Left to right: NGLCC President and Co-founder Justin Nelson, Sec. Gary Locke, Kate Karasmeighan.
The National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce® (NGLCC) is proud to announce that U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke will be a keynote speaker at this year's National Business and Leadership Conference: Out for Business! This will be Locke's first address as secretary to a national LGBT audience.
"We are honored that Secretary Locke will be joining us as Friday morning's keynote speaker at the upcoming NGLCC National Business and Leadership Conference," said NGLCC co-founder and president, Justin Nelson. "As a governor and now as Secretary, he has been a leader in the promoting positives outcomes for America's small and large businesses and proven his staunch support for civil rights and equality."
In a private meeting in June, Nelson and Locke discussed the state of the LGBT business movement and ways to educate LGBT business owners about the resources available to them through the federal government, specifically through the U.S. Department of Commerce. Also discussed at the meeting were plans for the NGLCC's South American Business and Cultural Exchange, the first-ever U.S. LGBT trade mission, which took place in Argentina last month.
"The meeting we had with Secretary Locke was productive, and we were able to share some ideas that we believe will be beneficial to the continued support and growth of LGBT small businesses," Nelson said.
Nelson noted that they also discussed using the department's Commercial Service office at the U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires during the trade mission to help educate participants about opportunities to grow their businesses through exports and trade to Argentina. During the meeting, Locke and Nelson also discussed potential conference programming and participation by Locke and others from the department.
Locke was appointed by President Obama, and was sworn in on March 26, 2009. In his position at the U.S. Department of Commerce, Locke is responsible for helping to implement the president's business and economic agenda.
Previously Locke served as governor of the state of Washington for two terms. He helped open doors for state businesses by heading 10 trade missions to Asia, Mexico and Europe, which led to significant increases in the sale of the state's products and services overseas. Locke's efforts to strengthen economic ties between Washington and China helped to double the state's exports to China to more than $5 billion per year.
Immediately prior to joining the Obama administration, Locke was a partner at the Seattle office of Davis Wright Tremaine LLP, an international law firm. As a partner, Locke co-chaired the firm's China practice and helped U.S. companies break into international markets.
"From his public and private sector work, Secretary Locke uniquely understands the challenges and opportunities for U.S. businesses to export and we look forward to hearing from him on that and other important issues facing small businesses and how the Department of Commerce can be helpful," said NGLCC co-founder and CEO, Chance Mitchell.
The 2010 NGLCC National Conference: Out for Business! and National Dinner: An Evening of Courage will be held Nov. 18-20 at the Capital Hilton in Washington, D.C. and National Building Museum, respectively.
For more information on the conference and dinner, visit the conference page here.
