PBN March 18, 2022

PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS

PBN pbn.com

MARCH 18 - 31, 2022

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

PBN SUMMIT RECAP Panel: Companies need to fine-tune their perks | 27

SPOTLIGHT

Calamari in the making | 6

YOUR SOURCE FOR BUSINESS NEWS IN SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND | VOL. 36, NO. 23 | $5

FOCUS: CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN

Waterfront development can be difficult endeavor

BY MARC LAROCQUE | Larocque@PBN.com

THE PROPOSAL TO CONSTRUCT the six-story, 52-room Riverview Hotel in Providence failed after the R.I. Coastal Resources Management Council denied a requested variance needed for the proposed project on a 0.28-acre property known as Parcel 1A that tightly hugs the waterfront on the east side of the Providence River.

Developer Gerald Fandetti wanted to build close to the water, with just a 20-foot public greenway between the building and the river, in addition to a small timber boardwalk that’s already present at the site. The variance was needed to completely exempt the project from a 25-foot setback requirement established by SEE WATERFRONT PAGE 18

PREPPING FOR AN IMPACT

MEET THE

NEW GUARD:

IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Parlange sees ‘crucial role’ for URI research in state’s economy

BY JAMES BESSETTE | Bessette@PBN.com

(Editor’s note: This is the fifth installment in an occasional series of interviews with the state’s new wave of higher education leaders.)

MARC ONE LAST THING To motivate, inspire Craig A. Pickell | 38

B. PARLANGE HAS RACKED up his fair share of frequent flier miles during his career in higher education.

Parlange, 59, who was born in Rhode Island but only lived here a few months before his military family moved, has held academic and administrative positions at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne in Switzerland, the University of British Columbia in Canada and Monash University in Australia.

At Monash, Australia’s largest research university, he served as provost and senior vice president.

SEE PARLANGE PAGE 12

CONNECTED: University of Rhode Island President Marc B. Parlange says he feels like he’s known URI for a long time because the research the school is known for resonates with his own research.

COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND/ NORA LEWIS

April 6th | 9 am spring 2022

For more information turn to page 34

CONTENTS

PBN

COVER STORY PREPPING FOR AN IMPACT Parlange sees ‘crucial role’ for URI research in state’s economy.......................................... 1

400 Westminster St. Providence, RI 02903

FOR STARTERS Who’s on the Board?

R.I. Housing and Mortgage Finance Corp...........................3

Main Phone: 401-273-2201 Subscription Services: 855-813-5805

5Q: Kai Salem.......................................................................4 Dining Out: Are gratuities shrinking?..................................5 Spotlight: The Town Dock................................................... 6 Something New: Secret Beach Tattoo................................ 6

President & Publisher: Roger C. Bergenheim 680-4848 | Publisher@PBN.com

5Q | 4

Hot Topic: Proposal stirs up shoreline dispute..................7 Health Matters: ‘Safe Stations’ aimed at reducing overdoses..................... 8

ADVERTISING

Advertising@PBN.com | Fax: 401-274-0270 Director of Sales and Marketing: Annemarie Brisson 680-4800 | Brisson@PBN.com Marketing and Events Manager: Donna Rofino, 680-4832 | Rofino@PBN.com

1st N.Y. pot permits focus on justice................................... 9 What’s Happening...............................................................10 Another Look: Closing ‘education gap’ crucial to Foulkes’ economic vision................................... 15

Marketing, Events & Social Media Coordinator: Tracy Hoyt, 680-4818 | Hoyt@PBN.com Senior Account Managers: Linda Foster, 680-4812 | Foster@PBN.com Jim Hanrahan 680-4816 | Hanrahan@PBN.com Noreen Murray 680-4801 | Murray@PBN.com Advertising Coordinator: Joyce Rylander 680-4810 | Production@PBN.com

IT’S PERSONAL People in the News............................................................ 32 Mackay’s Moral.................................................................. 33 Guest Column: Peter George............................................ 34 Guest Column: Dr. Philip Lederer..................................... 35 Editorials and Opinion....................................................... 36 One Last Thing: Craig A. Pickell....................................... 38

