Steven Haas
Chairman of the Board of Directors
Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau
Steven Haas has the distinction of being the first Board Chairman of the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB) from our industry's important restaurant sector.
He is well-known in Greater Miami's tourism industry for his dedication to raising awareness of the importance and value of providing excellent customer service. As GMCVB Board Chair, Haas' commitment to customer service is evident in the GMCVB's Miami Begins with Me customer service initiative developed to raise the bar of customer service in Greater Miami. As a result of the GMCVB initiative, Miami International Airport (MIA) has taken customer service to a new level through Miami Begins with MIA, a program that requires all 35,000+ employees at MIA to complete customer service training.
Haas is currently on the countdown to the January 2011 grand opening of his highly anticipated new venture, City Hall the Restaurant, located on Biscayne Boulevard in the heart of Miami's performing arts district. Prior to undertaking his current project, Haas was co-owner and operating partner for Soyka Restaurant/News Café Corp. In the 11 years prior, Haas was the General Manager for China Grill, Tuscan Steak, Red Square, and Social at the Sagamore Hotel -- all under the umbrella of China Grill Management.
His stellar career in restaurant management also includes positions at many of Miami's finest restaurants, including The Forge, Joe's Stone Crab, The Van Dyke Café, Monty's Stone Crab and the first Independent business unit at the Sheraton Bal Harbour.
Steve is the immediate past-Chair of the Miami Beach Visitor and Convention Authority and takes pride in being the architect of the GMCVB's highly successful Miami Spice Restaurant Month.
Steve is a graduate of Florida International University, Miami Dade College, and Miami Beach Senior High School. He has been honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce and named to the Travel and Tourism Hall of Fame.
