Contents

Letter from the President and CEO 6

Pride In Business Celebration & Awards 10

Pride In Business Honorees 12

Inaugural Founders Award 18

Community Legacy Award 20

Corporate LGBTQ+ Ally of the Year 22

LGBTQ+ Business of the Year 26

Business Diversity Advocate of the Year 28

Out & About 30

Member Directory 32

2808 Caroline St., Suite #201-B Houston, TX 77004

(832) 510-3002

info@houstonlgbtchamber.com houstonlgbtqchamber.com

Working at the intersection

of business and the

LGBTQ+ community.

Mission

The Greater Houston LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce accelerates economic opportunity for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer + business community through a strong network of business allies, innovative

programs, strategic partnerships and advance policies that foster economic inclusion and equality.

Letter from the

President & CEO

This latest issue of Business Intersections celebrates our Pride In Business Honorees. The Chamber hosted the 2024 Pride In Business Celebration Luncheon & Awards on June 7, 2024. The event honored 11 Pride In Business Award Honorees to recognize their contributions in building a more diverse and inclusive business community in Houston and the region.

The awards spotlight deserving companies, organizations and individuals and showcase the amazing work they are doing to support the LGBTQ+ community. In addition, we also recognized Gary Wood, Chamber Co-Founder, with the Chamber Founders Award, a new award for 2024.

And, we highlight our Pride In Business Celebration sponsors, including our Presenting Sponsor, ARCA Continental Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages, who, with their support, helped host our largest Chamber event in the history of the organization.

In the vein of celebrating Pride all year long, we celebrate these Honorees and thank our sponsors for their generous support.

This is yet another fantastic issue of Business Intersections so please take a few minutes to read from cover to cover. A huge thank you to our magazine advertisers for advertising in this issue and for their generous support including our cover sponsor, Galene Financial. Your support helps the Chamber tell the important stories of our members and the LGBTQ+ community. Missed a past issue of Business Intersections? Check out the past issues here!

If you’re not a member, getting involved this time of year is a great time to join!

With Pride,

Tammi Wallace (she/her)

Co-Founder, President & CEO

p.s. Be sure and follow the Chamber on social media and stay updated!

Not a member of the Chamber? Now is a great time to join and maybe

your business or organization will be featured in an upcoming Business Intersections issue! Learn more here.

Tammi Wallace

(she/her)

Co-Founder,

President & CEO

Jack Berger

(he/him)

Director of

Programming & Events

T. Ray Purser

(he/him)

Director of

Government Relations

Ryan C. Wilson (he/him)

Director of

Corporate Relations

Maureen Maiuri

(she/her)

Executive Administrator

Thomas Lopez

(he/him)
Board Chair

Stephen Miranda

(he/him)

Vice Chair

Tiffany Tosh

(she/her)

Secretary /

Treasurer

Dr. Roy Rivera, Jr.

(he/him)

Board Member

2024 Pride In Business Celebration & Awards

Record Breaking Event was Largest Yet!

Kicking off the first week of Pride Month, the Greater Houston LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce’s Pride In Business Celebration & Awards Luncheon took place on Friday, June 7, at the Hilton Americas – Houston. The event was the largest signature event in the organization’s history both in fundraising and attendance with an estimated 750+ attendees. The Presenting Sponsor was Arca Continental Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages. The VIP Reception Presenting Sponsor was the Better Business Bureau of Greater Houston and South Texas.

“Pride In Business is more than an event; it’s a powerful celebration of the resilience, innovation, and success of the LGBTQ+ business community in Greater Houston,” said Tammi Wallace, Co-Founder, President, and CEO of the Chamber. “Each year during Pride Month, we come together to honor the invaluable contributions of LGBTQ+ and Allied-owned businesses, organizations and individuals. This celebration highlights the importance of inclusivity and the significant impact our members and community have in shaping a thriving and diverse regional economy.”

This year’s event featured special guests David Begnaud, Lead National Correspondent of “CBS Mornings,” and Houston Mayor John Whitmire, and was emceed by Cheryl Mercedes of KHOU-11. The station partnered with the Chamber on the record-breaking event for a second year. The celebration had more than 50 sponsors and with three co-chairs: Susanne Brady-Lusk from Arca Continental Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages, Lavonne Jones from Comcast, and Stephen Miranda from Bank of America.

