Boston businessman and restaurateur Thomas A. Kershaw received a round of “Cheers” Monday in celebration of his 55 years of ownership of the historic Hampshire House and internationally known Cheers bar.

Kershaw’s storied career in Boston began 55 years when, on June 10, 1969, at the age of 30, he bought the Hampshire House Mansion, also home to the Bull and Finch Pub which became a pop culture landmark as the inspiration for the iconic TV series Cheers in 1981.

Kershaw is a former Chairman of the National Restaurant Association and has been active with numerous local nonprofit organizations. He has been a long-time supporter of Cheers for Children, a non-profit which since its inception in 1980 has donated over $2 million to children’s charities.