From August 12 through 16, 2019, Three Rivers Business Alliance (3RBA) attended the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC)' s 2019 International Business & Leadership Conference in Tampa, Florida. NGLCC is the business voice of the LGBT community and is the only national advocacy organization dedicated to expanding economic opportunities for the LGBT business community. 3RBA is an affiliated NGLCC chamber covering Pittsburgh and the Greater Allegheny region.
At the 2019 NGLCC International Business & Leadership Conference, nearly 1,400 LGBT business owners, corporate leaders, affiliate chamber leaders, policymakers, and special guests convened at the Tampa Convention Center for the largest LGBT business event on the planet. For 3RBA, its president, Ronald L. Hicks, Jr., its secretary, Mike Testa, and its board members, Missie Berteotti and Bryan Jeffers, attended. Also in attendance were 3RBA members, Ryan Ruskin of the Ruskin Group and Meesha Gerhart of RedTree Web Design LLC.
Among the highlights of the 2019 IBL Conference were:
- A stirring performance by celebrated poet and advocate Hannah Drake to open the Conference.
- Tampa’s openly LGBT Mayor, Jane Castor, in a fireside chat with NGLCC Co-Founder & President Justin Nelson. The Mayor made history by announcing the City of Tampa is the latest government to accept NGLCC’s LGBT Business Enterprise (LGBTBE) certification and welcome LGBT business owners into city contracting and economic development opportunities.
- $50,000 in cash and prizes awarded at the 8th annual NGLCC LGBT Biz Pitch Competition, NGLCC’s LGBT version of Shark Tank, to certified LGBTBE Lumenomics.
- Sally Hogshead, NY Times bestselling author and business leadership keynote speaker, astounding the attendees with her keynote about the power of connections and ‘fascinating’ our business collaborators.
- Over 50 workshops, learning sessions, mentorship meetings, networking engagements, and more designed to connect LGBT business owners to life-changing contracting opportunities.
- Deborah Cox, Grammy nominated performer and longtime LGBT ally, performed many of her biggest hits in celebration of the LGBT business community.
This is the second IBL conference 3RBA has attended. Next year's conference will be held in Las Vegas, Nevada.
