GSBA Goes Global WINTER 2018 EQUALITY IS GOOD BUSINESS theGSBA.org Meet Your Scholars. The Perspective. A quarterly publication from Seattle’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, IN YOUR BUSINESS transgender, and allied chamber of commerce. BY LOUISE CHERNIN, PRESIDENT & CEO Hear Their Stories. GSBA STAFF A LGBT Cultural and Trade later on the Eritrean business communities. Although Louise Chernin, President & CEO Tristen Gardner, Development Travis Mears, Director of Amy Burdick, Senior Business Officer Development & Scholarship Mission to Taiwan, who would the result was incredible with our group receiving over Relationship Manager Matt Landers, Public Policy Programs have thought? Certainly not our $250k, the largest awarded by OLS; perhaps, the most Carlos Chavez, Program & Communications Manager Mark Rosén, VP of Development founding members who launched transformational outcome, was the bringing together & Events Manager Ilona Lohrey, Director of & External Relations Rachel Chernin, VP of Operations Membership, Outreach Matt Ketcham, Ketcham Design GSBA 37 years ago. They got of a group of minority chambers that have never and Director of Finance & Engagement Susie Tracy, Lobbyist together for the main purpose of worked together. Alanna Francis, Office Meridian Mayer, Senior & Events Coordinator Membership Services Manager supporting LGBT owned small Working with the ECCC and its amazing President businesses and shortly thereafter Martha Lee, was how we met Felicity Wang, the GSBA BOARD OF DIRECTORS Roby Schapira, Wells Fargo Carrianne Smith, Seattle Sheraton to use their economic position impressive mover and shaker and President of the Seattle EXECUTIVE OFFICERS Paul Sherman MD, Kaiser Hotel Drew Ness, CHAIR Permanente Gary Szeredy, Pike Brewing in Seattle to address rampant Chinese Chamber. The rest is history. We became fast 1st Security Bank Kevin Spratt, Precision Garage Company discrimination against the LGBT friends with Felicity, who proudly talked about Taiwan’s Louise Chernin, PRESIDENT & CEO Door Service Ron Williams, Visit Walla Walla community. We have come a long way from “Prime Time” progressive values and how her country of birth was soon Stephanie Dallas, VICE CHAIR Rich White, The Boeing Company PUBLIC POLICY COUNCIL Brandon Chun, SECRETARY John Zmolek, Verity Credit Union mixers and lunches at Triples on Lake Union (no longer to pass marriage equality. Felicity was the one to connect Bryan Adamson, Seattle University MDC SMALL BUSINESS COUNCIL Linda Di Lello-Morton, Terra Plata there) to now more expansive business and economic the dots and suggest we gather a group of LGBT business Carolyn Hojaboom, TREASURER Eli Allison, Repair Revolution Joe Fugere, Tutta Bella Neapolitan ARC of King County development, including an international trade mission. leaders to travel to Taiwan for what would be the first Jonathan Bowman, Attorney at Law Pizzeria Bryan Adamson, PUBLIC This historic opportunity to travel to Taiwan as an ever, LGBT Cultural and Trade Mission to Taiwan. Joining Susan Fuller, Law Office of AFFAIRS CHAIR Dani Cone, Fuel Coffee, Susan K. Fuller, PLLC openly LGBT business group is directly tied to expanding us on this first cultural and trade mission was one of our Seattle University School of Law Cone & Steiner Adrian Matanza, Seattle City Light Carrie Carson, SCHOLARSHIP CHAIR Diane Coyne, Picket Fence Realty our partnerships with the ethnic chambers under the Founding Members, Tim Bradbury, the very person that Point B Martha Davis, City Lights Sign Co. Jay Petterson, Blue Wave Political Partners umbrella of the Ethnic Chambers of Commerce Coalition brought that first group of gay men together to launch Kevin Gaspari, IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR Amy Ecklund, AmyWorks, Inc. Windermere Joe Fugere, Tutta Bella Neapolitan George Pieper, OutSmart Office (ECCC). Shortly after the office for Labor Standards GSBA. Business offers great opportunities for bringing Pizzeria Solutions DIRECTORS announced funding for business associations to offer people together and breaking down barriers. It did so Susan K. Fuller, Law Office of Mona Smith, Mona Smith PLLC, Chris Befumo, US Bank Susan K. Fuller, PLLC Attorneys at Law training on how to implement the new labor laws, GSBA 37 years ago and that journey continues today, expanding Kim Bogucki, Seattle Police Dept. Lendy Hensley, City Catering Co. Susie Tracy, GSBA Lobbyist met with the ECCC to explore writing one grant for our our reach internationally. Danny Cords, WSECU Dena Levine, DML Insurance David Ward, Legal Voice Martha Davis, City Lights Sign Co. Services, Inc Barb Wilson, Vulcan Inc. diverse chamber group, including the Chinese, Japanese, Linda Di Lello-Morton, Terra Plata For equality, Elise Lindborg, ZippyDogs GSBA