Founded in 2004, the North Texas GLBT Chamber of Commerce was created by local GLBT business leaders. The steering committee that launched the Chamber was comprised of a group of business and community leaders representing organizational, racial, gender, and sexual orientation diversity. Their work resulted in the Chamber and earned the Rising Star Award from the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce.
In 2005 the Chamber held its inaugural dinner meeting, elected its first Board of Directors and adopted its first Bylaws. Building on the accomplishments of the steering committee, the Board and its member volunteers launched the Connections Mixers, Business, the Chamber’s newsletter, and our first website. American Airlines became the Chamber’s first Corporate Member. The members of the Stonewall Business & Professional Association were incorporate into the Chamber resulting in significant membership growth.
Several Corporate Members were recruited in 2006 and the Chamber launched the Business Exchange Network referral program. Recognizing the importance of GLBT travelers to North Texas, in 2006 the Chamber formally partnered with the Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau in an effort to sell Dallas.
By 2007 the Chamber had hit its stride. In March the Chamber celebrated its 2nd anniversary and gave its first Business Excellence Awards. A new website was introduced, Business went digital, and the Business Exchange Network was re-tooled and re-launched. In May the Board of Directors’ took the bold step to hire the Chamber’s first Executive Director (now President). The Chamber hosted Dallas mayoral candidates and stood with 9 other local chambers of commerce, and the Mayor of Dallas, in opposition to the Trinity River Referendum.
2008 has just begun but already the Chamber has accomplished great things. The re-launch of the website with more content and advertising, the Make Contact mixers held in Tarrant and Denton counties, and the announcement of marketing genius and business man extraordinaire, Mitchell Gold, as the keynote speaker for the 3rd Anniversary & Business Excellence Awards Dinner. It’s going to be a very good year.