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Affiliations
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Providing a
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CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS
BUSINESS COUNCIL HONORED WITH CORPORATE ?PEOPLE OF COURAGE? AWARD
WORCESTER, MA (June 6, 2006)
The Bridge of Central
Massachusetts honored the Central Massachusetts Business Council as
one of the recipients of it?s Safe Homes? ?People of Courage? Awards
for 2006. CMBC was honored with ?People of Courage? Corporate Award.
CMBC was cited for it?s ability to open the door to the business
community to create a gay-friendly market for GLBTQ people in
Worcester County.
These awards recognize gay, lesbian,
bisexual, transgender individuals and their allies living and/or
working in Central Massachusetts. This is the second year that Safe
Homes has held the awards.
This year?s People of Courage
Award recipients were honored at an Awards Ceremony at the Beechwood
Hotel in Worcester on Tuesday, June 6, 2006. Keynote Speakers
included Arline Isaacson, co-chair of the Massachusetts Gay &
Lesbian Political Caucus and Laura Galaburda, M.D., one of the
plaintiffs in Cook v. Rumsfeld, the class-action law suit
challenging the United States military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"
policy.
CMBC President and cofounder Paul Leone accepted the
award on behalf on CMBC. ?We are deeply honored and humbled to be
recognized by the Safe Homes program,? says Leone. ?This award is
the result of a lot of hard work by our members to create a thriving
GLBT business organization in the Worcester area. I am very proud of
our 170-plus members.?
The complete list of the 2006
People of Courage honorees are:
Award of Courage- Rev. Aaron Payson United Universalist
Church of Worcester
Corporate Award - Central Massachusetts
Business Council Paul Leone, President & Co-Founder Adriane
Zakarian, Board of Director & Co-Founder
Public Service
Award - Judi Kirk Worcester YWCA
Volunteer Award- Ruthie
Turbidy
Youth Award- Conor Caracciolo
Special
Recognition- Cha Cha Connor
We salute all of
the honorees and thank the Safe Homes program for acknowledging CMBC
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 CMBC's 2006 Annual Dinner
Meeting
CMBC's
2006 Annual Dinner Meeting on March 21st was a smashing success!
The sold-out event featured Keynote Speaker, State Senator Pam
Resor speaking about the new minimum wage proposals. CMBC
elected its officers and board of directors (see the new lineup on
the About CMBC
page.) CMBC was proud to honor Sean Fitzpatrick of
Carmella's Italian Kitchen as it 2006 Business Person of the
Year. The photo shows CMBC President Paul Leone
awarding Sean for his efforts in helping out community grow.
Also, CMBC's 2006 Volunteer of the Year award went to Craig
Weinreich of cragdesigns and Michael Murphy of
All About You Web Design for their unending support and time
they gave CMBC this past year. Congratulations to Sean, Mike
and Craig. Also, our deep gratitude goes to Dave
Lemenger and Billy Mignone of 86 Winter Street for
hosting the event and the wonderful dinner they served.,
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Central
Massachusetts Business Council joins the National Gay & Lesbian
Chamber of Commerce as an Affiliated Chapter
Worcester, MA, January 19, 2006 ? The
Central Massachusetts Business Council (CMBC) is pleased to announce
that it has become an affiliated chapter of the National Gay &
Lesbian Chamber of Commerce.
?Becoming an affiliated
chapter with the NGLCC, now gives our members more options and
opportunities,? explains CMBC President Paul Leone. ?As an
affiliated chapter, CMBC members now have instant access to
legislative and regulatory affairs that can positively or negatively
impact businesses that market to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgendered community.?
In addition, CMBC members
get a business listing on NGLCC?s web directory (http://www.nglcc.org/), discounts on selected
NGLCC events, current news and legislative action alerts, as well as
travel and entertainment discounts.
CMBC, which
celebrated its first year anniversary this month, has been cited by
Worcester city officials, local politicians and business leaders as
?the most talked-about, fastest-growing business group in the area.?
In the past year, CMBC has grown from a handful to more than 160
business members. During that time, CMBC has aligned with the
Greater Boston Business Council, held a very successful business
expo at Worcester ?s Gay Pride and established a series of monthly
networking nights.
?We are pleased to have the Central
Massachusetts Business Council affiliated with the National Gay
& Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. We look forward to their
contributions to the Council on Chambers and Business Organizations,
especially in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern Region.? says Justin
G. Nelson, NGLCC Co-Founder &
President.
