Eric Lutzo, President/Co-Founder of Plexus
LGBT Chamber of Commerce of Cleveland

The word plexus is defined as a structure in the form of a network, often referring medically to braids of nerves, blood vessels or lymphatics. A local organization supporting the collective Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) business community in Cleveland shares the name -- and appropriately so. Funded through the Civic Innovation Lab during this last round, Plexus is the Chamber of Commerce for the LGBT community and its allies serving Northeast Ohio, allowing a level of connectivity and support not previously seen in Cleveland or the surrounding region.

It's part networking organization, part support system, part business federation. And it's an organization that Eric Lutzo – president and co-founder of Plexus and head of the coaching/leadership development group Forward Thought – is very passionate about. “Our goal is to be a critical link to the economic development of the region,” Lutzo told Cool Cleveland during a recent interview. “We're definitely living our namesake every day.”

“Our mission is to provide proactive business development for the LGBT business community through business advocacy. Plexus started as a networking group, but has sense become much more. “There was a gut feeling that a lot of professionals don’t necessarily go to Cleveland Pride or see a connection for them [there].” Lutzo sees Plexus as a means to “convey to them and allies of the organization that we are here, we’re not going away after Pride and that all of us should get connected and work to help one another be successful.”

Plexus began in 2001 as a Cleveland professional LGBT networking group, though it was very informal. Early members met at the same bar on Tuesdays. “We didn’t do anything beyond the monthly networking event,” Lutzo told Cool Cleveland. “But clearly there was a want for something greater. That camaraderie and awareness came after we started. We noticed that there was no community for LGBT professionals – so, where do you go when you’re successful in your career? We figured, let’s do some business together.”

Once some internal leadership was identified, a move toward mirroring and engaging other networks across the country similar to Plexus began, including groups in Ohio and the Midwest. Today, Plexus is officially formed as 501-C6 trade organization – much like the small business division of the Greater Cleveland Growth Association COSE is – and works towards some very similar goals. “It’s all about building relationships,” Lutzo says. “We can’t do business solely from a networking group; some people show up to events and feel instantaneously they’ll find a lead. That’s not the case either.

“Plexus is rare because it’s all about building relationships at matchmaking events that actually have supplier diversity initiatives – all of which leave members and attendees poised and ready for when those business opportunities come,” Lutzo said.

It’s the tip of the iceberg for a much grander design.

“Eventually, we plan to be a one-stop shop, with everything from leadership development and coaching work, to training… see, we view Plexus as a point of connection, where information passes through. We don’t profess to have solutions to everything, but making connections can get you there. For example, how do we connect all health systems for LGBTs? How do they all share best practices? In the end, it’s all about how to retain and attract talent,” he added.

“That requires an open and inclusive environment for people to work in, but it also involves a level of support system as well. The best talent can go wherever they want. I believe we can attract a lot of people to Cleveland and Northeast Ohio, based on the many cool things the region has to offer that we all talk about: culture, the arts, housing stock. We all know about it, or most of us do, but it’s getting people outside the region to see it that is just as important.”

With that, Lutzo related a story about a prominent leader of the Los Angeles LGBT Chamber of Commerce who visited Cleveland recently; her experience inspired an email to Lutzo after her trip. “She said, ‘Don’t be surprised if I decide to live part of my year here.’ Here she is, a successful Entrepreneur of the Year award winner, who rents a house in the valley and is starting another [business] as a partnership… and she’s thinking of moving here because the cost of living and of housing out west is so great. Think of how many people who are like that who would benefit from being here, yet they can’t move to next level because of their current location.”

It all sounds ambitious, right? And lot of work...? “It is and some days I’m absolutely burned out. This month has kind of been that way, but it is truly important for region, cities in the region and for those looking in at us from afar and internal,” Lutzo said.

“But it all begins with conversations with leaders and individuals. There’s a lot of discussion now about LGBTs and job discrimination,” Lutzo said. “I don’t think all of it is an intentional thing, some of it is an educational thing and helping others to realize there’s more talent in [this] market. Promoting diversity and fostering an open and progressive environment is a big part of what we’re about, but the most compelling argument is that we’re taxpayers too, and we are deserving of fair equitable treatment.

“I think that having this as a Chamber takes a lot of emotion out of it, because at the end of the day, this is not an emotional plea for what’s justly right. This is about dollars, and if community is 66% more likely to have brand loyalty when marketed to and supported… well, you hire that community and you support them with health, insurance, non-discrimination and you come to find that group works harder than anybody.”

Lutzo and Plexus are in the midst of a membership drive; people who are interested in taking the next step and taking advantage of benefits and want Chamber time are invited to step up and join. Their registration opens at Cleveland Pride (June 16) at Booth # 27, on the diagonal near the front gate. But the registration will stay open past Pride, “until we reach quota of 100 new members in 100 days… we would like to see 250 in the next year altogether.”

You can learn more about Plexus and their upcoming networking events, as well as their involvement with Cleveland Pride, by visiting http://www.thinkplexus.org. For a complete schedule of events for Cleveland Pride, visit http://www.clevelandpride.org.

From Cool Cleveland Managing Editor Peter Chakerian peterATcoolcleveland.com
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