Steve Rodriguez (5boro Skateboards)
Steve Rodriguez (born April 14, 1971) is the founder and owner of 5boro Skateboards. He is a long-time resident of New York City, and is widely recognized as the mayor of New York’s tight-knit skateboarding community. "SteveR," as his friends call him, has been a dedicated skateboarder for nearly three decades; an activity that has influenced and shaped his life in every way imaginable over the years.
5boro Skateboards
In 1996, Steve’s passion for skateboarding and the surrounding lifestyle inspired him to launch 5boro Skateboards. Today Steve operates the brand with friend and fellow NYC skateboarder, Mark Nardelli. 5boro embodies the heart and soul of skateboarding and has the distinct honor of being the longest-running, independently owned-and-operated skateboard company in New York City history. 5boro's product line of skateboards and accessories is distributed worldwide, and the brand also runs several significant skateboarding events in NYC each year including Back to the Banks and Go Skateboarding Day.
Under the direction of team manager, Tom "Tombo" Colabraro, 5boro Skateboards sponsors a family-like crew of professional and amateur skateboarders. The current team roster includes: Willy Akers, Jimmy McDonald, Joe Tookmanian, Guillaume Dulout (France), Akira Ishizawa (Japan), and pros Dan Pensyl and Danny Falla. Additionally, Luidgi Gaydu serves as the brand’s international team/marketing manager.
Skateboard Advocate
With 5boro as his vehicle, Steve Rodriguez has taken it upon himself to become an advocate for all New York skateboarders by volunteering his time and expertise to help city officials plan and execute a variety of skateboarding-related projects.
In 2004, he teamed up with the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation and the New York City Department of Transportation to help save NYC’s legendary skate spot, the Brooklyn Banks. By working closely with Robert Redmond from the Parks Department and other city officials, Steve not only helped save parts of the Banks from demolition, but he also persuaded the city to designate a section for skateboarding only. Thanks to Steve’s tireless efforts, the end result has the full support of Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe, and is enjoyed by skateboarders from around the world.
Building on the success of the Brooklyn Banks, the Parks Department and DOT frequently call upon Steve to consult on additional skateboarding projects. To encourage city officials to support more skateboarding-related projects and build additional skateparks and plazas, Steve recently joined forces with a group of influential New York skateboarders to establish the New York City Skateboarding Association (NYCSA). As President of the newly formed NYCSA, he is charged with spearheading the group’s mission to “advocate for access to safe, well designed and constructed recreational facilities for skateboarders in New York City.”
In addition to the pro bono work Steve does for the city and local community, an array of leading agencies and consumer brands from the apparel, footwear and beverage industries have hired him to run skateboarding events and consult on various youth-driven marketing initiatives. Steve is also regularly sought out for skatepark design and consultation.
Back To The Banks
The first annual Back to the Banks event was held in 2004 in celebration of the Parks Department’s decision to designate a portion of the Brooklyn Banks as a legal skateboarding spot. Conceived by Steve Rodriguez and executed with help from friends and 5boro team riders, what began a year earlier as a way to get the NYC skateboarding community to simply “Clean Up the Banks,” rapidly evolved into one of the most renowned skateboarding contests in the United States. Now years later, New York skaters continue to clean and repair the famed spot on an annual basis, with 5boro’s Back to the Banks receiving the full support of the city and entire skateboarding community. The contest grows each year and brings out top professional and amateur skateboarders, as well as media and thousands of spectators.
Go Skateboarding Day
2004 not only marked the birth of Back to the Banks, but that same year the International Association of Skateboard Companies (IASC) established Go Skateboarding Day (GSD) as “the official holiday of skateboarding,” which received Special Congressional Recognition in 2007. Held annually on June 21st, GSD is a cooperative of decentralized grassroots events that positively promote skateboarding in cities spanning the globe. Steve runs the New York City chapter and, with thousands of participants in tow each year, GSD NYC is considered one of the largest single gatherings of skateboarders in the world.
Personal Life
Steve Rodriguez was born and raised in New Jersey where he first started skateboarding in 1983, and he earned a B.A. in Marketing from Marietta College in 1993. He lives in Greenwich Village with his wife, Hiroko. When not skateboarding or running his business, Steve and Hiroko enjoy surfing at Rockaway Beach.