Based in Washington, D.C., the National Gay
& Lesbian Chamber of Commerce is the largest LGBT business
development and economic advocacy organization in the world. The
NGLCC represents the interests of more than 800,000 LGBT businesses
and entrepreneurs is committed to forming a broad-based coalition,
of LGBT owned and friendly businesses, professionals, and students
of business for the purpose of promoting economic growth and
prosperity of its members.
The Central
Massachusetts Business Council (CMBC) is a group of business
professionals with the singular goal of promoting their business as
equality-based to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT)
community. We believe through networking, marketing, public
relations, and special events, we can provide the GBLT community the
right opportunity to do business with CMBC members. Membership is
open to all LGBT-owned and LGBT-friendly businesses.
For more information
on CMBC, please visit their web site: http://www.cmbconline.com/
For more information
on HGLCC, please visit their web site: http://www.nglcc.org/
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CMBC EXPO IS A WINNER AT WORCESTER GAY
PRIDE
CMBC's debut at Worcester Gay Pride was a ROARING
success! Our Expo, which featured 32 businesses and 7
community groups drew raves from the crowd. During the four
hour expo, the attendance was constant and steady. PRIDE
organizers estimated that MORE THEN 2,500 attendees came through
the Expo tent!!! Just like our community, the Expo offered
a little something for everybody. Sue Nathan and Jeff Forrest
from Muscle Therapeutics offered free neck massages.
Reliable Ride Limo conducted tours of its ultra limousine
car. Maplecliff Realty handed out Frisbees, which
quickly became a crowd favorite. Auto repair, wedding
invitations, flowers, travel are just a few other businesses
attendees were able to meet. Throughout the Expo, the energy
was high and the PRIDE was strong!!!
CMBC President Paul
Leone spoke to the highly-spirited crowed at the PRIDE rally
explaining the CMBC was created for you so that you will have the
opportunity to do business with companies that believe in
you.
Our own CMBC booth was hard at work; greeting the
attendees, giving out CMBC literature and magnets, selling our
brand-new CMBC T-Shirts and, of course, handing out Equality
Packs!
Our thanks go out to all of you who helped make the
Expo a truly remarkable and well-received event. We definitely
made a huge splash and left a strong impression in our
community.
CMBC also extends it deepest gratitude to the
Worcester Gay Pride committee for its dedication, assistance
and hard work. It was truly a JOB WELL DONE!!! If this
year's PRIDE is any indication, next year's PRIDE promises to be
even bigger and better! |
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 WORCESTER TO PROMOTE ANTI-BIAS AND
ANTI-HATE CAMPAIGN
Worcester City Manager Michael V.
O'Brien and his Community Task Force on Bias and Hate Crimes will be
holding a press conference on Tuesday, September 27, 2005
from 11:00 am to 11:45 am at City Hall, 3rd Floor, 455
Main Street, Worcester.
City Manager O'Brien, along with
task force co-chairs Dr. Stephen Slaten and Dr. Yaser Najjar, will
unveil the "No Place for Hate" campaign. All Are
Invited.
Please RSVP to Maria Testa at 508-799-8152 or email:
Testam@ci.worcester.ma.us
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 Congratulations to CMBC members Tony Sanders of
Vibes and Richard and Valerie MacKoul of MacKoul?s Cars
for being honored as this year?s ?People of Courage recipients
by the Bridge of Central Massachusetts? Safe Homes program.
The award recognizes local people for their contribution to
the GLBT community. Tony received the Corporate Award for being an
integral part of the revitalized Water Street district. Rich and
Valerie were honored with the Volunteer Award for the commitment and
exhaustive work within PFLAG.
The awards were given at a
ceremony held at the Ecotarium in Worcester on Tuesday, June 7,
2005.
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CMBC MEMBER ID
BADGES
Starting on May 17,
CMBC members can pick up their ID Badges for our networking nights.
The front table will have the badges with your name on it. All we
ask is that before you leave the event to drop them off at the front
table. That way, you will never lose it! |
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CMBC LITERATURE
TABLE
As you know we offer
a literature table at our CMBC networking nights. This is a
members-only privilege. If you are a CMBC member, please
bring literature, brochures, flyers, etc and place them on the
table. At the end of the event, please take home your
literature. If not, your items will be tossed
away. |
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