Page 14 - BEQ Magazine Vol 4 Iss1

Greater Houston

LGBT Chamber

of Commerce

scores big for

local businesses

By Julie A. Palm

You might remember Super
Bowl LI for the New England Pa-
triot’s come-from-behind overtime
victory over the Atlanta Falcons
— or Lady Gaga’s half-time perfor-
mance. But the 2017 NFL cham-
pionship also drove an accelerated
launch of the Greater Houston
LGBT Chamber of Commerce,
which went from a “wouldn’t it be
nice” idea to a launch party with
more than 120 attendees in about
75 days.
The organization, launched in
February 2016, hasn’t slowed down
since, quickly building membership,
Tammi Wallace, Greater Houston LGBT corporate partnerships and program- The organization germinated nies. During those conversations
Chamber of Commerce chairwoman ming, says chairwoman Tammi Wal- in 2015, when Wallace and Wood, with the national organization, they
lace, who co-founded the group with independently and unbeknownst to also discussed the idea of starting a
Gary Wood, chairman emeritus. each other, but both thinking about chapter in Houston. The NGLCC
“We’re growing by leaps and the Super Bowl coming to Houston brought Wallace and Wood togeth-
bounds,” Wallace says. “Other than in 2017 and the business opportuni- er in December 2015 to talk.
our website and some social media, ties it would bring to local compa- “The conversation went some-
we haven’t done any marketing nies, contacted the NGLCC about thing like, ‘The Super Bowl was
campaigns, so all of our growth has earning LGBT Business Enterprise going to start opening up opportu-
been organic.” certification for their own compa- nities for Houston area businesses

14 | March 2019 businessequalitymagazine.com