About Us
Vision
We are a leading economic voice in the greater Houston region. We achieve economic parity resulting in unprecedented economic opportunities for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender and allied business community.
Mission
We accelerate economic growth for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender business community using an entrepreneurial approach through a strong network of business allies, innovative programs, strategic partnerships and advance policies that foster inclusion and equality.
Strategic Focus Areas
• Business Development & Growth
• Education & Networking
• Collaboration & Partnerships
• Leadership Development
• Advocacy/Policy
The Chamber's History
In December 2015, two members of the Houston LGBT business community, Tammi Wallace and Gary Wood, were in discussions with the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce about launching an affiliate chamber in Houston. On February 24, 2016, the Greater Houston Chamber of Commerce officially launched. The launch event was held in conjunction with a “LGBT Business Builders” event sponsored by the Small Business Administration and the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. Other collaborating partners for the event were Affinity Magazine, Houston Community College and OutSmart Magazine.
The event was held at the Houston Community College - West Loop Campus. Tammi Wallace and Gary Wood, Chamber Co-Founders announced the launch of the new Greater Houston LGBT Chamber of Commerce and unveiled the new Chamber logo. Mayor Pro Tem Ellen Cohen addressed the crowd of over 100 business owners and key stakeholders with welcoming remarks and she noted the historical significance of the official launch of the new Greater Houston LGBT Chamber.
As Chamber Co-Founders, Tammi Wallace and Gary Wood, were instrumental in creating the vision for the new Chamber and recruited key Steering Committee members to support the ramp up of operations. The Steering Committee has played an integral role in operationalizing the Chamber.
The original members of the 2016 Chamber Steering Committee are Roy Alvarez, Jr., Jon Marrs, Jonathan Netak, Tammi Wallace (Steering Committee Co-Chair) and Gary Wood (Steering Committee Co-Chair). Each of these individuals believed strongly that the Chamber could have a remarkable impact for the LGBT business community and its allies. They each have dedicated a remarkable investment of time and energy in the organization’s inaugural year, thus laying a strong foundation for the Chamber.
The Chamber Steering Committee collaborated with the North Texas LGBT Chamber of Commerce in order to launch the organization as quickly as possible. Through the tremendous support of Tony Vedda, CEO of the North Texas Chamber, the Houston Chamber was able to initially get up and running within a very short period of time. The Houston Chamber owes a debt of gratitude to Tony and the North Texas Chamber Board for their leadership, support and friendship. As a result of the strong relationship developed during the initial launch year, the Houston Chamber continues to collaborate with North Texas on various initiatives including statewide advocacy/policy initiatives and sharing of best practices.
One of the first opportunities presented for LGBT business owners is the Business Connect program, which is the NFL’s supplier diversity program. Houston is designated as the 2017 host city for Super Bowl LI. Chamber leadership worked in early 2015 to ensure that LGBTBE certified businesses would be eligible to participate in the Business Connect program and continues to work with the Super Bowl Host Committee leadership throughout 2016.
In a short time, the Chamber has grown tremendously, and the organization is on track to rollout major programming, member resources and other opportunities going forward in its first year of operation. It’s an exciting time to be part of the new Greater Houston LGBT Chamber. Join the Chamber and help us make history!
As of May 2016
The Greater Houston LGBT Chamber launched in February 2016 under the leadership of the Chamber Steering Committee. We appreciate the leadership and tireless dedication of each member of the Steering Committee and the support for the vision, mission and work to lay a strong foundation for the Chamber.
In recognition of the tremendous contributions from this group, each person is recognized as part of the Chamber's Founding Leadership Council (FLC). The FLC serves as a source of expertise and institutional knowledge that is crucial to the long-term success of the Chamber. Many members on the FLC continue to serve in various capacities within the Chamber.
Founding Leadership Council
Tammi C. Wallace
Co-Founder/Co-Chair
Tammi is the Founder & Principal Consultant for EnFocus Strategies, which supports clients through high-quality training and consulting services focused on public affairs and LGBTQ diversity & inclusion. She currently serves as the Vice-Chair/Chair Elect for the Chamber. In addition, she is involved in other organizations including on the board of the Mayor's LGBTQ Advisory Board, Hollyfield Foundation, Montrose Management District and Victory Fund Campaign Board. In 2017, she was recognized as OutSmart Magazine’s Gayest & Greatest Reader's Choice Awards for Female Business Person. Tammi was named Female Grand Marshal of the Houston Pride Parade in 2011 in recognition of her leadership and activism in the LGBTQ community.
Gary W. Wood
Co-Founder/Co-Chair
Gary is the Founder & President of Integrus Solutions, a consulting firm that specializes in Business Analytics, Accounting & Finance, Information Technology, Engineering & Energy Services, and Mortgage Servicing Solutions. He currently serves as the Chair of the Board for the Chamber. In addition, Gary is on the board of the Montrose Center and is president of Outreach United, a nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing a more positive awareness and understanding to the Houston GLBT community. In 2010, Gary was named Male Grand Marshal of the Houston Pride Parade, in recognition of his volunteerism, fundraising, and activism.
Roy Alvarez, Jr.
Roy recently retired from HEB grocery retail company following 38 years in, managing IT desktop & administration support team, and is a lifetime HEB Corporate Diversity & Inclusion Ambassador. Currently he serves as president of Alvarez Business Solutions along with major interests in a home and business security firm and a business that manages operations for men’s health clinics. Roy is an active program facilitator for World Youth Foundation, volunteers on Montrose Center committees, HRC, and HEB’s Houston Seniors Retirement Club.
Samuel M. Jacobson
Sam is a self-employed project and operations manager. He has over 30 years’ experience in operations, training, budgets and project implementation in various restaurants, institutional and corporate settings. He has an emphasis in social responsibility and diversity and inclusion components of an organization. Outside of his work, he shares his knowledge of diversity with a variety of organizations advancing education and arts, as well as those in the LGBT and Jewish communities.
Jonathan Marrs
Jon is the Vice President for Client Engagement with Strategic Careers, a company operating in Houston for over 15 years. Strategic Careers specializes in technology consulting services and providing mid-to-senior level Information Technology (IT) professionals for their portfolio of clients. He is also the Director for the US division of Custerian, a company that consults with organizations on business transformation and customer experience.
A.J. Mistretta
A.J. is a Vice President of LBPR managing restaurant and hospitality public relations in the Houston region. He previously served as director of public relations for Visit Houston and prior to that was an award-winning journalist for newspapers and magazines in Texas and Louisiana. A.J. is a board member of the Chamber. In addition, he is a member of the Mayor Sylvester Turner’s LGBT Advisory Board and is a former board member of Lambda NextGen Houston and Outreach United. He is also a contributing editor for MyGayHouston.com.
Jonathan Netek
Jonathan is a designer and creative strategist with over 10 years in the advertising, marketing and communications industries. He has worked within large corporate environments (Edelman PR in NYC) as well as small to medium local businesses and startups. With ample experience in branding/identity, print and web design, he strives to keep the end user in mind in every design solution. He has also worked within the community on many of the events put on by Outreach United.
Tiffany Tosh
Tiffany is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of REFUGE Marketing. Tiffany has almost 20 years of marketing experience with over 15 of them focussing on her passion, Digital Media and Marketing. At REFUGE, she oversees the Digital Division, which involves all aspects of Online Marketing including Social Media Management, Website Design and Development, Content Creation, Email Marketing and Advertising. In the past, she served on HRC's National Board of Governors and in several positions on the Houston Steering Committee, including three years as Gala Tri-Chair.