Two-dozen LGBT business leaders will gather later this month in Philadelphia to share best practices and exchange ideas on strengthening their relationships in the first-ever regional summit of the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce.
Independence Business Alliance, Philadelphia’s LGBT chamber of commerce, will host the NGLCC’s Northeast Region CCBO Summit, the acronym for Council of Chambers and Business Organization, the national agency’s umbrella group that works with individual chapters throughout the nation. From April 29-May 1, representatives of chambers in Boston, Connecticut, New York, central Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C., Virginia and the national chamber will participate in socials and workshops at both the William Way LGBT Community Center and the Sofitel Hotel.
Although LGBT chambers of commerce have been in existence for decades, the NGLCC launched only six years ago, and its CCBO has attempted to foster connections among local chapters in all corners of the country.
The CCBO has staged summits in other regions, but this month’s event marks the first in the northeast sector, which was fueled in part by IBA president Bill Gehrman’s position as chair of the Mid-Atlantic/Northeast CCBO Region, which encompasses Maine to Virginia.
“I was coming on as chairman of the region in November, and last year we had been talking about having the first summit in the Northeast, and everyone just agreed that Philadelphia was a nice central location,” he said.
The summit will allow the business leaders to discuss the experiences they’ve each faced in trying to develop the LGBT business community in their respective cities, some of which Gehrman said the chambers will share and others that will be unique — but all of which, he noted, can be valuable learning experiences for the participants.
“Our primary goal is really to exchange information,” Gehrman said. “Every chamber has done their own certain things well, and a lot have seen great successes and also challenges that other people also face.”
In addition to the practical discussions that will take place — in workshop sessions that address such topics as the relevance of LGBT chambers of commerce, efforts to grow membership and revenues and event-planning — Gehrman said the summit will also provide social opportunities integral to unifying the business community in the entire region.
“It’s really important that we all get to know each other,” he said. “I have met some of the people from the chambers, but for instance I haven’t met anyone from Boston, so I’m really excited to get to know them. We need to have that social exchange so we can raise that comfort level and all work together in the future.”
Kate Karasmeighan, chief of staff and director of external affairs at NGLCC, predicted the inaugural summit would have measurable benefits for the participants and their respective chambers.
“I look forward to the great results that are always netted when chamber leaders come together for several days of brainstorming, best-practices-sharing and networking,” she said. “I know that Philadelphia will provide a fantastic backdrop to those important conversations as leaders from the NGLCC’s Mid-Atlantic/Northeast Region come together this month.”
Gehrman noted that IBA members are eager to showcase the city’s burgeoning LGBT business community to the visitors.
“We’re happy to have had such great success, and we’re excited not only to share our successes but also to show how the Philadelphia community is behind us and involved in the IBA and helped our growth. We’re really excited for them to see the breadth of everything that goes on in Philadelphia and all the great things that are happening.”
Jen Colletta can be reached at [email protected].