FOCUS: CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN

EDITORIAL

Waterfront development can be difficult endeavor

Editor@PBN.com | Fax: 401-274-0670

Pursuing successful commercial waterfront development projects can be a difficult balancing act of addressing environmental regulations and making economic sense..... 1

Editor: Michael Mello, 680-4820 | Mello@PBN.com

SOMETHING NEW | 6

‘Lifestyle center’ moves forward at mall site

Managing Editor: William Hamilton 680-4826 | Hamilton@PBN.com

Plans for a “lifestyle center” at the site of the defunct Swansea Mall are progressing after developers reached an agreement with Walmart Inc., which maintains property rights.................................................................... 16

Web Editor: Chip LeClerc, 680-4886 | LeClerc@PBN.com Copy Editor: Matt Bower, 680-4824 | Bower@PBN.com

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SUMMIT RECAP

Special Projects Editor/Researcher: James Bessette 680-4838 | Bessette@PBN.com

Panel: Companies need to fine-tune their perks

(EDUCATION, NONPROFITS)

Staff Writers: Marc Larocque 680-4830 | Larocque@PBN.com

With many companies challenged to recruit and retain a high-quality staff, panelists say it’s vital for employers to stay informed about workforce trends and employees’ priorities...................................................27

(HEALTH CARE, GOVERNMENT, REAL ESTATE/DEVELOPMENT)

Lists

Nancy Lavin, 680-4822 | Lavin@PBN.com

FOCUS: CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN | 16

General Contractors........................................................... 20 Property Management Firms............................................ 22

(CITY GOVERNMENT, ENERGY/ENVIRONMENT, FINANCIAL SERVICES)

Cassius Shuman 680-4884 | Shuman@PBN.com (HOSPITALITY/TOURISM, GOVERNMENT)

Jacquelyn Voghel 680-4828 | Voghel@PBN.com

THIS WEEK’S FEATURED COMPANIES Community College of Rhode Island CVS Health Corp.

East Bay Recovery Center Flux Marine Ltd. Gateway Healthcare Inc.

32 15, 32 8 12 8

(WORKFORCE, MANUFACTURING, ENTREPRENEURSHIP)

Peregrine Group LLC

18

Pot au Feu

5

Raytheon Corp.

12

R.I. Coastal Resources Management Council

1

R.I. Department of Health

8

PRODUCTION

Production Director: Anne Ewing, 680-4860 | Ewing@PBN.com Art Director: Lisa Lagreca, 680-4868 | Lagreca@PBN.com

General Dynamics Electric Boat

12

R.I. Department of Labor and Training

30

Gilbane Building Co.

30

R.I. Office of State Medical Examiners

8

Hammetts Hotel

18

Secret Beach Tattoo

6

PBN@cambeywest.com | 1-855-813-5805

HealthSource RI

8

Shoreline Taxpayers Association for Respectful Traverse, Environmental Responsibility and Safety Inc.

7

ADMINISTRATION

Jaia Robotics LLC

12

Lifespan Corp.

27

New England Institute of Technology

30

Orsted A/S

12

Peckham Farm

14

WHAT’S HAPPENING? SUBMIT YOUR NEWS AT PBN.COM/PBNCONNECT/

Skills for Rhode Island’s Future

27

The Town Dock

6

Union Studio Architecture & Community Design Inc. University of Rhode Island

18 7, 12, 18

www.facebook.com/providencebusinessnews @provbusnews www.linkedin.com/company/providence-business-news

2 | MARCH 18-31, 2022 | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | www.pbn.com

CIRCULATION

Fax: 401-274-6580 Business Manager: Tammy D’Antuono 680-4840 | Dantuono@PBN.com ©2022 Providence Business News Inc.

Providence Business News is published every two weeks by Providence Business News, 400 Westminster Street, Providence, RI 02903 (USPS 002-254) (ISSN 0887-8226) Periodical postage paid at Providence, R.I. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to 400 Westminster Street, Providence, RI 02903.

