The NGLCC is starting off the New Year by educating current members, as well as those interested in becoming members, about the benefits of certification as an LGBT Business Enterprise (LGBTBE) as a business development tool.
During a Jan. 5 Supplier Diversity Panel hosted by Smart Women Business Network East Bay in Oakland, Calif., participants learned the steps to becoming certified. Attendees heard from Dawn Ackerman, president and CFO of certified LGBTBE, OutSmart Office Solutions, and Tita Gray, manager of diversity and inclusion for NGLCC supplier diversity corporate partner, PG&E, who shared their insights on accessing corporate contracts through supplier diversity programs.
January 21
Coming up on Jan. 21, the NGLCC affiliate chamber Connecticut Alliance for Business Opportunities (CABO) will be hosting an educational seminar on becoming a certified LGBTBE supplier. Attendees will hear from Kristin Hickey, supplier diversity manager at Aetna and member of the NGLCC's Procurement Council, Chip Green of Green Ink Communications and Sam Lehman of Columbia IS Consulting Group, Inc.—two certified LGBTBEs that have secured major contracts as a result of certification—as well as Phil Giorgianni, NGLCC certification specialist, who will discuss the certification process and benefits of being certified.
The CABO event will be held at 8 a.m. Jan. 21 at the Inn at Middletown in Middletown, Conn. The seminar is $5 for members, and includes a full-plated breakfast. For more information, contact Jenn Tracz, executive director at CABO, at jtracz@thecabo.org or 203-687-7233.
February 2
The Fairfax County Economic Development Authority, in partnership with the Community Business Partnership, the Women's Business Center of Northern Virginia and the Women Presidents' Educational Organization, will host a symposium Feb. 2 to educate those interested in programs relevant to the area's small businesses. Attendees will hear results of the Census Bureau's Survey of Women-Owned Businesses, as well as an overview of the 8(m) Women-Owned Small Business set-aside program, a panel discussion on various business certifications, including the LGBTBE certification, and a presentation on the Small, Women and Minority-Owned Business certification program available through the Commonwealth of Virginia.
This symposium is open to members of the NGLCC's local affiliate, the Capital Area Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (CAGLCC) and will be held from 7:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the Capitol One headquarters in McLean, Va. on Feb. 2.
There is no cost to attend, but pre-registration is required. For more information or to register, click here.
To learn more about LGBT certification, please click here or contact Phil Giorgianni at pgiorgianni@nglcc.org or 202-234-9181.
