Steve Adkins,
President and CEO

Steve Adkins is presently the President & CEO of the Miami-Dade Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, the largest not-for-profit corporation in the county for gay and lesbian businesses. In the two years since Mr. Adkins took over the reigns the MDGLCC membership has grew more than twentyfold.

In 1999, Steve moved from his native San Diego, California to South Florida and immediately became interested in promoting Miami as a year-round, gay and gay-friendly tourist destination, when he owned and operated the Jefferson House, a South Beach Boutique Bed & Breakfast Hotel.

Prior to his move to the East Coast, Mr. Adkins held several positions in the banking world. From 1995 to 1999, he served as  Vice President International Trade Finance Manager for the Union Bank of California, Southern California; handling such major accounts as Aldila, Inc.; Cubic Corporation, Titan, Inc., ASI Aerospace Group; and Jenny Craig.

Steve acquired his love of sports when he served as the Vice President of Major Accounts for Security Pacific National Bank - Corporate Banking, San Diego, CA., from 1984-1992, handling portfolios for the San Diego Padres Baseball Club, Aldila Golf Clubs and, the Weekend Exercise Company, among others.  

The grandson of a career banker, Mr. Adkins was accepted to the commercial banking training program at Bank of American NT&SA in California (1979) where he ultimately served as the Vice President of the Bank of America NT & SA, until 1984. Steve holds a Bachelor of Science degree from San Diego State University’s school of Business Administration (Management with Concentration in Finance).

Steve Adkins is immediate past Chair of the Miami Beach Visitor and Convention Authority.  Mr. Adkins currently serves on the board of the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Coalition of Chambers, and the Executive Director’s Round Table.  He is also Vice Chair of Miami Beach Gay Pride and, the Miami Gay & Lesbian and Ft. Lauderdale Film Festivals.  Mr. Adkins received the 2009 Eddie McIntyre Community Service Award from the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force, the 2010 Bacardi/Grey Goose Icon Award and the Miami-Dade Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce received Equality Florida’s first “Equality Means Business” Award 2012.

Steven Noel Adkins currently serves on;

• Board Member - Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau
• Marketing Council for the GMCVB
• One Community One Goal Coordinating Council (Beacon Council)
• Board Member – Sister Cities for Miami Beach
• Miami-Dade Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce
• Chair - MDGLCC Foundation Inc.
• Vice Chair - Miami Beach Gay Pride
   

Steven Noel Adkins formerly served on:

• Southeast Regional Chair – National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce
• Miami Beach Mayor’s Blue Ribbon Task Force
• Miami Beach Mayor’s LGBT Business Development Committee
• Miami Beach Visitor & Convention Authority

Jorge Richa,
Director of Marketing and Programming

Jorge Richa is a bilingual Marketing professional with over 20 years of experience across the US, Latin America, and international markets.  He has worked in the Corporate and Agency environments as well as the Non-Profit sector.  As the Marketing & Programming Director of the Miami-Dade Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce he is responsible for the strategic planning and execution of the Chamber’s marketing, networking, and communications initiatives contributing to the achievement of the organization’s goals and objectives. 

Jorge is the secretary of the Miami Beach LGBT Advisory Committee and has donated his time serving as Co-Chair of the MiFo LGBT Film Festival and Chair of the Winter Party’s VIP Reception among others.  Jorge holds a Bachelor degree in Marketing from the University of Notre Dame and an MBA from Washington University.  Born and raised in San Juan of Puerto Rico, Jorge is an avid world traveler, rollerblade, and volleyball enthusiast who has called Miami home since 2000.