Steven Geller

Steven Anthony Geller (born November 4, 1958) is an American attorney and politician who serves on the Broward County Commission for District 5. As of November of 2020, Geller is currently the Mayor of Broward County[16] and was the former Vice Mayor of Broward County from November of 2919 till November of 2020.[17] He serves as Chair of the South Florida Regional Planning Council,[18] on the Board of Directors of the Florida Association of Counties,[19] as Chair of the Broward County Water Advisory Board,[20] and on the Broward County Cultural Council.[21] Geller was first elected to the Broward County Commission in 2016,[4] and was re-elected without opposition in 2020.[22]

Steven A. Geller
Mayor of Broward County
Assumed office
November 17, 2020[1]
Vice MayorMichael Udine[2]
Preceded byDale V. C. Holness[3]
Member of the
Broward County Commission
from the 5th district
Assumed office
November 22, 2016
Preceded byLois Wexler[4]
Vice Mayor of Broward County
In office
November 19, 2019 – November 17, 2020
MayorDale V. C. Holness
Preceded byDave V. C. Holness[5]
Succeeded byMichael Udine[6]
Member of the Florida Senate
from the 31st district
In office
January 2003 – January 2009
Preceded byDebby P. Sanderson[7]
Succeeded byEleanor Sobel[8]
Member of the Florida Senate
from the 29th district
In office
March 1998 – January 2003
Preceded byKen Jenne[9]
Succeeded byM. Mandy Dawson[10]
Member of the Florida House of Representatives
from the 101st district
In office
January 1993 – March 1998
Preceded byMichael Abrams[11]
Succeeded byKenneth A. Gottlieb[12]
Member of the Florida House of Representatives
from the 98th district
In office
January 1989 – January 1993
Preceded byIrma S. Rochlin[13]
Succeeded bySteven B. Feren[14]
Personal details
Born
Steven Anthony Geller[15]

(1958-11-04) November 4, 1958
The Bronx, New York City, New York, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse(s)Laurel Leffler
Children2
EducationFlorida State University (BA, JD)

A Democrat, he previously served in the Florida Legislature from 1988 to 2008. He was a member of the Florida House of Representatives from 1988 through 1999. He was elected to the Florida Senate in a special election in 1999, and re-elected until term limits forced his retirement in 2008.[23] He served as Senate Minority (Democratic) Leader from 2006 to 2008.[24] A centrist Democrat, Geller was appointed by different Republican Senate Presidents as a Committee Chair in 2000 and again in 2002.[25] Geller also served as the democratic ranking member on numerous committees, and co-chaired the Select Committee on Property Insurance Accountability.[26]

Geller served as a national leader in several different legislative organizations. He served on many committees and as national president of both the National Conference of Insurance Legislators (NCOIL)[27] and the National Council of Legislators from Gaming States (NCLGS). Geller also served as Chairman of the National Public Sector Gaming Study Commission. Geller currently serves as the pro bono General Counsel of NCLGS.[28]

Besides serving in the Florida House and Senate, Geller served and serves on many Democratic organizations. He was a superdelegate to the Democratic National Convention in 2008. He served as Parliamentarian of the Florida Democratic Party from 1982 to 1996, and as State President of the Florida Young Democrats in 1980–1981. He currently serves on the State Executive Committee of the Florida Democratic Party. He also serves as Chair of the Real Solutions Caucus, a group of approximately 35 current and former Broward County Democratic elected officials.

Although known as an expert in the areas of insurance law and gaming law, the two pieces of legislation that Geller was proudest of involved children. Geller was the author of the Steve Geller Autism Coverage Act, which required health insurance companies to cover rehabilitation and medical costs for autistic children. He also authored a bill mandating stronger safety standards for carnival rides after the death of Christie Schafale at the Broward County Fair.

Geller has been active in many organizations. He is a past chairman of the Board of the Holocaust Documentation & Education Center (HDEC), and is an active alumnus of AEPi fraternity. Geller has received over a hundred awards and recognitions from different organizations, including the Florida League Of Cities, The Florida Association of Counties, the Broward County and Florida AFL-CIO, the Florida Chapter of the American Planning Association, the Broward County PTA, different police and firefighter groups, the Trial Bar, the Chamber of Commerce, the Florida Medical Association, the Broward County Board of Realtors, the Florida Center for Autism and Disabilities, the Florida Developmental Disabilities Council, the American Heart Association, the League of Women Voters, etc. He was recently awarded Lifetime Membership in the Florida Building Trades Council.

