chamber of Commerce at 609-399-1412 or email info@oceancitychamber.com.