AMBASSADORS Korean, Vietnamese, Hispanic, Taiwanese, Filipino and Elaine DuCharme, Attorney at Law Christiana Maia, Anquida Adams, A.L.A. Roz Edison, Marination Trilogy Chiropractic Consulting Firm Susan Fuller, Law Office Linda Di Lello-Morton, Terra Plata Jason Bergevin, Holmquist of Susan L. Fuller George Pieper, OutSmart Office & Gardiner PLLC Gladys Gillis, Solutions Kevin Bohnert, Windermere Real Starline Luxury Coaches Don Riling, Olympic Hot Tub Estate Rob Hampton, Visit Seattle John Rubino, GreenRubino Randy Card, First Financial Jenny Harding, New Chapter Justin Schantz, SimplyBuilt Northwest Bank Weddings & Events FROM THE CHAIR Sally Schultz, Sally Schultz Co. Ryan Ceurvorst, Tango Foxtrot David Hernandez, New York BY DREW NESS, BOARD CHAIR Greg Serum, Your Man Friday Kyle Curtis, Liberty Mutual Life Insurance Laureli Shimayo, ThriveWise Nikki Dickerson, First Financial James Hing, Starbucks Coffee I recall a GSBA board meeting Matchmaker events, and more. With so many of GSBA’s Mona Smith, Mona Smith PLLC, Northwest Bank Company several years ago. We were members being owners of small businesses, it’s great Attorneys at Law Rollie Garner, Garner Tax Jennifer Jimenez, Eastside Total Heather Staples, Consulting, PLLC discussing the reach of GSBA. to see GSBA continue to provide a variety of ways for Health & Lactation Staples Restaurant Group Steve Gunn, Wells Fargo Advisors Dena Levine, DML Insurance Someone mentioned that “we them to showcase their business—from print ads, to Gail Stringer, Hawaii General Store David Hernández, New York Life Services, Inc Insurance Company should really consider going as digital ads, to networking events, to OUTLeads groups. Adrian Matanza, Seattle City Light SCHOLARSHIP STEERING Chris Kuhel Katie Mooney, Jennifer Brown COMMITTEE far as Tukwila.” Oh my—who Through its Public Policy Council and Public Policy Task Rob Macauley, 1st Security Bank Consulting Carrie Carson, Point B would have guessed that the Force, GSBA continues to speak out on issues affecting Toraya Miller, First Financial Kyle Mullinix, Google Stephanie Dallas Northwest Bank first letter was correct, but the civil rights, economic prosperity, and education for all. Mike Novasio, Microsoft Sara Elward GSBA is proud to invest over Caroline Millet, Career Paths NW Trinity Parker, Sound Transit Steve Gunn, Wells Fargo Advisors continent was way off! Just Through the GSBA Scholarship Fund, it continues to $400,000 in 45 remarkable Jill Nichols-Hicks, Isagenix Jay Petterson, Blue Wave Aidan Key, Gender Diversity Tom Thorogood, Amazon read on in this issue to see how heighten its effectiveness by not only providing LGBTQ+ and allied students. Political Partners Brian Lavery, RE/Max Northwest Tomoyuki Uehara, New York Life GSBA has reached Taiwan! Is it critically-needed scholarships for well-deserving Barb Wilson, Vulcan Inc. Katie Mooney, Jennifer Brown Join us for an inspiring evening Insurance Company Beto Yarce, Ventures Consulting any wonder that some, only half-jokingly, have started students, but by also providing scholars with leadership Lisa Wierzbicki, Aflac to celebrate and honor your Rob Roche CORPORATE ADVISORY BOARD thinking that the ‘G’ in our name stands for ‘Galactic’? training so that they can grow into tomorrow’s leaders. 2018 Scholars. Meade Thayer YOUNG PROFESSIONALS WITH Joe Adams, 1st Security Bank Kirsten Weiss, Liberty Mutual PRIDE ADVISORY COUNCIL This issue really focuses on the international impact When you ponder “what other business association Chris Befumo, US Bank Foundation Jonathan Adams, Pride and reach of GSBA. You’ll find it exciting to read how in the state takes such a focused, yet holistic approach” Jeff Butler, Alaska Airlines Foundation The 28th Annual TOURISM ADVISORY BOARD Steve Crandall, ProMotion Holdings Jennifer Blomgren, NAVOS GSBA members, staff, and scholars are taking the and if you truly believe that “Equality is Good Business,” GSBA Scholars Dinner Patti Denny, Port of Seattle Louise Chernin, GSBA Sunni Campbell, Wheelhouse message of “Equality is Good Business” to different membership in GSBA is one of the best business and Philip Fryer, Seattle Marriott Friday, May 18, 2018 Stephanie Dallas, GSBA Vice Chair Digital Marketing Waterfront parts of the globe. life decisions you can make! Patrick Evans, Sound Scott Flanary, Moss Adams Dennis Galloway, Columbia Gladys Gillis, Starline Luxury Coaches Brennon Ham, The Northwest But don’t for a minute think that GSBA is not So, stay informed, get involved, and enjoy this issue! Tower Club Ada Healy, Vulcan Inc. Network of Bisexual, Trans, Rob Hampton, Visit Seattle primarily focused right on our own backyard! GSBA Andrew Held, JP Morgan Chase Lesbian, and Gay Survivors Andrew Harris, King St. Ballroom For equality, Kelly Keller, PwC of Abuse