“Having this event in Pride Month and bringing that awareness to small business owners, but also our large companies, our politicians and powers that be, really seeing this lens of the movement and really being a part of driving that economic advancement is really important to our work as a whole,” Miranda said.

Highlights included the 11 Pride In Business Award Honorees, the special exhibit of Show Your Pride photographs, and the fireside chat with Cheryl Mercedes and David Begnaud, who spoke about his amazing career covering news around the world and his publicly coming out in June of 2018.

After the luncheon, attendees gathered for the After Party at the hotel’s rooftop lounge and lobby bar to continue the celebration and connection.

For more, visit www.houstonlgbtchamber.com/pride-in-business-honorees-2024/.

Learn more about the 2024 Pride In Business Celebration at houstonprideinbusiness.lgbt.

2024 PRIDE IN BUSINESS AWARD HONOREES

Chamber Champion Award:

Council Member Abbie Kamin

Impact Partner of the Year:

HP

Corporate LGBTQ+ Ally of the Year:

Roderick Brown, UPS

LGBTQ+ Business of the Year:

Star Sailor

Community Legacy Award:

Atlantis Narcisse

LGBTBE® Certified Business of the Year:

The Business Team

Allied Business of the Year:

Like Minds Communications

Nonprofit Member of the Year:

Tony’s Place

Supplier Diversity Advocate of the Year:

Tracy Upton, Shell USA

Business/Employee Resource

Group of the Year:

Sysco Spectrum LGBTQ+ & Allies

Colleague Resource Group

Chamber Advocacy Award:

The Woodlands Pride

2024 Pride In Business Honorees

Corporate LGBTQ+

Ally of the Year

Roderick Brown, UPS

The Corporate LGBTQ+ Ally of the Year award is given to a dedicated individual who has had a positive professional and personal impact within their company as champions for LGBTQ+ inclusion on behalf of employees, customers and the broader LGBTQ+ community.

From being a staunch and dedicated ally for LGBTQ+ inclusion within the company, to working to establish a strong UPS Pride Alliance Business Resource Group in the region, to promoting the Chamber partnership and so much more, Roderick is truly what the definition of being an LGBTQ+ ally means.

Chamber

Advocacy Award

The Woodlands Pride

The Chamber Advocacy Award is given to an organization that is a strong advocate for the Chamber and the community. Through its work and impact, this organization advances prosperity for the LGBTQ+ community.

The Woodlands Pride is being honored with the Chamber Advocacy Award for their tireless advocacy on behalf of the LGBTQ+ community in The Woodlands and beyond, and their longtime partnership with the Chamber. Through their festival, signing on to fight the Drag Ban bill and more, they exemplify what advocating for community means.

Employee Resource

Group of the Year

Sysco Spectrum LGBTQ+

& Allies Colleague Resource Group

The Business/Employee Resource Group of the Year award is given to a Chamber Impact Partner Business/Employee Resource Group that works to support and build a culture of inclusion and acceptance in the workplace, and is a strong advocate for LGBTQ+ inclusion within the company as well as for the Chamber’s mission focused on economic inclusion.

Spectrum is an inspiration from their work internally to advocate for LGBTQ+ employees to engagement with the Chamber through partnership, executive leadership engagement, support of the Chamber Holiday Food and Supply Drive to the LGBTQ+ Workplace Alliance Program and making a difference for the LGBTQ+ community as a whole.

Allied Business

of the Year

Like Minds Communications

The Allied Business of the Year award is given to an Allied-owned small business that is a member of the Chamber and is committed to LGBTQ+ inclusion through its work, actions and visible support of the community. The business has a proven track record of success and involvement and is a strong champion of the Chamber’s mission and the LGBTQ+ community as a whole.

Like Minds Communications has been a strong ally of the LGBTQ+ community, through intentional and impactful engagement for years, from engaging with the Chamber as a member, to partnering on the Show Your Pride campaign, to working with LGBTQ+ organizations pro bono, engaging LGBTQ+ influencers and so much more.

Community Legacy Award

Atlantis Narcisse

The Community Legacy Award honors an individual or organization that has demonstrated a long-term commitment to the LGBTQ+ community, and through the actions of advocacy, service, education or community initiatives, they have made significant and positive impact for the LGBTQ+ community.

The Chamber is honored to recognize Atlantis for her work as a dedicated activist and leader, working on behalf of the transgender community. She is deeply committed to fostering inclusion and empowerment within the Houston community. Through her advocacy work, she amplifies the voices of transgender individuals, advocating for equality, visibility, and respect. She uses her platform to raise awareness about the challenges faced by the transgender community, including discrimination, healthcare disparities, violence and much more.

