Luke Blankenship
Executive Director
St Pete Pride, Inc.
luke@stpetepride.com
727-342-0084
www.stpetepride.com

SAINT PETERSBURG, Fla.: St Pete Pride announced a new title partnership with Clearwater-based, global technology company, Tech Data. Florida’s Largest LGBTQ+ Parade Celebration will be headlined by one of the most LGBTQ+ inclusive companies in the country.

“We are strategically promoting one of the sterling examples of inclusivity in a company of their size. For years, Tech Data has been a pioneer in LGBTQ+ rights in the workplace,” explains Executive Director, Luke Blankenship.

“Last year, Tech Data had the biggest showing of employees walking with our float in the St Pete Pride parade,” said John Tonnison, Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer of Tech Data. “Inclusion is one of our five corporate shared values and is foundational to our culture. We are proud to take this even further this year by connecting the Tech Data name as the title sponsor for this, Florida’s biggest Pride event. In doing so, we honor our LGBTQ+ colleagues and families and clearly signal our support to the wider LGBTQ+ community.”

Tech Data has a longstanding reputation for diversity and inclusion. As the largest company in Florida, it is an LGBTQ+ advocate both in the community and for its colleagues. In 2005, Tech Data began offering benefits to same-sex domestic partners, and most recently the company received a score of 100 on the Corporate Equality Index, making it a ‘Best Place to Work for LGBT Equality’ for the 14th year and counting. Tech Data continually promotes cultural competence and education on such topics as LGBTQ+ history and transgender issues, and in 2018, the company began a tradition of raising the Pride flag at all US locations for the month of June in a public display of solidarity across its workforce.

“Ask anyone in the Tampa Bay region where the best place to work for LGBT equality, and Tech Data will certainly come to mind,” explained Chrys Bundy, President of St Pete Pride and Tech Data employee. “St Pete Pride has partnered with Tech Data for several years, and we are beyond excited to join together with Tech Data as the title sponsor of the 2019 St Pete Pride Parade.”

“Partnerships with businesses like Tech Data keep our registration rates for small businesses and non-profits one of the lowest in the country for a Pride our size,” says St Pete Pride’s Executive Director, Luke Blankenship. “We are excited for new opportunities this partnership presents to our organization, as we can continue to build on an already world-class event.”

Starting on June 19th with a kick-off party at the renowned Sirata Beach Resort on St. Pete Beach, join the celebration of the power and beauty of diversity and inclusion. With a little extra emotional value this year, the celebration continues on June 20th at the prestigious Museum of Fine Arts in downtown St. Pete with the Stonewall reception commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. Followed by an evening of entertainment on June 21st, St Pete Pride will present local and national talent at its annual SP2 Concert at the North Straub Park. Featuring over-the-top floats, lavish costumes, unforgettable performances, and a firework spectacular, catch the Tech Data St Pete Pride Parade on June 22nd along St. Pete’s beautiful waterfront downtown on Bayshore Drive. And last, checkout the 240+ vendors at the Street Festival on June 23rd at the Grand Central District between 22nd and 28th Street.

About St Pete Pride

St Pete Pride’s mission is to promote unity, visibility, self-esteem and a positive image of and among the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community of Tampa Bay and throughout the State of Florida by way of cultural and educational programs and activities.

About Tech Data

Tech Data connects the world with the power of technology. Our end-to-end portfolio of products, services and solutions, highly specialized skills, and expertise in next-generation technologies enable channel partners to bring to market the products and solutions the world needs to connect, grow and advance. Tech Data is ranked No. 83 on the Fortune 500® and has been named one of Fortune’s World’s Most Admired Companies for 10 straight years. To find out more, visit www.techdata.com/or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

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Posted in 2019, Press Releases and tagged