FOR STARTERS WHO’S ON THE BOARD?

R.I. HOUSING AND MORTGAGE FINANCE CORP.

BOARD MEMBERS:

Top executive: Carol Ventura, executive director

Director emeritus Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies

Year founded: 1973

Maria Barry

OVERHEARD

Nicolas P. Retsinas, chairman

Mission statement: The R.I. Housing and Mortgage Finance Corp. strives to ensure that all people who live in Rhode Island can afford a healthy, attractive home that meets their needs.

2021 revenue: $141 million

Kevin Orth Manager Atlantic American Partners

Elizabeth Tanner, ex officio Director R.I. Department of Business Regulation

Community development banking national executive Bank of America Corp.

James Thorsen, ex officio

Seth Magaziner R.I. general treasurer

Director R.I. Department of Administration

Stephen McAllister Manager, East region U.S. Chamber of Commerce

PBN PHOTO/ELIZABETH GRAHAM

‘Individuals can come to us at their time of need.’

ELIZABETH MOREIRA, Pawtucket public health and equity leader Page 8

Meet our Commercial Real Estate Team at

Keb Brackenbury

Andrew Deluski

Mary Ettinger

Jane Long

Located in Stowe, boutique hotel will add 10 units, including outdoor cabins for year-round use.

Jane Long | Vice President | Relationship Manager | (401) 574-1588 | JLong@bankri.com

www.pbn.com | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | MARCH 18-31, 2022 | 3

FOR STARTERS

5Q: Kai Salem Policy coordinator, Green Energy Consumers Alliance

BY NANCY LAVIN | Lavin@PBN.com

1

What are Green Energy Consumers Alliance’s top priorities in 2022?

Green Energy Consumers’ top priority for Rhode Island is to pass legislation to increase our existing Renewable Energy Standard annually until it reaches 100% renewable electricity by 2030. This bill, alongside another big offshore wind contract and legislation to electrify transportation, is essential to meeting the Act On Climate emissions target.

that incentivize reducing emissions.

Rhode Island was relying on the Transportation & Climate Initiative, a regional program to cap transportation emissions and invest in clean energy, to help reduce transportation emissions – but the future of this program is unclear.

4

How does the sale of Narragansett Electric Co. to PPL Corp. impact consumers and the state?

The utility company is charged with implementing state energy policy, including energy efficiency programs, offshore wind procurement, the Renewable Energy Standard, solar incentives and more. PPL has to be able to do as good a job as National Grid at providing clean energy to consumers, but we have some serious concerns about their lack of experience. Now that the sale is going through, passing strong climate regulations on the utility is even more important.

2

What do you see as the biggest successes of Rhode Island energy policy?

Historically, Rhode Island has been a leader on climate policy. In the 2000s, we were one of the first states in the country to pass energy efficiency legislation and a Renewable Energy Standard. More recently, the Act On Climate law set mandatory carbon emissions reductions targets of 45% by 2030 and net zero by 2050. This gives us some hope that we can get back on track on climate policy.

5

Rhode Island made a name for itself with the Block Island Wind Farm, but other states appear to be joining or surpassing us. What more could the state do to boost this sector?

Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey and Connecticut have committed to procuring thousands of megawatts of offshore wind by 2030 – each. We urge the state to have a contract for at least 600 more megawatts of offshore wind by the end of the year, and 1,500 megawatts by 2030. And any procurements should ensure good labor and environmental practices. n

3

Where is the state falling short or needs improvement?

Because we took until 2021 to pass Act On Climate, we need to play catchup with careful planning and swift, strong implementation. The state needs more resources to develop programs

PBN PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

Historically, Rhode Island has been a leader on climate policy.

full page 9.75” x 13.73”

LEADERS IN EDUCATION

half page 9.75” x 6.34”

April 15, 2022 Recognizing leaders in Education who are making a difference to their students, in their community and mentoring the next generation of exceptional educators.

Profile the educators in your school, new or veteran, in this special feature in the PBN Education Focus Section on April 15th.

DEADLINE: April 6, 2022

Don’t miss this chance to share your success with your customers and employees.

