MILWAUKEE — The Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce is excited to announce that Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin health network, one of Wisconsin’s premier health care providers, has joined the Chamber as its newest Platinum Member.
“We are excited to welcome the Froedtert & MCW health network as the newest member of the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce,” said Jason Rae, executive director of the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce. “The organization has a long and dedicated commitment to serving Wisconsin’s LGBT population and supporting diversity and inclusion in the workplace.”
“We are proud to join the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce as platinum members,” said Joel Prah, executive director, Supply Chain and Purchasing, of Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin. “We value and celebrate the wealth of diversity reflected in our patients, their families, our workforce and the communities we serve. We are committed to being an inclusive and culturally competent organization that provides exceptional care to everyone, especially the LGBT community.”
Wauwatosa-based Froedtert Hospital and Menomonee Falls-based Community Memorial Hospital, two members of the Froedtert & Medical College of Wisconsin health network, were recognized as “Leaders in LGBT Healthcare Equality” by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation in November 2014. Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin is the first health care system in southeastern Wisconsin to earn this national designation.
“We look forward to working with the entire Froedtert & MCW team as we continue build a more diversity business community in Wisconsin,” added Rae.
The Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce is an organization of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and LGBT-allied businesses, corporations, and professionals throughout the state of Wisconsin. It offers networking opportunities, business development efforts within the LGBT community and educational programming to its members.
Membership information can be found online at: www.wislgbtchamber.com.
--30--
MILWAUKEE – The Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce announced today that Hupy & Abraham, S.C. has joined the Chamber as its newest gold founding member, bringing the total number of businesses and organizations as members to more than 330.
“We are excited to welcome Hupy & Abraham as our newest gold founding member of the LGBT Chamber,” said Jason Rae, executive director of the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce. “We look forward to working with them to grow a more inclusive business community all across our state that will support LGBT-owned and allied businesses.”
“Hupy & Abraham is committed to being an inclusive workplace and a champion of a diverse business community in the state,” said attorney Jason Abraham. “Our work with the LGBT Chamber will allow us to continue reaching a diverse set of clients and ensure people know we are a welcoming and inclusive firm. We’re proud to be a member of the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber and support the work that this award-winning organization does.”
The addition of Hupy & Abraham brings the total number of businesses and organizations as active, current members to more than 330. Hupy & Abraham joins 16 other corporations as a founding member of the LGBT Chamber. In addition to building a strong and diverse membership, the Chamber has been active statewide, hosting more than 100 events since its founding, including two Business Awards & Expos, two LGBT Wedding Expos, a Business Diversity Summit, and a Women’s Leadership Luncheon, among other events. The Chamber was also the recipient of three national awards, including the 2015 Chamber of the Year Award from the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC).
The Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce is an organization of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and LGBT-allied businesses, corporations, and professionals throughout the state of Wisconsin. It offers networking opportunities, business development efforts within the LGBT community and educational programming to its members.
--30--
Sunnyvale, Calif. – The Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce is proud to announce that the chamber was awarded a $5,000 grant on Thursday, August 13th at the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC)’s 2015 International Business & Leadership Conference in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Funded by the Wells Fargo Foundation, this grant was awarded to expand capacity and offer technical assistance to the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber’s Lunch & Learn Series. The main goal of the series is to foster the development, growth, and sustainability of certified LGBT business enterprises (LGBTBEs®).
“The LGBT Lunch & Learn Series has become a vital resource to our members as they develop their businesses and engage in strategic planning,” said Jason Rae, Executive Director of the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce. “We are thrilled to receive this generous grant from Wells Fargo and NGLCC which will allow us to expand and enrich our program.”
“Wells Fargo has a rich history of supporting diverse chambers of commerce, and we share their commitment to helping small business owners succeed financially,” said Lisa Stevens, Regional Marketing, Small Business and Pacific Midwest Bank Executive. “Through our partnership with the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC), we are proud to provide funding that will support chamber-led entrepreneur training programs and dedicated resources for education, growth and advancement of diverse business owners in communities across America.”
The Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce is an organization of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and LGBT-allied businesses, professionals and corporations throughout the state of Wisconsin. It offers networking opportunities, business development efforts within the LGBT community and educational programming to its members. The Chamber currently has more than 300 businesses and organizations as members from all around the state. For more information, visit www.wislgbtchamber.com.
The National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce is the business voice of the LGBT community and is the largest global not-for-profit advocacy organization specifically dedicated to expanding economic opportunities and advancements for LGBT people. NGLCC is the exclusive certification body for LGBT-owned businesses. www.nglcc.org
Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a nationwide, diversified, community-based financial services company with $1.7 trillion in assets. Founded in 1852 and headquartered in San Francisco, Wells Fargo provides banking, insurance, investments, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance through 8,700 locations, 12,800 ATMs, the internet (wellsfargo.com) and mobile banking, and has offices in 36 countries to support customers who conduct business in the global economy. With approximately 266,000 team members, Wells Fargo serves one in three households in the United States. Wells Fargo & Company was ranked No. 30 on Fortune’s 2015 rankings of America’s largest corporations. Wells Fargo’s vision is to satisfy our customers’ financial needs and help them succeed financially. Wells Fargo perspectives are also available at Wells Fargo Blogs and Wells Fargo Stories.
-30-
Milwaukee, WI -- The Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce is excited to announce that the chamber was honored with the 2015 Chamber of the Year Award on Thursday, August 13th at the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC)’s 2015 International Business & Leadership Conference in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Last year, the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce received the Rising Star Chamber Award.
“The Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce is thrilled to receive this award,” said Executive Director Jason Rae. “Our organization began in 2011 as a young LGBT professionals networking organization and we soon discovered the tremendous need for LGBT business owners to connect and support an inclusive business climate in Wisconsin. In September 2012, we were excited to launch as a statewide chamber. We’ve exceeded our own expectations in less than three years, and we couldn’t have done so without the passionate work of our members and corporate partners. This recognition is an extreme honor for our organization.”
NGLCC recognized the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce as a role model for other chambers and an example of what an LGBT chamber should be. A winning Chamber of the Year is judged as an established and stable chamber that has weathered ups and downs, continued to see sustainable growth, remained relevant in the community, and is engaged locally and nationally in policy, LGBT business enterprise certification, and the business equality movement.
“The Wisconsin LGBT Chamber Commerce has gone above and beyond to offer new opportunities to members and the community,” said Justin Nelson, NGLCC Co-Founder and President. “Executive Director Jason Rae and the chamber members have been innovative in planning programs, events, and trainings. We are proud to recognize their success in the past year.”
The Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce works to create a fully inclusive state by promoting economic growth and opportunities among LGBT owned and allied businesses, professionals, and corporations in Wisconsin. Representing its members, the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce serves as the business advocate and the link between business and government in an effort to promote equality and fairness for all.
“The outstanding leadership at the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce have created an organization that is an enormous asset to their local business community,” said Sam McClure, NGLCC Senior Vice President. “We are proud to have them as our local partner and we know they will continue their pattern of excellence for years to come.”
The Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce is an organization of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and LGBT-allied businesses, professionals and corporations throughout the state of Wisconsin. It offers networking opportunities, business development efforts within the LGBT community and educational programming to its members. The Chamber currently has more than 300 businesses and organizations as members from all around the state. The Wisconsin LGBT Chamber is proud to be an affiliate of the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC).
The National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce is the business voice of the LGBT community and is the largest global not-for-profit advocacy organization specifically dedicated to expanding economic opportunities and advancements for LGBT people. NGLCC is the exclusive certification body for LGBT-owned businesses.
--30--
Johnson Controls joins as Gold Founding Member
MILWAUKEE – The Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce announced today that is has reached 300current and active members of the Chamber with the addition of Johnson Controls, who is joining as a gold founding member.
“We are excited to welcome Johnson Controls as our 300th member of the LGBT Chamber of Commerce,” said Jason Rae, executive director of the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce. “We look forward to working with them to grow a more inclusive business community all across our state that will support LGBT-owned and allied businesses.”
“Johnson Controls is committed to a workplace environment that is inclusive of all employees,” said Grady Crosby, vice president and chief diversity officer at Johnson Controls. “Our efforts to be an employer of choice in Wisconsin align with goals of the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce to create a business community that supports diversity and inclusion.”
