By Aaron Boot-Haury—
Can you believe we are already in the final quarter of 2026? It feels like just yesterday we were celebrating Pride, unveiling a refreshed GGBA, and filling the room at our first LGBTQ+ Business Expo. Time flies when you are building something, and I am so proud of everything this community has built with us this year.
At our Annual Membership Meeting in September, our members elected three new directors to the GGBA Board, and I am delighted to welcome Alex Lehmeyer, Tim Irvin, and Roxana Malene. Each of them brings fresh energy, deep expertise, and a genuine love for this community, and I could not be more excited to have them at the table as we write the next chapter of the original LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce. (If you see them at an upcoming event, please say hello and thank them for raising their hands!)
And they are jumping right in. On October 24, 2026, our Board of Directors will gather for our fall strategic planning retreat, where we will shape our programming and key initiatives for 2027. This is one of the most important days on our calendar, and we are not walking into that room alone. To our members, community members, and fellow business organizations who have shared your feedback and ideas ahead of this session: thank you. Your input matters, it is being heard, and it will directly shape what comes next. I look forward to sharing our plans with you in next month’s column.
But while we may be planning for the year ahead, there is plenty still to come this year, and I hope you will join us. On November 10, our monthly Make Contact networking mixer returns to Oakland at Fluid510. Growing our presence in the East Bay has been a priority for us, and it is always a joy to gather with our friends and neighbors across the bridge. Bring a stack of business cards, bring a friend, and come make some connections.
On November 18, we will host a Corporate Contracting workshop and panel discussion designed to demystify corporate procurement. If you are an LGBTQ+ or allied small business owner, a solopreneur, or a diverse supplier who has ever wondered how to get your foot in the door with a large corporation, this one is for you. Our panel will walk through how the process actually works and what it takes to successfully win corporate contracts and subcontracts. This is exactly the kind of practical, results-focused programming we promised when we relaunched, and we are grateful to PG&E for their support in making it possible.
And on December 11, we will close out the year in style at our annual Toast to the Season holiday party, co-produced by the San Francisco Bay Times and GGBA. There is no better way to celebrate everything we have accomplished together this year than raising a glass with the people who made it happen. A special thank you to our friends at the Bay Times for their continued partnership, on this page and beyond.
At the GGBA, we remain deeply committed to fostering innovation, collaboration, and economic empowerment within our community. This year has reminded me that a chamber is only as strong as the people who show up for it: our members, our sponsors, our partners, our volunteers, and now our newest board members. As we look toward 2027, I am more optimistic than ever about where we are headed together.
Thank you for being part of this story. I will see you at Fluid510, at the workshop, and at Toast to the Season.
Aaron Boot-Haury is the President and CEO of the Golden Gate Business Association.
GGBA Message from Leadership
Published on October 22, 2026
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