(This is an excerpt of an interview Killeen Gonzalez did with Steve Rodriguez back in the early to mid 2000s for Yahoo! Sports. Gonzalez is a member of the Friends of Charlton County Public Library and the article is reprinted here with her permission. The photo belongs to 5boro and accompanied the original article).

For me, one of the greatest things about covering the skateboarding industry is getting to interview some of its most interesting members. Whether it is the small skate shop owner down the street, the often misunderstood graphic artist, a skateboarder on a charity mission or a living legend, all have their stories to tell. And one story I was particularly interested in hearing was that of Steve Rodriguez, a man whose name is so synonymous with New York City’s skateboarding community that he is often referred to as its unofficial Mayor. He graciously agreed to sit down with me this week for an interview. Here’s what the “Mayor” had to say about his business, what he has been working on and his advice for skateboarders:

Gonzalez: I have read that you are known as the “Mayor of NYC’s skateboarding community.” So as the “Mayor”, why don’t you tell us a little bit about the community?

Rodriguez: I don’t know where I got that title but I kind of like it. And the fact that people introduce me as such means to me that the “people” accept me representing them. NYC’s skateboard community is one of the most tight knit, diverse, dedicated and proud skateboard communities on Earth. I’d say there are about 10,000 skaters living and skating within the five boroughs of New York City with the largest concentration being in Queens and Brooklyn, then Manhattan and the Bronx, and the least in Staten Island. With this huge concentration of skaters around you and some of the best spots to skate in the world, it breeds creativity and camaraderie amongst the skateboarder population. This doesn’t even touch on the hundreds if not thousands of visiting skaters who come to get a taste of skateboarding in NYC.

Gonzalez: What is it like being at the helm of what is considered to be the longest running, independently owned and operated skateboard company in NYC?

Rodriguez: Honestly, I’ve been doing it so long it just seems natural. One thing is for sure though, without my business partners Nardelli and Marci, and our Team Manager Tom Colabraro, as well as all of our riders we would be nowhere. The 5boro family and the people that support us all make it possible.

Gonzalez: How have the recession and the recent downgrading of America’s credit rating affected your business and what are you doing differently, if anything, to counter the effects?

Rodriguez: The recession definitely has had an effect on business as people are watching their money closely and not spending as freely. We do have an advantage as one of our biggest customers is the core skater who is out there skating and buying our product regardless. I know the shops we sell to are definitely feeling it, and we have of course worked with them as much as possible on pricing, incentives and support to help them through these tough times.

Gonzalez: What does 5boro look for in a skater when it comes to sponsorships and what advice would you give an amateur skater looking to get sponsored?

Rodriguez: This is a very difficult question to answer. I can explain it this way – it’s like asking someone what would you look for in a person if they wanted to be brought into your family; if someone was going to be your brother what would make him a good brother? Skills are only a small part of the complete package as there are so many amazing skaters out there. Today it usually comes down to personality and how well a person handles himself when it comes to the toughest part of being a sponsored skater which is the marketing and relationship aspect of it. As skating has grown, so has the industry and all of the “fringe” industries around it. It’s very difficult to find people who get the bigger picture, but we are always looking.

Gonzalez: As a former special events planner myself I can relate to what goes into planning an event on the scale of 5boro’s Go Skateboarding Day. For those readers that have never done such a thing, why don’t you elaborate on how long organizing such an event of that size takes and what kind of manpower is typically needed?

Rodriguez: It’s literally a year-long process. You never stop being in “pitching” mode as you never know when an opportunity for sponsor support will come up. I’d say eight to 12 months out it’s just figuring out what new could be done and which new potential sponsors are in the mix. Four to eight months out organizing and beginning to solidify plans. Four months to event day is the scramble to do everything from permitting to execution. The “team” who helped me on the 2011 Go Skateboarding Day event in NYC was about eight to 12 people total (not including the 30 security guards and manpower from other sponsors). Being that it was a citywide event at three locations it was a logistics nightmare, but we pulled it off with only a few minor glitches.

Gonzalez: What special events, products or videos does 5boro have scheduled for the balance of this year?

