TAMPA — Hillsborough County Commissioner Kevin Beckner will receive Equality Florida‘s Voice For Equality Award at the LGBT advocacy group’s 9th Annual Tampa Gala on Feb. 21.

A financial planner and former police officer, Beckner became Hillsborough County’s first openly gay commissioner in 2008. Little did he know how long it would take him to achieve some of his goals, whether it be extending domestic partner benefits to county employees or including sexual orientation in the county’s nondiscrimination policies.

Only after he was re-elected in 2012 was Beckner able to persuade the commission to repeal the ban against a local Gay Pride festival. In 2014, sexual orientation and gender identity were finally added to the county’s nondiscrimination policies. And in October of that same year, Hillsborough established a domestic partnership registry to ensure hospital visitation rights for unmarried gay couples.

In 2005, Beckner married his long-time partner, Hillsborough Sheriff’s Sgt. Gil Sainz, in Canada.

More than 200 corporate and individual sponsors will participate in this year’s gala to honor Beckner, including presenting sponsor PNC Bank, as well as a number of other leading law firms, banks, insurance companies, technology firms and community organizations.

The event will be held at TPepin’s Hospitality Centre in Tampa.

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