The Greater Fort Lauderdale Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce Rebrands as the Greater Fort Lauderdale LGBT Chamber of Commerce

Date: January 20, 2018                                                                                                                

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   

Media Contact:                                                              

Keith Blackburn                                          

954-534-3500

Keith@gflglcc.org

Name Change Fully Reflects the Community we Serve

The Greater Fort Lauderdale Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce is excited to announce that as of today, we will shorten our name to its acronym “GFLGLCC” and be officially known as the “Greater Fort Lauderdale LGBT Chamber of Commerce.” This change, which is accompanied by an organizational visual rebranding, moves to better include the bisexual and transgender members of the LGBT business community for which we've advocated over the past 6 years.

Since our founding, we have been dedicated to advancing economic opportunities for all members of the LGBT+ community, and it's time for our name to reflect that commitment. While our name may be changing, our mission always remains the same: securing economic opportunity and prosperity for the LGBT business community in Greater Fort Lauderdale and beyond.

We have already begun with our rebrand on our website, Facebook page, and Twitter.  Over the next few weeks, you can expect more updates. In the meantime, we encourage you to share our news with your networks and across social media. We're excited to embark on this new chapter together.

 “In an effort to show our inclusiveness, the Greater Fort Lauderdale Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce decided to change its name to fully reflect the valued participation of bisexual and transgender members of our community,” says Keith Blackburn, President and CEO of the Greater Fort Lauderdale LGBT Chamber of Commerce. “While our name has changed, the mission has not: The Greater Fort Lauderdale LGBT Chamber of Commerce will continue to serve the needs of the LGBT-owned and LGBT-allied business community and to advocate for the economic interests of the LGBT community.”

Along with the name change, the Greater Fort Lauderdale LGBT Chamber of Commerce unveiled a new logo and revamped website.

 The National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce recently changed its name for similar reasons. It’s now known as the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce.
 

About GFLGLCC - Greater Fort Lauderdale LGBT Chamber of Commerce:

The GFLGLCC is a 501 C (6) Non-Profit independent organization affiliated with the NGLCC – National LGBT Chamber of Commerce, dedicated to promoting business and economic opportunities for the LGBT and LGBT-friendly community in the Greater Fort Lauderdale area. To be an advocate and resource for all member businesses that promote equality and to promote tourism with a unified approach, by working with appropriate and related organizations.

About NGLCC - National LGBT Chamber of Commerce:

The NGLCC is the business advocate and direct link between lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) business owners, corporations, and government, representing the interests of more than 1.4 million LGBT businesses and entrepreneurs. The NGLCC is committed to forming a broad-based coalition of LGBT owned and friendly businesses, professionals, and major corporations for the purpose of promoting economic growth and the prosperity of our members.

For more information about the GFLGLCC, or to become a member, please visit www.gogayfortlauderdale.com or contact Keith Blackburn at 954-523-3500 or via email at: Keith@gflglcc.org for media coverage, press kits, membership kits and live interview requests.

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The GFLGLCC and TWO Slams Fort Lauderdale Mayor for his Arrogant Sponsorship of Prayer Breakfast Featuring Anti-LGBT Hate Group Leader

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, April 26, 2017

Contact: Wayne Besen

Phone: 917-691-5118

Email: wbesen@gmail.com

Prayer Breakfast Promoter, the National Christian Foundation, is Key Funder for Anti-LGBT Right Wing Groups, says Truth Wins Out

FORT LAUDERDALE – Truth Wins Out slammed Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jack Seiler today as “arrogant and disingenuous” for his refusal to back out of an offensive prayer breakfast where a notorious anti-LGBT activist, Focus on the Family’s president, Jim Daly, will be a featured speaker. The organization behind the event, the National Christian Foundation, is a primary source of funds for virulently anti-LGBT activity at home and abroad, according to Truth Wins Out’s research arm, The Center Against Religious Extremism (TWOCARE).

“Jack Seiler has hopped in bed with bigots and ignored the billions of dollars they spend to discriminate," said Keith Blackburn, President and CEO of the GFLGLCC - Greater Fort Lauderdale Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce and Truth Wins Out Board President. “This reckless and self-serving move harms Fort Lauderdale’s reputation as a top LGBT tourist destination that celebrates diversity.”

“The pre-event media coverage will likely ensure that the Fort Lauderdale Prayer Breakfast is scrubbed of its most extreme rhetoric,” said Truth Wins Out Executive Director Wayne Besen. “Don’t be fooled by the Potemkin Village of Prayer designed to obscure that the group behind the event, National Christian Foundation, has long been the financial lifeblood of the anti-LGBT movement. It is outrageous and appalling that Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jack Seiler has deliberately ignored this history and given these toxic people the benefit of the doubt.”   

