TAMPA | The Tampa Bay Diversity Chamber of Commerce (TBDCC) announced Feb. 7 that it has postponed its annual awards gala to focus on hosting the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) 2019 Business & Leadership Conference Aug. 13-16.
“This world-renowned conference is the largest LGBT business event in the world and provides networking and engagement opportunities for business owners in the LGBT community,” the chamber shared. “The TBDCC in partnership with Visit Tampa Bay won the 2019 bid over all other applicants to secure the NGLCC 2019 International Business & Leadership Conference for the city of Tampa.”“We are excited to host the 2019 NGLCC International Business & Leadership Conference,” Visit Tampa Bay President and CEO Santiago Corrada said in a statement. “Hosting this event will elevate the entire Tampa Bay community in the eyes of the world and showcase Tampa as a major LGBTQ destination capable of putting on a significant, high-quality international event.”
The NGLCC was founded in 2002 to support and showcase the diversity of talent, skills and expertise that the LGBTQ community has to offer. According to the TBDCC, over 1,200 leaders were drawn to NGLCC’s 2018 conference in its host city of Philadelphia, where the economic impact of the conference on the region’s hospitality and tourism industry was estimated at roughly $3.6 million dollars.
“We’re thrilled to work with the TBDCC as we bring our annual conference to Tampa,” NGLCC co-founder and President Justin Nelson said. “With its rich history and reputation as regional business center, Tampa will make an excellent host for the over 1,300 LGBT business owners, corporate thought leaders, and public and private sector decision-makers that the NGLCC International Business and Leadership Conference convenes each year.”
The chamber also announced the postponement of “Diamonds in Diversity,” the TBDCC’s annual awards gala. Originally scheduled for March 1, the celebration has been moved to Oct. 18 to allow the organization to “focus its resources, planning and full commitment to the Opening Night Reception for the NGLCC Conference, and its regularly scheduled Breakfast ‘n Learns, B2B Networking Socials and additional programming.”
“We’re working hard planning for 2019—we’re ready to do more than ever before,” TBDCC President Justice Gennari said. “Celebrating 35 years, we are honored to host the 2019 NGLCC International Business & Leadership Conference. We are dedicated to doing all we can to building trusted connections and to expanding economic opportunities for all! We thank all our members for their ongoing support of the Chamber.”
For more information about the TBDCC and “Diamonds in Diversity,” visit DiversityTampaBay.org. For more information about the NGLCC, visit NGLCC.org.
