Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce promotes business development

When Jason Rae was studying at Marquette University, he realized there were no Milwaukee organizations for the professional development of members of the LGBT community.

"I didn't think it was true," Rae said, but despite the number of organizations with lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender causes, none focused solely on the business needs of the community.

What started off as a student-led group for young professionals in Milwaukee inspired Rae toward founding a statewide chamber to support business owners in the LGBT community.

Since 2012, the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce has grown to more than 500 member organizations, including many of the state’s big-name corporations such as Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co., Rockwell Automation and Marcus Hotels and Resorts.

“We’ve seen some really tremendous growth in less than five years and are hoping that will be a trajectory we see continue throughout the state,” Rae said.

As more companies in Wisconsin seek to promote their acceptance of all employees and customers, the chamber helps bring together companies that share common values and helps raise awareness for LGBT-allied and LGBT-owned businesses.

The Wisconsin chamber, an affiliate of the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, was awarded for excellence in community impact and excellence in programming by the national chamber in Las Vegas last Thursday.

"We are proud of the positive impact that our work and programs are having in the state," Rae said. "When our local LGBT businesses thrive, the LGBT community as a whole thrives."

The chamber has 517 member companies, reaching 500 in June with the addition of the Milwaukee Brewers.

Part of its purpose is to hold events, such as learning luncheons and job fairs, where representatives from member companies can learn about LGBT issues in the workplace and connect with other LGBT-allied businesses, among other things.

Corporate partners such as Alliant Energy and Northwestern Mutual say they value the networking events because representatives from their companies can meet with small business owners who are from the LGBT community or support it.

In that way, companies can find more pro-LGBT businesses to supply their operations, helping support the community while working with like-minded businesses, said Dan Shoepke, who leads the corporate supplier diversity program at Alliant.

"The chamber is a vital avenue for supporting, networking and building relationships with certified LGBT owned businesses throughout the state," Regina Newcomb, the supplier diversity program director for Northwestern Mutual, said in a statement. "We view the chamber as an important connector for us to these diverse businesses."

The Wisconsin chamber's operations are funded through membership fees that start at $100 per year for businesses with fewer than 25 employees and increase depending on the number of employees.

Annual fees for corporate partners such as Alliant or Northwestern Mutual range from $2,500 to $10,000.

Rae is the only paid staff of the chamber, with the rest of the funding going toward the chamber's networking and educational events and its promotional expenses, including its website.

Rae does a variety of jobs for the chamber. One day he may be helping companies get certified as LGBT-owned businesses, and the next he may be helping corporations find LGBT-owned suppliers.

"He's a powerhouse," said Ed Seaberg, vice president of information technology operations at Rockwell Automation.

Rae once made headlines for being the youngest member of the Democratic National Committee at age 17, and he continues to serve as the committee's secretary.

Despite the possibility of receiving backlash for being part of the chamber, several of the member companies said it was not a worry for them when they joined.

What Rockwell found more important was finding new talent and attracting the younger generations that tend to promote the inclusion of members in the LGBT community, said Seaberg, who also launched the company's employee resource group for LGBT and allies, ROKOut.

Companies must grow their talent base to tap communities, such as the LGBT community, that have been overlooked in the past due to stigmas, he said.

Rockwell had no hesitation to join when it found out about the chamber, Seaberg said.

"It was the right thing to do," he said.