Reflections on the 10th Anniversary of the Greater Houston LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce
“We saw a need, stepped forward, and helped create something that continues to impact our community today.”
When the Greater Houston LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce was still just an idea, it took people with vision, courage, and a deep belief in what our community could build together to help bring it to life - A.J. Mistretta was one of those people.
As a member of the Chamber’s Founding Leadership Council, he played an important role in helping shape the early foundation of an organization created to advance LGBTQ+ economic inclusion, visibility, and opportunity across the Greater Houston region. His voice, leadership, and commitment helped turn a shared need into a lasting institution for our community.
By A.J. Mistretta
In January 2014, the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force held its annual Creating Change conference in Houston, bringing more than 4,000 attendees to the city. In my role managing public relations for what was then the Greater Houston Convention & Visitors Bureau as well as the organization’s LGBTQ+ visitor outreach, I was involved in helping plan the conference’s local engagement and ensuring its success.
Held over the course of four days at the Hilton Americas-Houston Downtown, Creating Change was a truly remarkable experience, helping galvanize the LGBTQ+ community here in Texas and around the country at a critical time.
"But over the course of the conference, one thing became clear to many of us locals having conversations with our friends from elsewhere around the country: Houston needed an LGBTQ+ chamber."
Certainly, there had long been numerous organizations—from the LGBTQ+ Political Caucus to Pride Houston—representing the city’s queer community. But the fact that the nation’s fourth largest city, one with a significant LGBTQ+ population and a heavy focus on economic development, didn’t have a business chamber championing our economic interests was a problem. That ignited conversations between Chamber Co-founders Tammi Wallace and Gary Wood and over the next two years they hatched a plan, developed a mission, and brought others of us along with them.
"As a member of the Chamber’s Founding Leadership Council, I had the privilege of helping build something that many saw as a need, but few realized just how impactful it could become."
Looking back now, as the Chamber celebrates its 10-year anniversary, I’m filled with gratitude, pride, and a bit of amazement at what this organization has become in just a decade.
In those early days, we were building the plane while flying it. The mandate was to create something much more than a networking organization—Houston has plenty. The Chamber needed to be a respected institution — one that could champion LGBTQ+ businesses, connect entrepreneurs with opportunities, advocate for inclusive economic policies, and help companies understand that diversity and inclusion are not just social values, but economic drivers.
"What made those founding years so special was the people, many of whom I still rely on as close friends today."
Those involved brought different experiences and perspectives, but we shared a common vision: creating a stronger, more inclusive business community where LGBTQ+ professionals and allies could thrive openly and authentically.
"Over the last decade, I’ve watched the Chamber grow from an idea into a respected force in Houston’s business ecosystem."
Today, the organization is creating opportunities for LGBTQ+ owned businesses, certifying suppliers, hosting major events, and advocating for inclusion across Houston’s major industries. It has become a connector between communities, corporations, entrepreneurs, and civic leaders.
That impact matters.
Representation matters.
And visibility matters.
Personally, being part of the Chamber’s founding story remains one of the accomplishments I’m most proud of. Over the past 16 years, I’ve had the privilege of telling Houston’s story as a communications professional with some of its largest organizations. I’ve come to learn that cities like ours become stronger when they embrace inclusion, collaboration, and authenticity. The Chamber does all three.
Houston itself has evolved tremendously over the last ten years, and the Chamber has evolved alongside it. We’ve seen LGBTQ+ professionals step into leadership positions across industries.
"We’ve seen businesses recognize that supporting inclusion is not political — it’s practical, human, and necessary."
Of course, there is still work to do. One need only look at the daily headlines to see that progress is never guaranteed, and advocacy remains essential. But anniversaries like this are important because they give us an opportunity to pause and reflect on what has been built, who made it possible, and what comes next.
I’m enormously proud of the leadership of the Chamber, past and present, for what this organization has become. Here’s to the first ten years of the Houston LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce — and to the many more ahead.
Thank You, A.J.
We are deeply grateful to A.J. for his service, leadership, and belief in the Chamber from the very beginning. Founding a chamber takes more than an idea — it takes people willing to step forward, lend their time and talent, and invest in a future they may not yet fully see but know is possible.
A.J.’s contributions are part of the Chamber’s story, and his impact continues to be reflected in the work, relationships, and community we are still building today. We honor his service and celebrate the role he played in helping make the Greater Houston LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce what it is today.
About the Author
A.J. Mistretta (he/him)
Vice President, Corporate Communications
Houston First Corporation
A.J. Mistretta has spent more than 16 years representing Houston across different organizations covering such disciplines as tourism, economic development, and placemaking. A.J. has worked with hundreds of local, national and international journalists covering business and quality of life in Houston. He currently serves as Vice President of Corporate Communications for Houston First, the region’s destination marketing organization.
