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Philip Dietch
Head Judge & Nationally
Recognized and Honored AIDS, Gay/Lesbian and Civil Rights Activist
Philip is a nationally recognized
and honored AIDS, gay/lesbian and civil rights activist who has served in
a leadership position on over 50 national, state and local boards. He has
also been described in the Leather Journal as “a well known long time
mentor in the community” who has also given of his time to be a judge
at regional and state contests and many national contests which have included
International Mr. Leather (IML - described in the 25th anniversary book as
the Chief Judge’s ‘favorite panel of judges'), International Ms.
Leather (IMSL), International Mr. Deaf Leather (IMDL), Ms. World Leather
(MWL), the only non-boot black Judge for the first International Community
Boot Black (ICBB) held in conjunction with International Leather Sir –
Leather (for whom he has also been a regional judge), Mid-America Leatherman
and Leatherwoman (ABW), Ms. Missouri Leather and since 2000 as the Chief
Judge for Mr. Missouri Leather. He has also judged non-leather contests.
He wrestled in the gay games and is an associate member of Hellfire Club
in Chicago and GMSMA in NYC. In St. Louis he is a member of FLOG, the regional
pansexual group, and is one of the founders of “The Committee”
a gay man’s group which organizes monthly educational programs open
to everyone. |
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(Mr.) Marcus Hernandez
Leather columnist in San
Francisco's Bay Area Reporter & Judge Emeritus
Celebrating his 36th year as
the leather columnist in San Francisco's Bay Area Reporter, (Mr.) Marcus
Hernandez has been covering the worldwide leather scene since October 1971.
He has contributed articles and photos to Drummer Magazine, The Leather Journal,
the annual Int'l. Mr. Leather Program, the annual Int'l. Mr. Drummer Program
and many other publications. His column appears in the printed version of
the Bay Area Reporter, all versions of Express Magazines, on
www.mamasfamily.org and in the Bay
Area Reporter's web site, www.Ebar.com. He has been honored as the Outstanding
Columnist in the public voting for San Francisco's Cable Car Awards so many
times, he was taken out of contention and placed in the Hall of Fame in that
category. Marcus has received numerous other awards including two Pantheon
of Leather awards, the National Emerald Award and tributes from the San Francisco
Board of Supervisors, the Secretary of State of California and San Francisco's
Inter-Club Fund Motorcycle Awards the latest being Lifetime Achievement Award
in 2002. Marcus has been judging International Mr. Leather since 1980 and
is now the Judge Emeritus for life on that panel. He has judged leather contests
from coast to coast, in Canada and in Europe and is also the Judge Emeritus
for the American Brotherhood Weekend titles. He was the Judges' Coordinator
for International Mr. Drummer for some seven years and is on the board of
directors of the Mr. San Francisco Leather Contest. The recent mayor of San
Francisco (Willie L. Brown, Jr.) honored Marcus by proclaiming the entire
month of November 2000 as Mr. Marcus Month in honor of his 31st year milestone
as the leather columnist in San Francisco's Bay Area Reporter. |
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Thom Dombkowski
Co-Founder Chicago House and
Chicago Leather Kennel Club and Judge Emeritus
A native of Rochester, New York,
Thom Dombkowski began his leather journey in 1970 when he stepped into the
legendary Gold Coast bar at 501 North Clark Street in Chicago, Illinois.
He was mentored by John F.G. Shawhan, a member of the Old Guard who was a
WWII veteran and a builder of pipe organs. Nonetheless, Thom has long been
among those on leather's progressive edge and a strong supporter of the "boy
movement." Thom's involvement with leather contests began 25 years ago when
he was a contestant for the Mr. Gold Coast title. He lost that contest, but
gained the friendship of Phil Spence, the bar's manager, and the rest of
the bar's staff as a consolation prize. Moreover, he "won" Bob Ryan, the
Gold Coast titleholder, and assisted him in his bid to become International
Mr. Leather 1980. Thom's been involved with IML in unofficial and official
capacities since then. This includes coaching IML1984 Ron Moore and IML1987
Thomas Karasch, who were his house guests and became his long-term friends.
He has held the roles of IML's charity liaison, press liaison, speechwriter,
tallymaster and judges' coordinator. Most famously, Thom served a 10-year
term as IML's Chief Judge between 1992-2001. Thom's judged a host of other
leather contests, including International Ms. Leather, International Mr.
