Nearly 1,400 LGBT business owners, corporate leaders, affiliate chamber leaders, policymakers, and special guests convened at the Tampa Convention Center for the largest LGBT business event on the planet.
Deborah Cox
For the eighth consecutive year, American Airlines was a presenting sponsor, and was joined by Bristol-Myers Squibb and Dell Small Business. The Tampa Bay Diversity Chamber of Commerce was the local affiliate partner in producing the Conference. NGLCC thanks the more than 40 corporate and local partners who helped make the Conference possible through their support, and to the representatives of the over 250 NGLCC Fortune 500 Corporate Partners who attended to engage with businesses not despite their being LGBT-owned, but because of it.
“As with all NGLCC events, we are constantly shattering attendance records and delivering greater opportunities for LGBT business owners to thrive,” said Justin Nelson, NGLCC Co-Founder & President. “Central Florida is one of the premiere entrepreneurial and entertainment destinations in the world, which made it a perfect place to host a conference elevating the innovative stars of the LGBT business community. Tampa, by Executive Order of openly LGBT Mayor Jane Castor, has raised the bar for future host cities by ensuring they are now ‘open for business’ with the certified LGBTBEs we celebrated at the Conference. We were honored to have such renowned corporations as American Airlines, Bristol-Myers Squibb, and Dell Small Business present this sold out Conference with us.”
Toted as their biggest and best Conference yet, it reflected just how important the work of NGLCC and its partners are in the worlds of business and advocacy right now.
“We have never had more business owners, more corporations, more government agencies, and more diversity organization allies in one place, and the energy of the connections being made was palpable all week long in Tampa. In a few weeks we hope to be able to share the economic impact of this conference on our community– which, for reference, was nearly $4 Million just a few years ago when NGLCC was in Fort Lauderdale. We put so many LGBTBEs and LGBT supportive business to work in making this Conference happen, and we thank you for standing with us in making Florida– and indeed, the country, more welcoming of all of our business success,” said NGLCC Co-Founder & CEO, Chance Mitchell.
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