Miami Beach Mayor Matti H. Bower to Create Gay Business Development Committee to Ensure Strong Future for Local Gay Business and Residential Communities

Miami Beach Mayor Matti H. Bower Acts to Ensure Strong Future for Local Gay Business and Residential Communities by Creating Gay Business Development Committee

(PRWEB) March 14, 2008 -- Miami Beach Mayor Matti H. Bower's first initiative of 2008 is to create a Gay Business Development Ad Hoc Committee to address a variety of issues critical to the future and welfare of Miami Beach's gay business and residential communities.

`

The mission of the committee will be to bring recommendations to the Mayor and City Commission on how to enhance the gay identity of Miami Beach, and how to make it more attractive and supportive of gay businesses, residents and tourists.

While the City's reputation for tolerance and progressive attitudes and its sizeable gay business/residential community have ensured that Miami Beach remains a top-ranked destination for gay travelers, the Ad Hoc committee will seek to identify what opportunities are being missed by evaluating successful strategies of other cities and by seeking local community input.

"Gay Pride Week is one of the opportunities being missed and should be specifically evaluated by this committee," said Bower, who has tapped local businessman Babak Movahedi to chair the committee.

A former elected official from Washington, D.C., Movahedi serves on the National Advisory Board and Gay and Lesbian Leadership Council of the Democratic National Committee. "We are fortunate to have someone with Babak's leadership qualities to chair this committee," said Bower, who also named Thomas Barker, Frank Kruszewski, George Neary, Heddy Pena, Daniel Spring, Michael Guss, Valentino Eriksen, Robin Schwartz, Steve Adkins, Chip Arndt, Chad W. Richter, and Billy Kemp.

About Mayor Bower

Matti Herrera Bower was chosen Tuesday November 20th, 2007 at a run-off election by a commanding 54 percent popular vote to her opponent's 46 percent. She is the city's first female and Cuban-American Mayor. For more info on Mayor Bower see http://www.miamibeachfl.gov/newcity/cityhall/comm_bower.asp

###