WASHINGTON D.C./SAN FRANCISCO, CA — The National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC), along with its San Francisco local affiliate Golden Gate Business Association (GGBA), congratulate U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Administrator Maria Contreras Sweet on the selection of Equator Coffees & Teas as the 2016 California Small Business of the Year. This marks the first time in history that a certified LGBT Business Enterprise (LGBTBE ®) has been selected as a statewide winner of this prestigious award.
Partners in life and business, Helen Russell and Brooke McDonnell are Co-Founders of the San Rafael, California-based Equator Coffees & Teas, Inc, which was founded in 1995. Equator now has 90 employees, more than 350 wholesale customers—including Chef Thomas Keller’s Michelin Guide three-star French Laundry located in Yountville, CA, cafes at LinkedIn and micro-kitchens at Google—and three retail stores in Northern California with two more on the way. Equator became a certified LGBTBE by the NGLCC in 2015 and is an active member of the GGBA.
“This celebrated recognition of Helen and Brooke’s outstanding work not only exemplifies what we know of women in business leadership; it also illuminates an answer to the challenge of our time, demonstrating that businesses can be both successful and sustainable,” said California Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom. “Their example and their achievements set the standard for small businesses to follow and I congratulate them both on their contributions to the community and the state of California.”