4 | MARCH 18-31, 2022 | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | www.pbn.com

quarter page

4.79”x 6.34”

Information to include in profile: • • • • • • •

Name Job Title Company Name Phone number Email address Company Website Number of years working in your current industry

• Number of years with your current company/firm • Undergrad degree/university • Law degree/university • Official bio, 150 to 300 words • High resolution headshot (minimum 300 dpi)

Reserve your ad space by calling Noreen Murray at 401-680-4801 or Murray@PBN.com

FOR STARTERS DINING OUT | BRUCE NEWBURY

Are gratuities shrinking?

SIGNS ARE ALL AROUND US of a return to normal. At long last, things appear to look more like the life we knew before COVID-19 two years ago.

But, for better or for worse, life will never truly return to the way it was. Pick any routine and there are reminders that things are no longer the same. Dining out perhaps is at or near the top. Eateries are busy.

Reports from guests are that some places are busier than they were in 2019. With the relaxation of the various mandates and the resulting increase in confidence among people who have been reluctant to go out, customer counts are expected to increase further. There is another sign of a return to a previous time: we are again becoming skimpy tippers.

According to data from the digital payment platform Square released in February, tips have decreased as measured by the percentage of the bill.

The numbers were climbing in the early days of the pandemic. We have shared the stories of generous customers supporting the front-line workers who were feeding them in the days of lockdown. But that generosity faded.

Whether it was the perception that things were improving, and front-

line staff no longer needed the extra support, or the increase in prices due to marketplace pressure, diners have been tipping less than they did before the pandemic. The percentage has dropped to 19.1% at full-service spots and 18.6% at quick-service restaurants. The data shows the median tip percentage had been on the upswing between February 2020 and April 2020 from 19.73% to 22.22% at quick-service restaurants.

The question may be asked if this is comparing apples to oranges, as the more generous tipping was on takeout orders, touted as a way to show appreciation for front-line workers during those early months of the pandemic. The median tip percentage at quick-service restaurants was 19.73% in February 2020 but increased to 22.22% by April of that year. Tips at full-service restaurants increased from 19.45% to 21.2% during the same time period.

Square’s numbers are slightly below the tip amounts that were reflected in a June 2021 survey conducted by CreditCards.com. According to that survey, the average tip amounts were 20% at a full-service restaurant, 17% for delivery, and 15% for takeout or-

Diners have been tipping less than they did before the pandemic.

VETERAN LINEUP: Bob Burke, center background, owner of Pot au Feu in Providence, says he suspects tips are declining because labor shortages have led to the hiring of less-experienced waitstaff. At Pot au Feu, the staff has an average of 24 years of experience.

COURTESY POT AU FEU

ders. However, one local restaurateur says it is not as simple as it appears.

Bob Burke, owner of Pot au Feu, says the lowered tipping percentage is real.

“It is, as it always was, a reflection of service,” he said. “The so-called ‘message of equity’ is lost on the customer. Guests are not taking on a social responsibility when they go out to eat. They are going out to eat.”

From a business standpoint, what has been popularly referred to as the Great Resignation has resulted in a Great Substitution. What may not be widely known is that it is not a simple replacement of workers. Professional waitstaff positions, especially in areas such as downtown Providence or resort locales such as Newport, are not easy to fill.

Burke says it’s like filling in a

starting lineup with players from the bench. Inexperienced servers are filling positions that were taken by polished veterans. A novice server may have personality and is going to do their best to take care of their guests, but they may not know the wine list or even be familiar with cocktails or beverage service.

At Pot au Feu, the exception proves the rule. The venerable French bistro in downtown Providence employs staffers with an average of 24 years of experience. n Bruce Newbury’s radio show and podcast, “Dining Out with Bruce Newbury,” is broadcast on WADK 1540 AM and several radio stations throughout New England. Email him at Bruce@BruceNewbury.com.

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FOR STARTERS SOMETHING NEW

SPOTLIGHT

FRESH INK: Thanks to a push from a friend, Aly Rego followed her dream to become a tattoo artist by opening Secret Beach Tattoo in Middletown in December.