Rodriguez: We have an event scheduled for late September called “Brooklyn Bangers” which will be a best trick contest with $4,000 in cash and prizes. We will also be releasing a full length video in the last quarter of the year where we will have a premiere and party – more info to come on that!

Gonzalez: Please take a minute to talk about your role as President with the NYC Skateboarding Association. What projects is the association currently working on?

Rodriguez: The NYC Skateboard Association is really just me and anyone who has time giving positive and professional representation to the skaters of NYC and beyond. We are literally involved with anything and everything related to skateboarding in NYC – from small local events to huge capital projects like skateparks. One of my main goals is to let the youth take control of the situations in their local areas.

It used to be that when someone from the outer boroughs had an issue with something related to skateboarding, they reached out to me to go and represent them but now it’s more like I help them and educate them on a proper path to help them take control of the situation themselves. Really just empowering skaters to make things happen themselves while always being there to support them.

The main project that I am working on right now is the re-design and re-construction of the L.E.S. Skatepark in lower Manhattan. I am the recipient of the Nike Gamechangers Grant which is administered through Architecture for Humanity. This grant will allow us to adopt the L.E.S. Park and totally redo it from the ground up as well as help to better incorporate the park into its surroundings. I’m honored to be able to have this opportunity and look forward to the new skatepark!

Gonzalez: I read that you have consulted on the creation of several skateparks/spots including the Maloof Money Cup in Flushing Meadows. In your estimation what is the single most important element that makes a skatepark successful?

Rodriguez: Having the end users, or someone who can properly represent the end users, involved in the design and building process from the very start.

Gonzalez: What piece of advice would you give to skateboarders looking to establish a public skatepark in their community?

Rodriguez: Buy the book “Public Skatepark Development Guide”.

Gonzalez: I also read that you recently became a member of the Harold Hunter Foundation. Did you know Harold Hunter personally?

Rodriguez: Yes, I am honored to be a part of the Harold Hunter Foundation. I did know Harold as we were from the same generation of skaters. I had seen and skated spots with him from 1993 until his unfortunate death in 2006.

Gonzalez: What do you envision for the HHF in the future and what are some of the projects you are hoping to initiate?

Rodriguez: I became involved to try and take the HHF to the next level. After doing a panel discussion with the foundation at a school in the Bronx, I was really moved by how just a little direction and attention could make a huge difference in kids’ lives. I hope that with my help and addition to the Board we can reach out and help more kids.

Gonzalez: Let’s change gears a bit. If you could cook and have dinner with five famous people, living or dead, who would you choose, what meal would you make and why?

Rodriguez: One would have to be a chef because I can’t cook! The meal would start with a Caesar salad then to hanger steak medium-well, steamed broccoli then stir fried with garlic and crispy French fries cooked in goose fat or something, with tiramisu for dessert. So the other four guests would be: Andy Warhol, David Lynch, Leonardo Da Vinci and Jesus.

Gonzalez: What is your favorite skateboard set-up and favorite style of skateboarding?

Rodriguez: 7.8 inch wide 5boro board with 52MM wheels, Bones Swiss bearings and Independent trucks with soft bushings. My favorite style of skating is just skating in the streets of NYC, keeping up with all that’s going on in the city that never sleeps.

Gonzalez: How often do you skateboard and what are some of your favorite skate spots?

Rodriguez: I skateboard as much as I can. Between family, work and NYC weather there is a limited time to skate but you can be sure that if there is an opportunity, I am out on the streets.

Gonzalez: As skateboarding has become more of a mainstream activity over the years, do you feel that the general public’s perception of skaters and skate culture in general has changed along with it?

Rodriguez: Of course. Once something hits the mainstream it is more accepted and the general public’s perception becomes one of “normalcy.” Skateboarding IS popular culture now, so it’s almost flipped in a way where the general public is now influenced in a way by skateboarders and what they are doing.

Gonzalez: If you could only be remembered for one thing what would it be and why?

Rodriguez: I’d say the thing I want to be remembered for would be that I always try to help skaters and skate culture and that I always give back to skateboarding.