Geller is an actively practicing attorney. He was a shareholder at the national law firm of Greenspoon Marder,[29] and is currently the principal of Geller Law Firm, P.A.,[30] where he practices in the areas of Zoning and Land Use, Gaming Law, Tallahassee Lobbying and Administrative Law, First Party Property Insurance Law, and Commercial Litigation. He has been practicing law since 1982, is A-V rated by Martindale Hubbell,[31] has been listed in Florida Superlawyers, and the Bar Register of Distinguished Attorneys among other accolades. He is Of-Counsel to the law firm of Sachs Sax Caplan.[32]

Education

He received a bachelor's degree in History in 1979, and a Juris Doctorate in 1982, both from Florida State University.[33] He is married to Laurel Geller, formerly Laurel Leffler, and has two sons, Marc and Benjamin.

References
  1. https://www.local10.com/news/local/2020/11/17/steve-geller-named-broward-county-mayor/
  2. https://www.local10.com/news/local/2020/11/17/steve-geller-named-broward-county-mayor/
  3. https://www.local10.com/news/local/2020/11/17/steve-geller-named-broward-county-mayor/
  4. "Our Campaigns - Broward County Commissioner 5 Race - Nov 08, 2016". www.ourcampaigns.com.
  5. https://wsvn.com/news/local/broward/new-mayor-elected-for-broward-county/
  6. https://www.local10.com/news/local/2020/11/17/steve-geller-named-broward-county-mayor/
  7. "Our Campaigns - FL State Senate 31 Race - Nov 05, 2002". www.ourcampaigns.com.
  8. "Our Campaigns - FL State Senate 31 Race - Nov 02, 2004". www.ourcampaigns.com.
  9. "Our Campaigns - FL State Senate 29 - Special Race - Mar 17, 1998". www.ourcampaigns.com.
  10. "Our Campaigns - FL State Senate 29 Race - Nov 07, 2000". www.ourcampaigns.com.
  11. "Our Campaigns - FL State House 101 Race - Nov 03, 1992". www.ourcampaigns.com.
  12. "Our Campaigns - FL State House 101 Race - Nov 05, 1996". www.ourcampaigns.com.
  13. "Our Campaigns - FL State House 098 Race - Nov 08, 1988". www.ourcampaigns.com.
  14. "Our Campaigns - FL State House 098 Race - Nov 06, 1990". www.ourcampaigns.com.
  15. "Steven Anthony Geller, Esq. Lawyer Profile on Martindale.com". www.martindale.com.
  16. https://www.broward.org/Commission/District5/Pages/default.aspx
  17. https://www.local10.com/news/local/2020/11/17/steve-geller-named-broward-county-mayor/
  18. "Steve Geller Assumes Council Chairmanship". SFRPC.
  19. "Leadership | Florida Association of Counties". www.fl-counties.com.
  20. https://www.broward.org/waterresources/Pages/WABMembers.aspx
  21. https://www.broward.org/Intergovernmental/Pages/BoardMembers.aspx?BoardID=1895
  22. Man, Anthony. "Politicians in Broward and Palm Beach counties are coasting back into office — without facing voters on election day". sun-sentinel.com.
  23. "Our Campaigns - Candidate - Steven A. Geller". www.ourcampaigns.com.
  24. https://flsenate.gov/Senators/2006-2008/S31/4598
  25. "Senator Geller - The Florida Senate".
  26. "Select Committee on Property Insurance Accountability Committee Page - The Florida Senate".
  27. "NCOIL Elects Florida State Sen. Steve Geller President at Annual Meeting — National Association of Professional Insurance Agents" – via pianet.com.
  28. "Sports betting to be the focus of the upcoming Legislators from Gaming States' Meeting". www.yogonet.com.
  29. "Greenspoon Marder Shareholder Steve Geller speaks on Florida's Water Loss Crisis at the Florida Insurance Consumer Advocate's Forum". Greenspoon Marder LLP. June 21, 2016.
  30. "About Steve | Geller Law Firm".
  31. "Steven Anthony Geller, Esq. Lawyer Profile on Martindale.com". www.martindale.com.
  32. "Sachs Sax Caplan, P.L. - Steven Geller". ssclawfirm.com.
  33. "Former Florida Senator Steven A. Geller (D) | LobbyTools". public.lobbytools.com. Retrieved 2020-01-18.
Florida House of Representatives
Preceded by
Irma S. Rochlin		 Member of the Florida House of Representatives
from the 98th district
1988–1992		 Succeeded by
Steven B. Feren
Preceded by
Michael Abrams		 Member of the Florida House of Representatives
from the 101st district
1992–1998		 Succeeded by
Kenneth A. Gottlieb
Florida Senate
Preceded by
Ken Jenne		 Member of the Florida Senate
from the 29th district
1998–2002		 Succeeded by
M. Mandy Dawson
Preceded by
Debby P. Sanderson		 Member of the Florida Senate
from the 31st district
2002–2008		 Succeeded by
Eleanor Sobel
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