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The St. Louis Business Journal — along with 100 guests — celebrated the second annual Business of Pride Awards honorees during an in-person event at Chase Park Plaza.

As part of this year's Business of Pride Awards program, we asked our honorees what Missouri — and St. Louis — could be doing to be a more attractive place for LGBTQIA+ talent. Their responses range from legislative suggestions to more simple thoughts on acceptance.

Meet this year's class of Business of Pride honorees, which also includes two companies — House of Pain and Electro Savings Credit Union — who are celebrated for their commitment to the LGBTQIA+ community in St. Louis and across the state.

Heather Brown-Hudson is founder and owner of Dynamic DEI Solutions, which offers consulting services in the realm of DEI work for organizations nationwide. Brown-Hudson is a St. Louis Business Journal 2022 Business of Pride honoree, which celebrates members of the LGBTQIA+ community who have worked to advance LGBTQIA+ causes.

Citadel's departure is the latest in a string of high-profile company exits from Chicago.

Steven Louis Brawley is the founder of the St. Louis LGBT History Project and executive vice president of Area Resources for Community and Human Services (ARCHS). Brawley is a St. Louis Business Journal 2022 Business of Pride honoree, which celebrates members of the LGBTQIA+ community who have worked to advance LGBTQIA+ causes.

Zia Ball Ball is a senior system engineer at GadellNet Consulting Services. Ball is a St. Louis Business Journal 2022 Business of Pride honoree, which celebrates members of the LGBTQIA+ community who have worked to advance LGBTQIA+ causes.

Liz Blackwell is partner at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, and the firm's first openly-gay partner appointed to its Board of Directors. Blackwell is a St. Louis Business Journal 2022 Business of Pride honoree, which celebrates members of the LGBTQIA+ community who have worked to advance LGBTQIA+ causes.

Electro Savings Credit Union — led by Jim Struble — is among the region's largest credit unions with $182.67 in total assets in 2021 and 60 full-time employees. It is a St. Louis Business Journal 2022 Business of Pride Awards company honoree, which celebrates companies that work to make the region a more inclusive place for the LGBTQIA+ community.

House of Pain, with locations in Maryland Heights and Chesterfield, strives to be a good steward within its community, and it’s done this partly by building relationships with the LGBTQIA+ community and providing a place of acceptance and safety.

Dr. Anthony Dao is instructor of medicine and OUTmed Director within the Department of Medicine at Washington University School of Medicine. Dao is a St. Louis Business Journal 2022 Business of Pride honoree, which celebrates members of the LGBTQIA+ community who have worked to advance LGBTQIA+ causes.

Lawrence Mooney is a mediator and arbitrator at JAMS — a mediation service firm located in Clayton. Mooney is a St. Louis Business Journal 2022 Business of Pride honoree, which celebrates members of the LGBTQIA+ community who have worked to advance LGBTQIA+ causes.

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