The National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce is spotlighting a San Antonio LGBT-owned business as part of their celebration of National STEM/STEAM Day which seeks to inspire kids to explore and pursue their interests in science, technology, engineering, art and math.
The NGLCC selected San Antonio-based Forbrich & Associates LLC, which offers full-service information technology services, as an example to show that comprehensive technology support is the backbone of all businesses. The firm was the first in San Antonio to be designated an “LGBT Certified” business by the NGLCC in 2016.
Chris Forbrich (Photo via Facebook)
Forbrich & Associates CEO, Chris Forbrich, started the company 10 years ago. During that time, the firm has provided remote technology support services to a variety of industries, including government, energy, medical, legal and small businesses. Forbrich also caters to individuals who are having problems with their home computer systems.
In order to be certified by the NGLCC, a business must be at least 51 percent owned, operated, managed, and controlled by an LGBT person or persons who are either U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents. The National Minority Supplier Development Council and the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council offer similar certifications for their member businesses.
In an announcement about the Forbrich & Associates’ NGLCC certification, the San Antonio LGBT Chamber of Commerce said at the time, “We’re thrilled for what the announcement of our first certified [business] means for San Antonio. Our chamber is growing by leaps and bounds, and certified suppliers help cement our place in the local economy. Certified businesses like Forbrich & Associates are role models for other LGBT entrepreneurs, and build the kind of business equity we need to keep the LGBT community moving forward.”
In an interview published on the NGLCC’s blog, Forbrich describes how the business started.
“Before I started my business, I was working as an IT Manager at a small oil and gas company in South Texas. My business was originally a second job, fixing computers in people’s homes and small businesses in San Antonio. I was working on my lunch breaks and after hours — picking up business from an ad with a local LGBT email bulletin and an ad in the Gay & Lesbian Yellow Pages. After a few years, I decided to be in business full time and I have been there ever since.”
Last July, Forbrich was elected chairman of the Bexar County SMWBE Program Advisory Committee, a group that works with the county to increase small, minority and women-owned business participation and procurement in Bexar County projects.