Indeed, Truth Wins Out has meticulously catalogued an encyclopedia of the National Christian Foundation’s anti-LGBT giving history. Since its founding in 1982, the NCF has given out over $5 billion in grant money, and over $2.5 billion of that went out in a five year period, from 2009-2013. By 2013, based on its $603 million in grants in FY 2012, the National Christian Foundation was judged by the Chronicle of Philanthropy to be America’s 12th biggest private foundation. Any attempt by Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jack Seiler to sugarcoat this event as an effort to bring people together is nothing more than cynical spin.

Truth Wins Out is profoundly troubled by Seiler’s sophistic attempt to both embrace the prayer breakfast, yet distance himself from the invitation to Focus on the Family’s president Jim Daly. The Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel reports that Seiler actually claimed that he wasn’t involved in the decision to invite Daly, even though the April 28 event is billed as the “Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast.”

  

“It is arrogant and disingenuous for Seiler to expect us to believe that he was not involved with the decision to invite Jim Daley,” said TWO Board President Keith Blackburn. “Even if that was the case, the event is held in his name and he had the ability to rescind the invitation once he learned of Daley’s history of anti-LGBT advocacy. This is a slap in the face to the LGBT community that will not be forgotten.” 

“We urge the media to hold Mayor Seiler and Jim Daley accountable,” says Truth Wins Out’s Wayne Besen. “This week, a group of 51 members of the House of Representatives asked President Trump to rescind an Obama executive order outlawing federal workforce discrimination against LGBT employees or contractors doing business with the federal government. Those in charge of the prayer breakfast should be asked where they stand on this issue. If they stand in favor of passing a ‘license to discriminate’ under the specious guise of ‘religious liberty,’ all their talk of hope and healing will be exposed as fraudulent.”  

Focus on the Family is a hate group best known for promoting “ex-gay” therapy, which encourages LGBT people to “pray away the gay.” The group had previously hosted “Love Won Out” conferences, where “ex-gay” activists told tales about how Jesus turned them heterosexual through a combination of prayer and quack therapy. Focus on the Family founder, James Dobson, once told TheDaily Oklahoman, “Homosexuals are not monogamous. They want to destroy the institution of marriage. It will destroy marriage. It will destroy the Earth.”

Truth Wins Out (TWO) is a non-profit organization that works to demolish the very foundation of anti-LGBT prejudice. We attack the underpinnings of homophobia by debunking harmful lies, discrediting hateful myths, and countering anti-LGBT organizations. By chipping away at the underlying ignorance that fuels anti-LGBT attitudes, we can ultimately win our fight for fairness and achieve full equality for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people worldwide.

The GFLGLCC is the exclusive Broward County affiliate of the NGLCC - National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. Their mission is to promote business and economic opportunities for the LGBT and LGBT-friendly community; be an advocate and resource for all member businesses that promote equality and to promote tourism with a unified approach by working with appropriate and related organizations.

Greater Fort Lauderdale Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (GFLGLCC) to Host Inaugural LGBT Wedding & Business Expo in Fort Lauderdale

Fort Lauderdale – The GFLGLCC – Greater Fort Lauderdale Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, a non-profit organization dedicated to personal, political, community, and economic diversity and inclusion, has scheduled its inaugural Wedding & Business Expo for Saturday, November 12 from 11:00 AM until 5:00 PM. The event will be held on the campus of the Sanctuary at 1400 N. Federal Highway in Fort Lauderdale FL.

The Expo will include chamber businesses interested in earning the business of the LGBTQ community. They include both business focused businesses and those primarily in the wedding business. Vendors include florists, spas, hotels, catering, transportation, banking, photographers, financial planners and much more! GFLGLCC corporate partner Broward Health Imperial Point will be on hand to provide health screenings as well.

Keith Blackburn, President & CEO of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (GFLGLCC) will be on hand to welcome the community at the event. To make it easier for everyone to attend, admission is free and there will be plenty of free parking. Hot Spots Media Group, South Florida Gay News and the Sanctuary are sponsoring this annual event.

About Greater Fort Lauderdale Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce:

The GFLGLCC is a 501 C (6) Non Profit organization, which promotes business and economic opportunities for the LGBT and LGBT-friendly community. They are an advocate and resource for all member businesses that promote equality with a unified approach by working with appropriate organizations. Additional information can be found at http://www.gogayfortlauderdale.com

The GLFLCC has limited vendor and sponsor opportunities remaining. Please contact Ronny Nadiv at Ronny@gflglcc.org for details.