The addition of Johnson Controls as the 300th member highlights the Chamber’s rapid growth across the state. In addition to building a strong and diverse membership, the Chamber has been active statewide, hosting more than 100 events since its founding, including two Business Awards & Expos, two LGBT Wedding Expos, a Business Diversity Summit, and a Women’s Leadership Luncheon, among other events. The Chamber was also the recipient of two national awards, including the 2014 Rising Star Award from the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce.
“Reaching 300 current and active members in under three years exceeded our expectations, but it shows that Wisconsin employers and businesses are committed to creating a fully inclusive state for the LGBT community,” said Rae. “We look forward to continuing our efforts to grow our membership and promote economic growth opportunities among LGBT owned and allied businesses and corporations in Wisconsin for many years to come.”
The Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce is an organization of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and LGBT-allied businesses, corporations, and professionals throughout the state of Wisconsin. It offers networking opportunities, business development efforts within the LGBT community and educational programming to its members.
--30--
MILWAUKEE — The Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce that ManpowerGroup has joined the organization as its newest gold founding member.
“We are thrilled to welcome ManpowerGroup into the Chamber family as our newest founding member,” said Jason Rae, executive director of the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce. “We are excited to be able to work with ManpowerGroup to grow the LGBT business and professional community in Wisconsin. “
“We are pleased to join the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce and look forward to building a solid, strong partnership together,” said Jim McCoy, Vice President, ManpowerGroup and executive sponsor of Elevate, ManpowerGroup's LGBT business resource group. “ManpowerGroup values growing a diverse business community and diverse workforce. We are dedicated to attracting and retaining talented employees, providing an inclusive workplace, and using a diverse pool of suppliers. Working together, we can make significant differences in growing the LGBT and allied business community in our state and our country.”
ManpowerGroup, whose global headquarters is in Milwaukee, is the world’s workforce expert, creating innovative workforce solutions for more than 65 years. As workforce experts, they connect more than 600,000 men and women to meaningful work across a wide range of skills and industries every day.
“We are very appreciative to ManpowerGroup’s commitment to the LGBT and allied business community in Wisconsin. Their support will be instrumental to us as we continue to grow a pro-fairness business community in Wisconsin,” said Rae.
The Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce is an organization of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and LGBT-allied businesses, corporations and professionals throughout the state of Wisconsin. It offers networking opportunities, business development efforts within the LGBT community and educational programming to its members. The organization has more than 275 members from around the state.
More information can be found online at: www.wislgbtchamber.com.
--30--
MADISON — The Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce the addition of Alliant Energy as the organization’s newest gold founding member.
“We are excited to welcome Alliant Energy into our Chamber family as our newest founding member,” said Jason Rae, executive director of the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce. “The LGBT Chamber of Commerce is looking forward to working with Alliant Energy as we grow the LGBT business community in our great state. “
“We are pleased to join the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce, and we are looking forward to fostering a strong partnership with them,” said Anne Carter, Director – Recruitment and Diversity. “Alliant Energy values growing a diverse business community and diverse workforce in the markets we serve. We are dedicated to attracting and retaining talented employees, providing an inclusive workplace, using a diverse pool of suppliers, and investing in economic development. Working together, we can make significant differences in growing the LGBT and allied business community in our region.”
Alliant Energy provides energy solutions to more than 1.4 million customers in Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin. The corporate headquarters is in Madison, Wisconsin. They currently have nearly 4,200 employees working across their service territory.
“We are thankful for Alliant Energy’s commitment to the LGBT business community in Wisconsin. Their investment will allow us to continue to expand and help LGBT businesses grow,” said Rae.
The Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce is an organization of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and LGBT-allied businesses, corporations and professionals throughout the state of Wisconsin. It offers networking opportunities, business development efforts within the LGBT community and educational programming to its members. The organization has more than 275 members from around the state.
Membership information can be found online at: www.wislgbtchamber.com.
