Boulder County LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce Now Set in Motion

This content was originally published by the Longmont Observer and is licensed under a Creative Commons license.

Successfully launched on May 20, 2019 the Boulder County LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce aims to connect and promote LGBTQ-owned and LGBTQ-inclusive businesses locally through multiple networking opportunities and will be the first chapter of the statewide Colorado LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce.

“Being associated with the CO LGBTQ CC allows this new chapter to build on the established foundation the state organization has already developed,” said Christopher Senesi, board member of the CO LGBTQ CC and lead organizer of the Boulder Chapter. “We are very excited about their critical support and the local interest we have discovered here in Boulder County.”

After several years of discussions about the need for a local LGBTQ business organization in Boulder County, a planning committee formed to explore what a formal organization dedicated to LGBTQ-owned and LGBTQ-inclusive businesses in Boulder County might look like. Alongside, the CO LGBTQ CC developed and adopted a plan to expand its focus across the state.

In addition to local and statewide networking and educational programming opportunities, members will be listed in an online business directory and an annual printed directory distributed at Pride celebrations and other Colorado-based community gatherings.

The new Boulder County LGBTQ Chamber has already admitted members and welcomes potential new members to apply here. The new Chamber secured three founding partners: Rembrandt Yard, Harbor Wealth Management, and Bank of America.

“It was an easy decision. We get asked all the time to advertise with and join a bunch of organizations. We are already a member of the Boulder Chamber of Commerce, so this seemed like a natural extension of that,” said Heather Smart, Director of Sales and Marketing at Rembrandt Yard. “While we have many same-sex couples hold their wedding here at Rembrandt Yard, we’d love to host even more events for the LGBTQ community. We hear from couples all the time that they appreciate our marketing towards the LGBTQ community and that we are a welcoming venue."

The Boulder County LGBTQ Chamber encourages businesses to be members of both chambers of commerce and do not view their chapter as a competitor of other local chambers. The CO LGBTQ CC is an affiliate of the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce, both are 501(c)(6) advocacy organizations. As part of state and national organizations, the Boulder County chapter will advocate for and strive to expand economic opportunities for members.

“We want to continue our support of local businesses and community members. We would like to continue to grow and learn more about supporting the LGBTQ community,” said Megan Miller of Harbor Wealth Management. “For us, it wasn’t an either-or choice, we have been involved with the existing chamber in the past and think they are a great organization. We feel that at this time we can have a greater impact with the LGTBQ Chamber.”