Month: December 2013

Networking Never Goes Out of Fashion

Posted on December 17, 2013 by Tracy

IBA Members, guests and business professionals gathered in the trendy East Passyunk section of Philadelphia for a very “fashionable” networking event on November 20th. Tom Longo, owner of IBA Member business, Metro Mens Clothing was the host for the evening and treated guests to a fashion show featuring some of the finest in men’s…and women’s…fashion.

Guests enjoyed some great specialty cocktails and some tasty treats from some of the East Passyunk area’s best restaurants…not to mention getting some great ideas to jump start the holiday shopping season.

View more pictures from the evening.

IBA Members Come Together to Help MANNA ‘Feed A Family’

Posted on December 17, 2013 by Tracy

On November 21st and November 22nd, members and friends of the IBA joined together to help MANNA make this year’s Pie in the Sky, their largest fundraiser of the year, a sold out success! For 2 days and 3 shifts IBA helped bake pies and assisted MANNA staff and volunteers in getting ready to prepare Thanksgiving dinner for their hundreds of clients! View more pictures of the IBA volunteer days at MANNA.

But MANNA doesn’t just need help during the holidays. They depend on their volunteers 365 days a year to help prepare, pack and deliver hot, nutritious meals 3 times a day, 7 days a week to their over 900 clients. To find out how you can volunteer at MANNA, contact Jen Stackhouse at 215-496-2662 ext. 138 or at jstackhouse@mannapa.org

About MANNA

MANNA is a non-profit organization that cooks and delivers nutritious, medically-appropriate meals and provides nutrition counseling to neighbors who are battling life-threatening illnesses such as cancer, renal disease and HIV/AIDS. Through their delivery of 3 meals a day, 7 days a week, MANNA provides hope and nourishment to the Greater Philadelphia area and Southern New Jersey.

IBA Represents Philly’s LGBT Business Community at 2013 NGLCC National Dinner: Imagine

Posted on December 7, 2013 by Tracy

IBA Members and Members of the Board of Directors represented Philadelphia’s LGBT Chamber of Commerce as they joined business professionals and affiliate LGBT Chambers from around the country at The National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce’s (NGLCC) National Dinner.

This year’s premier gala, ‘Imagine’, which celebrated 11 years of connecting the LGBT business communities was held on Friday, November 22 in Washington, D.C. at the National Building Museum.

Each year, this signature event is dedicated to celebrating leading LGBT business owners and entrepreneurs, corporations and supplier diversity advocates, and government and community leaders.

View some great photos of the evening.

From the Desk of the IBA President

Posted on December 3, 2013 by Tracy

Dear GPPN Friends and IBA Members:

It is with great pride that I announce some exciting developments in the IBA and GPPN family.

The Independence Business Alliance (IBA), the Greater Philadelphia Region’s LGBT Chamber of Commerce, is pleased to announce that it will assume the mantle of monthly LGBT professional networking events which were started over 20 years ago by the Greater Philadelphia Professional Network (GPPN). As many of you know, the close working affiliation that the IBA has shared with GPPN since our formation in 2007 has been instrumental in helping the IBA grow our organization to where we are today at over 200 members. In fact, the IBA has grown by over 30% in 2013 alone and was recently recognized by the Philadelphia Business Journal as one of the Top 25 Business Networking Associations and Groups in the Philadelphia Region. This shows that the Philadelphia LGBT business community is strong and growing!

With this momentum, the IBA is pleased to present the next evolution of professional networking for the LGBT business community, allies and friends. Beginning in January 2014, the IBA will present IBA ConnX monthly networking events throughout the entire region.

The IBA ConnX events will showcase many of the same features of GPPN events – business card exchange, marketing minute, just to name a few – all at interesting and unique local restaurants and venues that allow for the prime focus to be on professional networking and making that right business connection. That is what IBA ConnX is all about!

Please join us for the IBA Holiday Party at the Hard Rock Café, Tuesday, December 17th, 5:30 PM – 8:00 PM for additional announcements about IBA ConnX and the upcoming schedule of IBA ConnX events for Winter/Spring 2014.

Finally, I’d like to make special mention of the contribution of Thom Cardwell in building the foundation for LGBT professional networking across the Philadelphia region. Through the efforts and dedication of Thom and GPPN volunteers over the years, many of us have made important business connections and friendships that have sustained and made our community that much stronger. We are so grateful for these contributions and look forward to welcoming Thom as an important IBA member and resource, with his own special brand of community announcements, at the inaugural IBA ConnX event in January 2014.

On behalf of Tom Cavanaugh and the entire IBA Board, I would like to wish everyone all the best in the holiday season and for a happy, healthy and prosperous 2014.

Warm regards,

C. Richard Horrow, Esq.
IBA President