--30--
Inconsistent Marriage Laws Pose Significant Burdens on Employers and Employees
Milwaukee, WI – The Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce has signed on as a signatory to a brief filed today by Morgan Lewis in the US Supreme Court. The organization is joining with hundreds of other businesses and organizations urging the High Court to consider the burdens imposed on both employers and employees by a fractured legal landscape with no uniform rule on same-sex marriage. The amicus curiae brief was filed in the Obergefell v. Hodges case, and urges the US Supreme Court to affirm a uniform principle that all couples share in the right to marry.
The brief argues that the existing, confused legal landscape places significant burdens on employers and their employees—making it increasingly hard to conduct business. In addition to the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber, other signatories range from small family-owned businesses to Fortune 100 companies and are evenly distributed across many of the country’s most important industries, including technology, finance, sports, healthcare, and retail.
The Wisconsin LGBT Chamber, as well as other employers across the nation, shares a desire to attract and retain a talented workforce. As the brief points out, today most Americans live in jurisdictions where same-sex marriages are recognized. However, the laws of many states continue to prohibit same-sex couples from marrying, and decline to recognize the valid existing marriages of citizens married to a spouse of the same sex, making it difficult for businesses to thrive. In coordination with our fellow signatories, the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber presents empirical evidence showing the value of diversity and inclusion in the workplace and the detrimental effect of the absence of a single uniform law in this area.
“The Wisconsin LGBT Chamber was proud to sign on this brief with the United States Supreme Court,” said Jason Rae, executive director of the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce. “Diversity and inclusion in the workplace is key to growing our state’s economy. We’ve heard from our business members that the current patchwork of inconsistent state marriage laws makes it harder and more costly for them to recruit and retain talented employees, and to administer benefits systems. Quite simply, this burdens businesses by costing them both time and money. We are hopeful that the United States Supreme Court will side with the business community in this case.”
The Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce is an organization of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and LGBT-allied businesses, corporations and professionals throughout the state of Wisconsin. It offers networking opportunities, business development efforts within the LGBT community and educational programming to its members. The organization has more than 275 members from around the state.
--30--
MILWAUKEE — The Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce is excited to announce that Aurora Health Care, one of Wisconsin’s premier health care providers, has joined the Chamber as its newest Gold Founding Member.
“We are excited to welcome Aurora Health Care as the newest member of the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce,” said Jason Rae, executive director of the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce. “Aurora Health Care understands not only the importance of being an inclusive and supportive work environment, but also being an inclusive and welcoming provider of health care to members of the LGBT community.”
“Aurora Health Care is proud to join the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce,” said Cristy Garcia-Thomas, chief diversity and inclusion officer of Aurora Health Care. “We are committed to working with the Chamber to build a more diverse and inclusive community across the state. We embrace the diversity of our patients and our employees, and we will continue to strive every day to make Aurora Health Care a leader in this state and country.”
Aurora Health Care is a not-for-profit Wisconsin-area health care provider and a national leader in efforts to improve health care quality. Aurora offers services at sites in more than 90 communities throughout eastern Wisconsin and northern Illinois. Aurora is Wisconsin’s most comprehensive health care provider and the state’s largest private employer. Aurora serves more than 1.2 million patients every year via a comprehensive network of facilities, services and providers, including 15 hospitals, 159 clinics, 70 pharmacies and 30,000 amazing caregivers.
“We look forward to working more closely with the team at Aurora Health Care as we build a pro-fairness business community in Wisconsin,” added Rae.
The Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce is an organization of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and LGBT-allied businesses, corporations, and professionals throughout the state of Wisconsin. It offers networking opportunities, business development efforts within the LGBT community and educational programming to its members.
Membership information can be found online at: www.wislgbtchamber.com.
MILWAUKEE – The Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce sent a letter today to Representative Jim Sensenbrenner to advocate for a change to the US Copyright Act so that all same-sex couples have the same right and opportunity to receive copyright ownership rights in the result of their partner’s death as married persons have.
"We understand the important role that copyright ownership laws play in protecting an individual’s intellectual property upon their death," said Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Jason Rae. "We want to ensure that all same-sex couples are given an equal opportunity to inherit copyright ownership rights in order to protect their loved one’s hard work. While we wait for all states in the country to recognize marriage equality, H.R. 5617 will ensure that should someone die in a state that does not recognize marriage equality, but was legally married in a state that does, their copyright ownership rights will be protected."
