Two founders who believe in saying thank you.

It was my first day at Soho Works, and I wanted to look like I belonged. I went to plug in my laptop, and the outlet broke in my hand.

Before I could figure out where to hide, Jonny jumped up. He helped me fix it, laughed with me, and within five minutes I felt like I'd been there for years. That's Jonny. He's always looking for a way to help someone and connect them with the right people, and he has the most positive energy of anyone I know.

Being around him made me want to be more positive every day. OpenThanks grew out of that: a simple way to tell the people who show up for you that you noticed. — Flaviu

Jonny Imerman

In 2001, at 26, Jonny was diagnosed with testicular cancer. Friends and family surrounded him, but he didn't know anyone his age who had been through it. During chemo, he noticed other patients fighting alone.

So he started connecting people. Imerman Angels, the nonprofit he co-founded, matches people facing cancer with a survivor who has been there, one to one and for free. It has made thousands of matches around the world.

The people he's helped describe him best: the connector, the big bear hug, the person who takes your call. OpenThanks is that same instinct in an app.

Flaviu Simihaian

Flaviu grew up in Năsăud, Romania, with an Eastern European instinct he never questioned: if someone does something for you, it's because they want something in return.

At 14 he came to the U.S. through Rotary International. In North Carolina, a couple named Bob and Susan Smith welcomed him into their home and gave him the chance to keep studying and play junior tennis. They never asked for anything back. Between their kindness and Rotary's motto, Service Above Self, he came to see helping others as his own responsibility, and that changed his life.

He has been trying to pay it forward ever since. He co-founded Amplicare, a pharmacy software company later acquired by Omnicell. In his words: "At Amplicare, we help seniors save money on their prescription medications every day." He is also a co-founder of Aventi Health, which makes 340B software for clinics and hospitals, and of 1PB.org, a nonprofit that helps entrepreneurs and runs pitch competitions in New York City. He co-hosts the Founder Secrets podcast with Taylor Trusty and lives in New York City with his wife and three kids.

So when a stranger at Soho Works jumped up to help him with a broken outlet, Flaviu recognized it right away. It was Service Above Self again. OpenThanks exists so the Bobs, Susans and Jonnys of the world hear that it mattered, and so the people they helped can pass it on.

What people say

For Jonny

"Thank you for always being the MOST supportive connector 🫶"

— Nancy Rhodes, Oct 9, 2026

"Your ability to bring people together is your superpower."

— Peggy Burkhard, Oct 8, 2026 (excerpt)

"Jonny, thanks for being a crucial member of my cancer crushing team for the past 15 years. You are an inspiration and force in our community. You rock!"

— Ethan Zohn, Aug 31, 2026

"Jonny, thank you for always taking my calls, cheering on my move to USA and connecting me with so many amazing people!"

— Michal Zatyka, Sep 14, 2026 (excerpt)

For Flaviu

"Thank you for always trying to make this world more friendly 🫶"

— Roberta Seiler, Oct 3, 2026

"Your generous, giving approach to life and relationships is inspiring to me."

— Colin Robertson, May 26, 2026 (excerpt)

"He was willing to listen and help out on what I was working on and provide any sort of help."

— Kartik Mehra, Aug 27, 2026 (excerpt)

"I couldn’t imagine laughing more and having more fun while building things to make the world a better place with anyone else than you!"

— Jonny Imerman, Oct 20, 2026 (excerpt)

Every quote above is real, word for word, from a public, accepted appreciation on their OpenThanks profiles.

Say thank you today

Who's someone you've never properly thanked? Tell them today. OpenThanks is free on iPhone and iPad.

Also see: openthanks.com/jonny · openthanks.com/flaviu