Since 2005, the LGBT Business Owner of the Year Award (BOYA) has recognized small business owners for their entrepreneurial spirit, their companies' business performance, innovation and personal service to the community.
While a company's productivity and innovation are key factors in the selection process, how candidates contribute to their local communities, both as individuals and as a company, is often the critical criteria that determines selection for the award.
"In the LGBT business community, giving back to your community is a long and honored tradition," said Justin Nelson, co-founder and president of the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce® (NGLCC). "When we look for outstanding businesses, our selection process begins with an impressive business performance and a solid bottom line, and it always seems to come back to personal service to his or her community."
The proof of that service and commitment is evident when you review how past honorees of the NGLCC/Wells Fargo LGBT Business Owner of the Year Award have used the $5,000 grant that comes with the award. Not surprisingly, most of them have used the windfall to give back to their communities.
Sean and Todd Bavol-Montgomery, BOYA winners in 2008, put the money toward a fellowship program that their Wilmington, Del.-based company, Integrity Staffing Solutions, had sponsored the previous year. The program, which allowed a deserving college student to work in Washington, D.C. at the NGLCC as a Supplier Diversity Fellow, was one that Sean and Todd felt a particular connection to because contributing to the program was a way for them to give back to the community while helping to expand a vitally important program.
"We are part of the LGBT community," Sean said. "We have also been very successful in our business, enabling us to contribute to worthy programs such as this. We believe this type of program provides students with an opportunity to gain valuable experience in the business world, applying that experience to their schooling."
Winner of the award in 2007, Noma Hanlon of HB Design in Portland, Ore., used her grant to provide much needed support to a local social service agency that helps low-income adults and homeless youth, many of whom are LGBT. And since contributing to the organization, HB Design's staff members have become more involved in continuing to lend their time and effort.
"Because we raised the awareness of this organization within the company, there are a number of staff that have become more involved," Hanlon said. "We wanted to give to an organization that had an excellent track record, but that also served the LGBT community, especially considering the source [of the grant]."
Bob Witeck, BOYA winner in 2006 and CEO of Witeck-Combs Communications in Washington, D.C., used the grant to enhance benefits for his employees by contributing toward their health insurance premiums.
"It has long been our policy to cover all health benefit premiums for our staff since we first opened our doors," Witeck said. "With the rising costs of health care for all employers, [receiving the grant] surely helped us to maintain this standard with our benefits."
BOYA winner in 2005, Howard Buford, and his New York-based business, Prime Access, Inc., used the grant money to conduct further quantitative research on the LGBT segment. Specifically, the research included the first-ever analysis of the companies and brands LGBT consumers perceive as the most gay-friendly.
"Proprietary research such as this is an excellent tool for acquiring new clients and interesting them in the LGBT consumer market," Buford said.
The NGLCC is accepting applications for the 2010 NGLCC/Wells Fargo LGBT Business Owner of the Year Award, and is encouraging all LGBT business owners to fill out the application and be recognized for the great work their businesses are doing in their communities.
"We are excited to once again team up with Wells Fargo to recognize an outstanding LGBT business," said Nelson. "One of the great things we get to do as an organization is to identify those businesses that truly shine and are setting the bar higher and higher for the entire LGBT business community."
Along with the $5,000 grant, the winning awardee will be honored for his or her outstanding accomplishments at the NGLCC's 2010 National Dinner: An Evening of Courage at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C. on Nov. 19.
Download the application form here! All applications must be received by June 30, 2010 for consideration.
For more information about the award and how to apply, visit www.nglcc.org/community/lgbtaward.