GFLGLCC ANNOUNCES COMPLIMENTARY BEACH SHUTTLE

For Immediate Release        

                                                

Contact: Keith Blackburn

305-798-5455 Keith@gflglcc.org 

January 6, 2014

GFLGLCC ANNOUNCES COMPLIMENTARY BEACH SHUTTLE

From Fort Lauderdale Beach Resorts to Wilton Manors

Fort Lauderdale, FL: The GLFLGCC - Greater Fort Lauderdale Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce presents the newest way to combine the fun of Fort Lauderdale beach with the exciting nightlife on Wilton Drive, in Wilton Manors.

Beginning Friday, January 10, 2014, visitors to Fort Lauderdale will be able to board a complimentary shuttle, powered by FAB2GO, from the Fort Lauderdale Beach Resorts to Wilton Manors. The Complimentary Shuttle will run continuously from 7:00pm to 1:00am every Friday and Saturday night.

Leave the hassles of commuting between Wilton Drive and the Beach Resorts by boarding a stunning Mercedes Benz Sprinter, powered by FAB2GO, a gay owned and operated luxury transportation company located in Wilton Manors.

The Complimentary Shuttle is another idea brought to you by the GFLGLCC - Greater Fort Lauderdale Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce and its participating member sponsors; Tito’s Handmade Vodka (produced in Austin at Texas’ first and oldest legal distillery) and Hotspots Media Group (the voice of the gay community in Florida).

Sponsored Shuttle Pick-up and Drop-off Locations:

Alcazar / Worthington Guesthouse, 543 North Birch Road.

Fort Lauderdale’s most popular and largest Gay Owned Resort.

W Hotel Fort Lauderdale, 401 North Fort Lauderdale Beach Boulevard.

South Florida's hottest locale.

B Ocean Hotel, 999 North Fort Lauderdale Beach Boulevard.

B Mesmerized!

Rumor's Bar and Grill, 2426 Wilton Drive.

Offering a full bar and your favorite food!

Courtyard Café, 2211 Wilton Drive.

Your neighborhood place to eat 7 days a week, 24-hours a day on weekends.

Media Sponsors include Hot Spots, Print Matters and Mark's List

The GFLGLCC - Greater Fort Lauderdale Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce’s mission is to promote tourism with a unified approach by working with appropriate and related organizations. The GFLGLCC is a non-profit 501c(6).