In the letter, the Chamber asked the Congressman to support H.R. 5617, a bill that would change federal rights under the US Copyright Act from a place of residence rule to a place of celebration rule. The existing definition in the Copyright Act determines spousal status by the law of the author's domicile at death. The amendment proposes to change that definition to the state where the author was married. This would help protect an individual’s copyright ownership rights if they were to die in a state that does not currently recognize marriage equality.
"Copyright law has some special rights for creators' spouses that only come into effect upon death of the creator. This proposed change would allow all legally married same-sex spouses to receive those benefits, no matter where the creator lived," said Aurelia J. Schultz, attorney at Schultz Law, who focuses on copyright and trademark law. Schultz Law has been a member of the LGBT Chamber since 2013.
Representative Sensenbrenner serves as a member of the United States House of Representatives’ Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet where this bill is currently assigned.
"We hope that Congressman Sensenbrenner will urge his colleagues on the Subcommittee on Courts and Intellectual Property to take up this important measure, added Rae.
A copy of the letter can be found here.
--30--
MILWAUKEE — The Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce is excited to announce that Whyte Hirschboeck Dudek S.C. (WHD), one of Wisconsin’s leading law firms, has joined the Chamber as its newest Gold Founding Member.
“We are excited to welcome WHD as a member of the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce,” said Jason Rae, executive director of the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce. “WHD understands the importance of being an inclusive and supportive work environment, and they know the value that LGBT employees bring to their firm.”
WHD plays a significant role in shaping political, economic, environmental and legal landscapes. With offices in Milwaukee and Madison, as well as Chicago, the firm has more than 150 professionals practicing in more than 50 industry and specialty areas.
“WHD is excited to join the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce,” said Timothy Posnanski, shareholder and chair of the Litigation Practice Group, who is one of the founding members of the Chamber’s Board of Directors. “The firm is committed to building a more diverse business community across the state.”
“We embrace the diversity of our clients, business associates, and their employees, and we strive to maintain an inclusive working environment at our firm,” added Paul Eberle, WHD’s chief executive. “Diversity and inclusiveness benefit all of us and, as such, we look forward to developing our relationship with the Chamber.”
In addition to joining the Chamber, Whyte Hirschboeck Dudek is serving as the presenting sponsor for the upcoming LGBT Business Diversity Summit hosted by the LGBT Chamber.
The Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce is an organization of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and LGBT-allied businesses, corporations, and professionals throughout the state of Wisconsin. It offers networking opportunities, business development efforts within the LGBT community and educational programming to its members.
Membership information can be found online at: www.wislgbtchamber.com.
--30--
MILWAUKEE — The Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce the addition of Marcus Hotels & Resorts as the organization’s newest gold founding member.
“We are excited to welcome Marcus Hotels & Resorts as our newest gold founding member,” said Jason Rae, executive director of the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce. “Marcus Hotels & Resorts understands the importance of being an inclusive and supportive work environment, and they know the value that LGBT employees and customers bring to their business.”
“Marcus Hotels & Resorts is excited to join the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce,” said Steve Martin, Vice President of Human Resources at Marcus Hotels & Resorts. “We want to be a place where LGBT employees want to work, and we also want to be a place where LGBT visitors want to stay. We look forward to working closely with the LGBT Chamber to grow our business and reach new potential customers.”
Headquartered in Milwaukee, Marcus Hotels & Resorts is a division of The Marcus Corporation. As of November 1, the company owns and/or manages 20 hotels, resorts and other properties in 11 states. A force in the hospitality industry, Marcus Hotels & Resorts provides expertise in management, development and historic renovations. The company’s portfolio includes a wide variety of properties including city-center meeting hotels, upscale resorts and branded first-class hotels.
“We are thankful for Marcus Hotels & Resorts commitment to the LGBT business community. We look forward to working with them to create a stronger pro-fairness business community in our state,” said Rae.
The Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce is an organization of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and LGBT-allied businesses, corporations and professionals throughout the state of Wisconsin. It offers networking opportunities, business development efforts within the LGBT community and educational programming to its members.
Membership information can be found online at: www.wislgbtchamber.com.
--30--
