Your Guide to the Philly’s A-Gays

The Flag-Wavers

Thom Cardwell

Development director, Philadelphia Cinema Alliance
Godfather to every gay party boy in town; scarves are signature fashion statement.

Malcolm Lazin & Mark Segal

The elders
Long-running (and ridiculous) feud notwithstanding, the Equality Forum honcho and the Gay News publisher are still receiving all the ring-kissing at 13th and Pine. (But will a gay nursing-home concept really fly?)

Evan Urbania

President, Independence Business Alliance
His cheerleading for the city’s gay businesses had Philly just a whisker short of landing the national gay business convention this year; works the Edward Cullen look.

Stephen Carlino

Owner, Tavern on Camac
Wanted to create a gay Cheers where everyone knows your name; succeeded. The gay Fergie.

Chris Bartlett

Executive director, William Way Community Center
Brainiac (degrees from Brown and Oxford) has turned Way from “the place to get your HIV test” to buzzy social hub. Love those Mah-Jongg Thursdays!

Bruce Yelk

Party promoter
Nightlife agenda-setter, and pied piper for hottie newbies on the scene; if you’re not on his formidable Facebook friend list (4,100 and counting), you might as well be straight. Tats and daddy-look turn heads.

Michael Weiss

Co-owner, Woody’s
Former car salesman turned club impresario is still a low-profile presence in the Gayborhood; image not helped by 2010 indictment for tax fraud. (He pleaded out.) Trivia: Dad owned the old Going Bananas on South Street.

The PYTs

Michael Braunstein

Local sales manager, KYW Newsradio
His Main Line bona fides (son of fancy endocrinologist) run second to his legendary party-boy rep; one of the unofficial mayors of Rehoboth every summer. Model-looking boyfriend makes for yummy eye candy.

Carl Jones

Partner, Kline & Specter
Dashing, well-educated (Cornell, Georgia Law), well-traveled and slightly mysterious. Fabulous dresser. Made waves showing up at Dining Out for Life as Brian Sims’s date, but big romance apparently never materialized. Speaks Swahili.

Brian Seaman

Attorney, Stradley Ronon
Makes nice living in the law, but his passion is a volunteer gig as managing director of Mazeppa Productions, the theater troupe that staged Spring Awakening in Old City last year; on board of the Wilma.

Ben Haney

Real estate investor and co-owner, Mac’s Tavern
St. Joe Prep connections + preppy looks = winning combo for charming 29-year-old blond. Well-connected in national GOP circles—he’s worked in high-level positions for the McCain and Romney campaigns.

Brian Sims

State Representative
Hunky former college football player used charm and Obama-esque door-to-door campaign to unseat legendary Babette Josephs in Dem primary last year, then became Harrisburg’s first openly gay elected pol. Steady presence on gay social whirl, though he never stays at any party very long. Known for carousel of young, handsome, skinny dates.

Power Couples

Eric Lochner and Drew Becher

President, Kenexa; president, PHS
Just bought a new place near their old Chestnut Hill digs because they “needed a new project.” Frequent European travelers (lived in London); Becher is one of the main drivers beefing up gay ranks at the League. Kenexa was recently acquired for more than $1 billion. Can you say “stock options”?

Harvey Hurdle and Kevin Yoder

CEO, Sellers Dorsey; architect
Health-care guru and noted “silver fox” Hurdle is also a bigwig with the HRC; hubby is a darling of the fashionable set building new things. One son. Featured in 2009 NYT piece on gay tax burden.

Alan Sandman and John Pcsolar

Psychiatrist; microbiologist
Tweedy pair are bedrock of the Rittenhouse power set (they’ve chaired the Ball on the Square) and bridge to OGM (Old Gay Money) in town and on the Main Line. Fab dinner-party hosts.