For years, she has worked tirelessly to create safer and more supportive spaces for transgender people in Houston and beyond. Her leadership serves as a beacon of hope and inspiration, driving meaningful change and advancing the cause of transgender rights and acceptance.

Nonprofit Member

of the Year

Tony’s Place

The Nonprofit Member of the Year award is given to a nonprofit member organization that is committed to LGBTQ+ inclusion through its work, actions and visible support of the community, has a proven track record of success and involvement with the LGBTQ+ community, and is a strong champion of the Chamber’s mission focused on economic inclusion for the LGBTQ+ community.

Tony’s Place is making a difference every day in the lives of our unhoused LGBTQ+ youth. They are a lifeline for LGBTQ+ youth who need support.

Impact Partner

of the Year

HP

The Impact Partner of the Year award is given to a corporation that is an Impact Partner of the Greater Houston LGBTQ+ Chamber, has shown a strong commitment to positively growing the LGBTQ+ and Allied business community and to diversity in the workplace, and goes above and beyond corporate standards, proactively working with Chamber leadership and members with a common purpose of one day achieving equality through economic inclusion.

For decades, HP has been leading on LGBTQ+ inclusion. The company has been intentional about their impact with the Chamber partnership and overall support of the LGBTQ+ community. HP has partnered with the Chamber on events such as the Pride In Business Celebration, to providing technology for member small businesses and nonprofits and highlighting the Chamber partnership at the national level. HP has made a huge difference for the Chamber and the LGBTQ+ community.  

Chamber

Champion Award

Council Member

Abbie Kamin

The Chamber Champion Award is given to a person who is a strong advocate for the Chamber and the LGBTQ+ business community. Through their work and impact, this person advances prosperity for the LGBTQ+ community.

Council Member Abbie Kamin has been a longtime advocate and champion for the LGBTQ+ community. She is a partner with the Chamber on the Show Your Pride campaign and supported the Chamber’s efforts to make Houston the first city in Texas to recognize LGBTQ+ owned businesses in City of Houston contracting.

In 2022, she created the Families with Pride festival to celebrate love, inclusivity and all families. Council Member Kamin was recognized as the Ally Grand Marshal for the Pride Parade in 2021. The Chamber is proud to recognize her as an outstanding champion and ally of the LGBTQ+ community.

Supplier Diversity

Advocate of the Year

Tracy Upton, Shell USA

The Supplier Diversity Advocate of the Year award is given to an individual who works in supplier diversity or procurement and has been a strong advocate for diversity and inclusion, especially LGBTQ+ inclusion, within the larger business community.

Tracy is a staunch advocate for the LGBTQ+ community in her role at Shell USA as part of the supplier diversity team. She has encouraged her colleagues to engage with diverse suppliers, including LGBTQ+ suppliers, promoted the Chamber and mentored LGBTQ+ owned businesses to help them succeed.

LGBTBE® Certified

Business of the Year

The Business Team

The LGBTBE® Certified Business of the Year award is given to an LGBTBE® Certified Member Business that has a proven track record of success maximizing the certification and serves as a strong example for other Chamber members in terms of business success. This business is a champion for the Chamber and its mission focused on economic inclusion for the LGBTQ+ community.

The Business Team wholeheartedly embodies the spirit of this award and is a standout LGBTBE® Certified member business. They are champions for the Chamber and the LGBTQ+ business community. The Business Team is an advocate for other businesses to engage and succeed and they are committed to helping other members with the certification process, and making connections to help other small businesses grow and thrive.

Inaugural

Founders Award

Gary Wood (he/him)

A new award this year, the Chamber Founders Award recognizes a person who has demonstrated exceptional vision, courage, resilience, and leadership in promoting equality, acceptance, and advocacy for the LGBTQ+ community. The award went to an astonished Gary Wood.

“Totally surprised,” he said, slightly awed. “To be honest, I was listening intently to the program, and it took me a moment to realize that I was being recognized. At that moment, which hung in time, I looked around and there were so many guests and friends in the audience that were looking at me, I was totally overwhelmed. In that moment there were so many emotions that were running through my mind it was hard to process them all. It was very special to me to have this recognition and to be brought up on stage and to have Tammi present me my award, that made that moment even more special.”

