News of the passing of Orlando hotelier Harris Rosen – one of the area’s most notable businessmen and philanthropists as well as a military veteran – sparked an outpouring of heartfelt tributes from community leaders.

Harris Rosen, who built Florida’s largest independent hotel chain and was one of Orlando’s preeminent philanthropists, died Monday, his business partner announced. He was 85. Rosen, the Orlando Sentinel’s Central Floridian of the Year in 2011,

Harris Rosen, the former Disney executive who created a hotel empire in Orlando and gave millions to help lift people out of poverty, has died.