New Jersey LGBT Chamber Seeks to Raise Success Rate for Diverse Businesses

Wayne, NJ, April 06, 2017 --(PR.com)-- Nationally, LGBT businesses contributed more than a trillion dollars to the US economy and more than 30,000 jobs in 2015 with numbers continually on the rise.* In New Jersey, the NJ LGBT Chamber of Commerce wants to elevate the profile of these businesses in the tri-state region. On April 11th at 8:30am, the NJ LGBT Chamber will host an ongoing breakfast series held this month at the Renaissance Meadowlands Hotel in Rutherford, NJ to tackle key issues facing LGBT friendly and allied businesses. Speakers such a Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno, Ryan Blake of BCB Community Bank and PSEG Chief Diversity Officer, Ellen Lambert will be on hand at the breakfast to offer their insight and advice to business owners.

Noting the intersection of political, corporate and diversity concerns, organization Co-President Tamara Fleming said of the event, “The breakfast seeks to introduce local entrepreneurs to the resources of the NJ LBGT Chamber of Commerce, encourage national business certification and connect entrepreneurs with each other to access B2B opportunities and strengthen networks.”

Workplace discrimination loses American businesses more than $64 billion a year.** These figures include challenges the LGBT community face in the workplace and as consumers in the US marketplace. Even as LGBT employees face discrimination, entrepreneurship rises as an opportunity for economic success. These often diverse and long-lasting businesses contribute tens of thousands of jobs to the American workforce.

BCB Community Bank is a longtime NJ LGBT Chamber partner and sponsor. Thomas M. Coughlin, CEO and President, says of the benefit to business owners, “We support the NJ LGBT Chamber of Commerce because this organization provides entrepreneurs with the business tools and peer-to-peer outreach opportunities they’re looking for.” The April 11th event will take place at the Renaissance Meadowlands Hotel, 801 Rutherford Avenue, Rutherford, NJ 07070 and offers access to the following political, business and diversity leaders as expected speakers:
- NJ Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno
- NJ Assemblyman Tim Eustace
- Ryan Blake, Financial Analyst, BCB Community Bank
- Jonathan Lovitz, Sr. Vice President, National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce
- Thomas “TJ” Chernick, Director of Membership + LGBTBE Engagement, NGLCCNY
- Ellen Lambert, Chief Diversity Officer, PSE&G
- Michael Wheeler, Workplace Diversity Consultant

Tickets are still available at the NJ LBGT Chamber Business Networking Series Eventbrite link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/join-the-njlgbt-chamber-of-commerce-our-amazing-roster-of-speakers-tickets-32968425448

NJ LGBT Chamber of Commerce is New Jersey's premier LGBTQ business organization dedicated to strengthening LGBT businesses in the New Jersey tri-state area by increasing the economic staying power of its members and allies and facilitating successful business collaboration. Find out more about us at NJLGBTChamber.org: http://www.njlgbtchamber.org/

*National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce report, America’s LGBT Economy http://nglcc.org/report
**Center for American Progress report, The Costly Business of Discrimination https://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/issues/2012/03/pdf/lgbt_biz_discrimination.pdf