Angie’s List, Salesforce among members of tech coalition to support LGBT rights

Former Angie’s List CEO Bill Oesterle on Monday released a list of 30 companies and leaders joining his push for expanded statewide civil rights protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Hoosiers.

The list includes Oesterle’s former company, Angie’s List, along with tech heavyweight Salesforce. They are joining the Tech for Equality group, which Oesterle announced last week.

The list of supporters was released just hours ahead of the Carmel City Council’s expected discussion tonight of a nondiscrimination ordinance. Oesterle said members of the coalition are a “who’s who” of emerging technology companies, along with leaders of the state’s tech sector.

“I think it’s notable that they are stepping forward here,” Oesterle said of the coalition’s members, “and that’s simply a product of the direct impact that this issue can have on the labor force, especially the skilled labor force, they are so dependent on.”

Other members include NextGear Capital, Cannon IV, OurHealth, Mobi and LeadJen. Oesterle is joined as co-chair of the coalition by Mark Hill, co-founder of Baker Hill and Collina Ventures.

Carmel delays action on anti-discrimination ordinance

Oesterle said he will attend tonight’s meeting of the Carmel City Council along with representatives of several companies from Carmel that are coalition members. Oesterle said he supports the Carmel nondiscrimination ordinance in an unaltered form.

Carmel and Hamilton County are heavyweights in terms of economic development and Republican Party presence, Oesterle said. The passage of Columbus’ nondiscrimination ordinance, he said, was very important, and Carmel will prove as a critical step.

To pair with the coalition’s work, a political action committee likely will be set up to help raise funds. However, he said the operation will run lean and rely on volunteer support.

“I don’t think this is an effort that requires huge dollars,” he said.

The group marks Oesterle's newest venture in fighting back against the damage he says was caused by the state's passage this spring of the controversial Religious Freedom Restoration Act. In June, he sponsored a poll that showed Gov. Mike Pence's reputation had plummeted following the backlash over that law. Pence and the legislature later clarified the law barring its use as a defense for discrimination.

Oesterle announced in April that he was stepping down from being CEO of Angie's List, the online consumer ratings company that he co-founded two decades ago, partly to fight for more nondiscrimination protections in the state.

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