Wood co-founded the Chamber with Tammi Wallace back in 2016.

“When I was younger, in order to enact civil change, you had to protest,” he recalled. “But in today’s world the way to make true change is by having business use their voices in support of the LGBTQ+ community. There were so many things that were happening in business in 2016 and I thought it was critical for Houston to organize our LGBTQ+ business community and start working together. I realized that Houston was missing out on a tremendous opportunity to have a voice that had economic influence and power behind it.

“The most interesting aspect of this is that as I reached out to the NGLCC and started working with their team. I also found that at that same time Tammi had also connected with them to begin the efforts to start a Chamber in the Houston area. Since Tammi and I were already friends, this was extremely exciting for us both to connect and to work together to create the amazing chamber that we have today. I am so happy to see where we are today… and so excited for what the Chamber will become in the future.”

Community Legacy Award

Atlantis Narcisse (she/her)

During the Greater Houston LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce Pride In Business Celebration Luncheon & Awards, the 2024 Community Legacy Award was bestowed on Atlantis Narcisse, CEO and founder of Save Our Sisters United, Inc. (S.O.S.U.).

The Chamber recognized Narcisse for her work as a dedicated activist and leader, working on behalf of the transgender community. She is deeply committed to fostering inclusion and empowerment within the Houston community. Through her advocacy work, she amplifies the voices of transgender individuals, advocating for equality, visibility, and respect and she uses her platform to raise awareness about the challenges faced by the transgender community, including discrimination, healthcare disparities, violence and much more. For years, she has worked tirelessly to create safer and more supportive spaces for transgender people in Houston and beyond. Her leadership serves as a beacon of hope and inspiration, driving meaningful change and advancing the cause of transgender rights and acceptance.

The native Houstonian and Texas Southern University graduate has a partner she has known for over 20 years and a 32-year-old son she has raised from birth. She’s also a plant parent, a pet parent and enjoys reading.

“People find it strange with my body of work that I am an introvert and shy, and I am desperately searching to see who I am on the backside of 50, being that the front side of 50, so much of me was given to the community,” she said, having for so long been an advocate for human rights.

Narcisse’s goal is to put “unity” back into community. “It means redefining the word ‘community’ and breaking it apart into the simplest of forms of ‘come in unity’ and flipping the ‘me’ agenda to the ‘we’ agenda,” she said. “We have to promote a message that Black Trans people and communities don’t have to be responsible for taking care of Black Trans people alone; we all can take care of each other.”

Her nonprofit, Save Our Sisters United (S.O.S.U.), is all about uplifting and empowering people.

“Every part of a Trans person’s existence is under attack, from the way we identify socially to the way we seek and receive care,” she said. “Imagine waking up as a Black Trans woman in a state that is rooted in racism and now having to define another intersection of your being. What toll do we think it has taken on the trans community mentally, physically, or emotionally?”

“As a Black woman of trans experience, I noticed that there were so many gaps in service, care, rights, and equality,” Narcisse continued. “We all have a privilege, and I chose to use my privilege and turn my focus on being a voice for my Black and Brown Trans family because I never want any of us to feel that our existence is not needed or wanted. Instead, I want us to walk into the world knowing that we have contributed to the enrichment of society.”

Corporate LGBTQ+ Ally of the Year

Roderick Brown (he/him), UPS District Health & Safety Manager

For Roderick Brown, being awarded the Pride In Business Corporate LGBTQ+ Ally of the Year Award from the Greater Houston LGTQ+ Chamber of Commerce is personal.

“It’s my unconditional commitment to the LGBTQ+ Chamber to stay connected and ensure the LGBTQ+ community has a voice, not to mention my daughter is part of the LGBTQ+ community which I fully support and want to ensure she has a fighting chance in society,” said UPS’s Roderick Brown. “What comes to mind with this award is Love, Acceptance, and Partnership! This award also means I can push the conversation forward through UPS management, employees, and the Pride Alliance BRG.  For 14+ years, I have been the face in the community representing UPS ensuring that all voices are accepted at the table.”

Brown is a part of the UPS Red River District Management Team responsible for Health & Safety and Community Relations (Metro Houston area). His area of responsibility covers employee safety and building compliance for UPS facilities in the states of Texas and Oklahoma, as well as facilitating and managing volunteer projects building partnerships and community investments, and heading up the UPS Pride Alliance Business Resource Groups (Houston).