PBN PHOTO/KATE WHITNEY LUCEY

A tattoo parlor with a view

SQUID MASTER: Ryan G. Clark, CEO and president of The Town Dock in Narragansett, took the reins of the family-owned wholesale squid supplier in 2016 and in recent years has been overseeing the launch of the company’s own calamari brand.

BY NANCY LAVIN | Lavin@PBN.com

Squid key to Town Dock’s growth

A SMALL HOT PEPPER tattooed on Aly Rego’s thigh serves as a constant reminder of the person who inspired her to become a tattoo artist.

The tattoo pays homage to the ALS Pepper Challenge, a viral hot-pepper-eating challenge that swept the internet a few years ago as a way to raise money and awareness for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis research. Rego, who has a close friend with ALS, opted for a tattoo to show her support rather than shoveling down a bowl of jalapenos.

That same friend was the person who gave Rego the push to follow her dream of becoming a tattoo artist and, now, a business owner. Secret Beach Tattoo opened in Middletown in December.

Named for its proximity to First Beach, Rego said the picture window overlooking the ocean sold her on the location and persuaded her to take the next step from artist to business owner. A Rhode Island native who graduated from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design, Rego specializes in illustrative tattoos but is open to any design her clients want.

Work costs $150 an hour, and hours are by-appointment only. n

PBN PHOTO/ELIZABETH GRAHAM

Calamari in the making

BY NANCY LAVIN | Lavin@PBN.com

CALAMARI HAS A CULT FOLLOWING in Rhode Island, crowned the official state appetizer in 2014.

But how many calamari connoisseurs know what it takes to turn those tentacled ocean-dwellers into the golden fried rings gracing menus across the state?

sales was the driver behind company growth over the last two years, Clark said.

“Retail is driving a big piece of our future,” he said.

New markets aside, much of the company’s fundamentals have stayed the same through its 42-year history, including after Clark took the helm in 2016.

Clark touted the company employees’ experience for helping ride out the rocky seas created by the pandemic, which took boat crews out of commission due to COVID-19 outbreaks while slowing down shipments and creating hiring woes.

The pandemic isn’t the only problem. Looming large on the horizon are major offshore wind arrays slated for nearby waters, which have been met with criticism by local fishermen who fear towering turbines will disrupt the sensitive species around them.

Clark said the company will continue to monitor closely what happens next with these projects, adding that it’s still unclear exactly how this new frontier of renewable energy will affect area fisheries.

“It’s in our interest to fight for the fishermen and make sure we have a voice in the process,” he said. n

It’s a laborious, precise and often-pungent process, according to Ryan G. Clark, CEO and president of The Town Dock. Over his 25 years working for the company started by his father, Clark has become intimately familiar with the steps – and smells – involved in the Narragansett seafood business.

The family-owned business made a name for itself as one of the largest wholesale distributors of calamari nationwide. What makes it unique, apart from the Point Judith location, heralded for its abundance of catches of squid, is a vertically integrated model.

Local fishermen head out on the company’s 30-boat fishing fleet to capture squid and other fish, which are then unloaded, cleaned, processed and packed in an assemblyline style production before being shipped to wholesalers and restaurants nationwide.

Clark, who started at the family business as a high school student,

has done it all, from driving the forklift to painstakingly cleaning out each individual squid tube.

“It’s a messy job but something we’re very familiar with,” he said.

The company sells both rings and tentacles, but consumers tend to prefer the ring-only packages, stripped of the more off-putting reminders that the popular fried appetizer was once an ocean creature.

After pandemic-induced restaurant shutdowns forced many frequent diners back to their own kitchens, The Town Dock launched a new brand of retail products aimed at allowing calamari consumers to embrace squid at home – with recipe suggestions for baking, sauteing and air-frying.

Squid rings now grace the freezer aisle of grocery stores nationwide, including many in Rhode Island.