Drummer, International Mr. Deaf Leather, American Leather Family, Mr. Leatherman
Toronto, Mr. Chicago Leather, Mr. Mid-America Leather, Mr. Ebony Leather,
Mr. Maryland Leather, Mr. Michigan Leather, Oklahoma Mr. Leather, Mr. Louisiana
Leather, Mr. MidAtlantic Leather, Mr. Padlock Leather, Mr. Pistons Leather,
Mr. Philadelphia Leather, Mr. San Francisco Leather, Mr. Boston Leather,
Mr. Philadelphia Leather, and CellBlock Leatherman. Since his retirement
as IML Chief Judge, Thom has used his experience and talents to mentor individual
titleholders. As a result, he's enjoyed the expansion of his chosen leather
family. It now includes an eclectic group of Chicagoans, four Canadian sons,
and the two younger Brothers that Thom always wanted when he was growing
up. He was a charter member of the OGN (Old Girls Network), and with Chuck
Windemuth (Mr. Chicago Leather 1991), he co-founded the Chicago Leather Kennel
Club. A Chicago resident since 1974, Thom's professional career encompassed
public and private service. His government positions were with the Internal
Revenue Service, where he learned to take money from people involuntarily;
and the Chicago Department of Public Health, where he helped to give away
over $150 million to community-based AIDS service organizations. In between,
he co-founded Chicago House (residence and support services for PWAs) and
served as its second Executive Director. He was also the staff writer for
Howard Brown Memorial Clinic. As a volunteer, he was among the co-founders
of IMPACT (which evolved into Equality Illinois). He was among the original
major donors to the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund. He also funded the feasibility
study that led Horizons Community Services to begin development of The Center
of Halsted, Chicago's future LGBTQ community center. A one-time member of
the Mayor's Advisory Council on Gay and Lesbian Issues, Thom proposed and
developed the creation of the City of Chicago's Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame.
While he could, Thom seized every opportunity to travel, and he did so, visiting
all seven continents, 37 countries, and all 50 states. Now 55, Thom is retired
on medical disability; he has been living with HIV for more than 22 years.
He is dually partnered: with K. James Owen of Chicago, Illinois and with
David E. Harper of Berkeley, California. |
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Wes K.
Mr. Midwest Leather 2005
Wes K., Mr. Midwest Leather
2005, is a man of many interests and talents. Winning the first ever Mr.
Midwest Leather title is most appropriate given his strong Midwestern roots.
While he was born in New Orleans, he grew up in Nebraska, Kansas, Illinois
and Missouri where he now resides in his renovated historic 1898 home. Wes
holds a double bachelors degree in both Vocal Music Education and Organ
Performance and a masters in Education. This spring he will be a featured
piano soloist at the ninth Anniversary (Leather Anniversary) of Band Together,
the St. Louis Gay & Lesbian Band. Wes is a member of the Committee, a
St. Louis leather education organization. As the contestant of a brand new
leather contest competing at IML for the first time, Wes was excited that
as Mr. Midwest, he made the top twenty at IML 2005. |
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Michael Egdes
International Mr. Leather
2005
Born in apartheid-era South Africa,
Michael Egdes made a commitment
at an early age to fight for freedom, equality and an end to discrimination.
As a young child, he held fundraisers for a variety of causes ranging from
disabled children to feeding programs and animal rescue. While still a teen,
he served as Vice Chairman of the regional youth branch of the official
opposition party, producing the country’s first-ever multi-platform
conference designed to promote dialog and understanding between opposing
political groups, and featuring such speakers as Bishop Desmond Tutu. His
interest in BDSM first surfaced when he tied up a school friend at age 14.
Michael came out at 18 while serving in the South African military, where
he developed a strong interest in discipline, uniforms and, not least of
all, military men. He discovered his first leather bar during a trip to New
York City in 1981, immigrating there a few years later. Passionate about
sex, he continues to explore different facets of BDSM, and enjoys introducing
novices to the leather lifestyle Professionally, Michael has been successful
in various fields, starting as a Saturday-morning toy demonstrator when he
was eight years old. He has played keyboards in several bands and in the
military Entertainment Corps, managed bands, and written columns for a number
of news publications. He has won numerous awards as an advertising copywriter
and owned an ad agency for several years. Michael and his partner of 14 years,
James Sands, founded ZAN(Z)BAR—America’s first South African
restaurant, an award-winning five-star establishment that was featured in
national and international publications and on the TV Food Network. After
five years, they closed the restaurant and transitioned into real estate
sales, a career which afforded them time to enjoy their friends, their home
and each other. Michael has lived in Fort Lauderdale since 1990. He is in
a triad relationship with James, whom he met in 1991, and their partner of
two years, Todd Smith, a mortgage broker. The three live in, and work from,
one of the few remaining, historic Fort Lauderdale homes, along with their
five Pomeranian “kids”. They work together, work out together,
and enjoy traveling together to leather and circuit events. Voted "Leatherman
of the Year" in 2005 for outstanding community service in Rimmer Magazine’s
annual poll, Michael is Mr. Ramrod 2004 and the reigning International Mr.
Leather 2005. He is a member of the Leather Archives & Museum, Tom of
Finland Foundation, South Florida Bondage Club, Gay and Lesbian Community
Center of South Florida, and the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force.
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