“If we truly support the communities we serve, then the LGBTQ+ community must be a part of that conversation and at the same time show our LGBTQ+ employees that they belong at UPS,” said Brown. “Service to our communities is in our DNA and we must ensure that the LGBTQ+ Chamber has a voice at our table. UPS is fully committed to the LGBTQ+ community and supporting LGBTQ+ employees by launching the Pride Alliance BRG in Houston for 2024 (that I lead from my seat). UPS partnered with the Greater Houston LGBTQ+ Chamber for 2024 as an Impact Partner, which gives our LGBTQ+ employees access to multiple events throughout the year.”

LGBTQ+ Business of the Year

Star Sailor

The word astronaut comes from the Greek word astron, meaning star, making an astronaut a “star sailor.” Star Sailor is also a craft beer bar and restaurant that just happens to be the Chamber’s Pride In Business LGBTQ+ Business of the Year for 2024.

“We are great for families, groups, date nights, and neighborhood events,” said Marin Slanina, the owner/operator. “Star Sailor is the true job title of an Astronaut; they sail through the stars. It’s very Space City Houston without being too literal. Where the sea and space can meet in a little hub on land.” 

The 35-year-old native of The Woodlands is no newbie to the bar and restaurant scene.

“I have been in the hospitality industry since high school, working in customer service and kitchen positions since I was 16; my family is generations deep of small business owners and operators all across the state of Texas,” she said. With a lot of free time during the shutdown of 2020 for COVID-19, she decided to use her experiences to open her own establishment. And Star Sailor was born.

She said Star Sailor is a great place to hang out, grab a coffee, eat lunch (maybe a great smash burger and a craft beer), get your Tarot cards read, and just celebrate Pride all year long. You can also purchase some wine and cheese to take home.

“We have been a member of the Chamber for one full year now after receiving the GrubHub + NGLCC Community Impact Grant last summer,” Slanina said. “The connections we have made have been remarkable since joining this specific chamber. 

“My advice to other LGBTQIA+ owned businesses is to live as authentically you as you deem fit for you and your business. No matter what people say or think, the genuine tribe your business attracts will come support you. I promise.” 

For more on Star Sailor, visit starsailorhtx.com.

Business Diversity Advocate of the Year

Tracy Upton (she/her), Supply Chain Advisor/US Supplier Diversity, Shell

The 39-year-old native Houstonian, who has the honor of being recognized as the Pride In Business Supplier Diversity Advocate of the Year Award by the Greater Houston LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce, takes the award seriously, but not everything else.

“My partner, Jennifer, and I have three dogs and two cats, which means I have to avoid all animal shelters and remove any advertisements for miniature highland cows,” joked Tracy Upton. “Jenn and I fully encompass the whimsical LGBTQ persona by having a pickup truck and hot pink Jeep Wrangler.”

Workwise, as the Supply Chain Advisor for Shell’s U.S. Supplier Diversity team, she influences the development and utilization of minority-owned, women-owned, veteran-owned, LGBTQ+-owned, disabled-persons-owned and small businesses. And she’s very proud of the Chamber honor.

“As a native Houstonian and a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community, I consider it the greatest honor I have ever been recognized for in my life,” Upton said. “Honestly, though, diverse supplier advocacy is a team effort. I couldn’t have done it without my fellow team members Rachel, Nadia, Donovan, Brian, as well as our amazing leadership Jennifer, Christina, and Brandi, and all of our diversity network advocates and champions in every U.S. line of business at Shell.”

The energy giant supports the Chamber and its programming on intersectionality of workforce, including suppliers, and the business by participating in the LGBTQ+ Roundtable programming, as well engaging with suppliers at the THRIVE Small Business Summit and Matchmaker, where Shell USA brought Employee Resource Group (ERG) representation to meet suppliers who provided products and services.

“Just attend one Chamber event and have a 20-minute conversation with Tammi Wallace, the President & CEO, and you’ll know that your company will be doing great things for the LGBTQ+ and small business suppliers of Houston by partnering with the Chamber,” Upton said. “The year-over-year growth of the Chamber, since its inception, is astronomical and continuing to grow. Trust me, you want to be a key partner in supporting this organization in any way possible.”

She also urges small business to participate.

“The Chamber is a voice and an advocate for all Houston businesses, especially small businesses in the community. The Chamber is a catalyst for LGBTQ+ and small businesses with meaningful engagements with its corporate partners.”