For information please contact: 305-798-5455 | http://www.gogayfortlauderdale.com/

~~~end~~~

GREATER FORT LAUDERDALE CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU APPOINTS RICHARD GRAY AS MANAGING DIRECTOR FOR LGBT MARKET

GREATER FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (December 3, 2012) - The Rainbow Flag of the LGBT community will unfurl with a new shade of Gray in Greater Fort Lauderdale. Hospitality executive Richard Gray has been appointed managing director for the LGBT Market for the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau. In his new position, Gray will be responsible for LGBT sales and marketing.

"Richard has been one of the most experienced and influential individuals in Greater Fort Lauderdale gay tourism and hospitality, and it is a great win for us to have him part of the team," said Nicki E. Grossman, president of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau. "For us the LGBT market is not a niche market but a market in its own right. With Richard's background as both a local proprietor and advocate for LGBT travel and tourism in the region, we feel the timing is right to make this next important step for us and this destination."

Gray will serve as official representative for the LGBT market in Greater Fort Lauderdale, developing and implementing short and long term strategic plans to increase meeting room nights and global travel and tourism.

Gray was previously owner of The Royal Palms Resort & Spa, which set new standards for LGBT accommodations, both locally and worldwide, and was the first gay guest house in the destination to achieve a five-star rating. In 2007, Gray was named a member of the Broward County Tourist Development Council, a group of influential officials and business owners that provide leadership on tourism growth in the destination. His return to Greater Fort Lauderdale LGBT tourism marketing coincides with the CVB's expanded push to capture a larger slice of the LGBT travel market as part of its "Hello Sunny" 2013 Marketing Plan.

As a CVB that tries to stay ahead of the curve, Greater Fort Lauderdale has and continues to be a cutting edge and aggressive CVB enjoying many "firsts" in the LGBT market. The GFLCVB was the first CVB in the US to launch an LGBT campaign in 1996, and today is the first to have a designated LGBT-only person to court the LGBT group/meetings, travel and tourism markets, as well as oversee a gaystream marketing initiative including a gaystream TV commercial, another first for a CVB.

"The sands of Fort Lauderdale run through my veins and I've always wanted to be a part of the community since I first moved here more than 20 years ago," said Gray. "Greater Fort Lauderdale has become the top LGBT destination in Florida. With the largest resident lesbian and gay population and more than 150 gay owned and operated businesses, my role is not to rest on our laurels and success, but to grow this affluent market even more."

Gray founded The Royal Palms Resort & Spa in 1991 and helped spearhead Greater Fort Lauderdale's status as one of the leading LGBT travel destinations in the country. He was first appointed to Greater Fort Lauderdale's Marketing Advisory Committee in 2003, and has served on several other high-level committees in the past, including the Broward Country Cultural Council in 2004, and the VISIT FLORIDA's LGBT committee in 2003. He was also an Executive Board Member of the Rainbow Carpet Lodging & Hospitality Alliance.

Gray served as Vice Chair of the Broward County Tourist Development Council and Chair of its Marketing Advisory Committee. He served as Member of the State of Florida Marketing Committee, 2004 - 2007; Executive Board Member and Founding Member of the South Florida Rainbow Alliance; President and Founding Member of World's Foremost Gay & Lesbian Hotels, 2003; Executive Board Member of the International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association, 1993 - 2000; and Founding Member, Greater Fort Lauderdale Gay & Lesbian Community Center.

Gray has received several prestigious awards and recognitions for his tourism-related achievements, including induction in the International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association Hall of Fame in 2002. In 2000, he received a Home Town Hero Award from the Broward County Commissioners for his achievements in gay and lesbian travel, and in 1998 was inducted into PlanetOut's Travel Hall of Fame for outstanding individual achievement in gay travel.

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The Greater Fort Lauderdale Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce Named Collaborating Partner in the First Ever U.S. Government Certified LGBT Trade Mission

Date: August 30, 2012                                                                   

                                                   

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                            

Media Contact:

Keith Blackburn

305-798-5455

GoGayFortLauderdale@gmail.com

                                                                                                

The Greater Fort Lauderdale Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce Named Collaborating Partner in the First Ever U.S. Government Certified LGBT Trade Mission

(Fort Lauderdale, Florida) –August 30, 2012–The Greater Fort Lauderdale Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (GFLGLCC), is excited to announce they have been named a “Collaborating Partner” in the historic first ever U.S. Department of Commerce Certified LGBT Trade Mission to Colombia, taking place this September 11-15.

The National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) along with the Greater Fort Lauderdale Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (GFLGLCC) is inviting its members to participate in the The NGLCC-led trade mission, made possible through the Memorandum of Understanding between the NGLCC and the Department of Commerce, signed last year.

GFLGLCC Chamber President/CEO Keith Blackburn will represent Greater Fort Lauderdale in Bogotá, where he will explore Colombian trade, along with travel and tourism opportunities to Greater Fort Lauderdale.  Blackburn will also participate as a delegate in the Inaugural LGBT Summit of the Americas. 

The Summit is happening in conjunction with the trade mission and will bring together LGBT business leaders from the U.S., Colombia, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru, Mexico, and Uruguay. Invited speakers include The Honorable Angelino Garzón - Vice President of Colombia, the Honorable Peter McKinley, Ambassador of the United States. 

"The support and backing of the U.S. Government gives the mission increased validation as we work with our Colombian counterparts and that's good for our members who will be attending and looking for new and expanded markets," said Justin Nelson, NGLCC Co-Founder and President. "The mission highlights the administration's commitment to a fully-inclusive economic recovery."

The trade mission presents an opportunity for LGBT-certified businesses to meet counterparts, including buyers and business leaders, and to work with the commerce attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Bogota and the Department of Commerce to build connections crucial to international export and import trading.

Background:

The U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement

On May 15, 2012, The United States-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement entered into force.  The agreement immediately eliminates tariffs and duties on 80 percent of consumer and industrial products sold to Colombia and more than halves those remaining from 10.8 percent to 4.0 percent, making Colombia an incredibly lucrative market for U.S. exporters and providing them an advantage over exporters from non-free-trade countries.

"With the entry of the U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement into force, great things can happen for U.S. businesses. We're excited to support LGBT businesses abroad as well as at home, and we look forward to working with them to expand their customer base into Latin America," said NGLCC Co-Founder and CEO Chance Mitchell.

About Greater Fort Lauderdale Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (GFLGLCC):

The GFLGLCC is a 501 C (6) Non Profit organization, with the following Mission Statement:  Dedicated to promoting business and economic opportunities for the LGBT and LGBT-friendly community in the Greater Fort Lauderdale area. To be an advocate and resource for all member businesses that promote equality.  To promote tourism with a unified approach, by working with appropriate and related organizations.

For more information about the GFLGLCC, or to become a member, please visit GoGayFortLauderdale.com. For media coverage, press kits, membership kits and live interview requests, please contact Keith Blackburn at 305-798-5455, or via email at: GoGayFortLauderdale@gmail.com ###