While restaurants and wholesale continue to be The Town Dock’s foundation, the foray into retail

OWNER: Ryan G. Clark

LOCATION: 45 State St., Narragansett

YEAR FOUNDED: 1980

TYPE OF BUSINESS: Wholesale and retail calamari supplier

EMPLOYEES: 70

ANNUAL SALES: WND

6 | MARCH 18-31, 2022 | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | www.pbn.com

FOR STARTERS HOT TOPIC

Proposal stirs up shoreline dispute

BY MARC LAROCQUE | Larocque@PBN.com

A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION recently reached a consensus on a potential solution to a decadeslong conflict over shoreline access in Rhode Island, but a group of coastal homeowners argues that the proposal represents a taking of private land that will end up in a court battle with an “astronomical” cost to state taxpayers.

The commission’s proposal would allow the public the right to access the shoreline within 10 feet above the high tide line in front of privately held property. But many coastal property owners say that area is still their land.

“We think this is a major encroachment,” said Christopher Boyle, a spokesperson for a nonprofit group called the Shoreline Taxpayers Association for Respectful Traverse, Environmental Responsibility and Safety Inc. “It’s nothing different than if the state wanted to build a highway and took someone’s property. And the state would have to pay for it.

“I think any reasonable person would assume that would be an astronomical figure when you look at the amount of shoreline we have in Rhode Island,” he said.

The shoreline access legislation is expected to be filed soon, said House

Minority Leader Blake A. Filippi, R-New Shoreham, who co-chaired the commission.

If passed, the measure would replace a complicated precedent set in a 1982 R.I. Supreme Court decision that determined the public is allowed to access all land that’s within the mean high tide line, the average from 18.6 years of high water elevation data from daily tidal gauges.

It’s a rule that has been a source

of confusion for law enforcement and has been at the center of disputes involving private property owners and people trying to enjoy the shoreline in front of private homes. In one case, the 2019 arrest of shoreline access advocate Scott Keeley in Charlestown resulted in a $25,000 legal settlement in his favor against the town.

Filippi said he’s confident that the coastal access bill derived from the commission’s review of the issue will not constitute a taking of private land.

“He’s just wrong,” Filippi said of Boyle’s claims that landowners will be entitled to compensation. “That’s the fear tactic being used to perpetuate the denial of Rhode Island citizens’ right to use the shore.”

Filippi and people on his side of the argument, including Dennis Nixon, professor emeritus of marine affairs at the University of Rhode Island, have argued that keeping coastal access

‘I think we have the facts on the public’s side.’

DENNIS NIXON, University of Rhode Island professor emeritus of marine affairs

within the bounds of the mean high tide line runs against state constitutional rights because dynamic shifts from wind and wave energy can sometimes push water over the mean high tide line to a knee-deep level.

“If their position is that the property owners’ land goes out into the water, then the public’s constitutional rights are illusory at best,” Filippi said. “That’s not ... reasonable.”

Nixon said the proposal by the commission “restores” shoreline access rights defined in the Rhode Island Constitution since 1843, when farmers used ox carts on the beach to gather seaweed for fertilizer. A 1986 constitutional convention approved by an “overwhelming” majority of state voters solidified those rights, stating that people could gather seaweed, go fishing, leave the shore to swim and pass along the coast, Nixon said.

“I would argue the [R.I.] Supreme Court ... inadvertently took the public’s rights away in 1982,” Nixon said.

“Let’s go ahead and litigate it. I think we have the facts on the public’s side.”

Boyle said an unnamed national property rights organization is watching the legislative proposal and will be ready to file a lawsuit on behalf of coastal Rhode Island homeowners.

“The taxpayers would be on the hook,” he said. n

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www.pbn.com | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | MARCH 18-31, 2022 | 7

FOR STARTERS | HEALTH MATTERS

‘Safe Stations’ aimed at reducing overdoses

BY MARC LAROCQUE | Larocque@PBN.com

RHODE

Islanders who are struggling with substance abuse now have places they can go to get immediate attention and support, after fire departments and police stations in eight Rhode Island communities created “Safe Stations.”

Pawtucket was the latest to establish the 24/7 outreach centers, doing so at the city’s five fire stations in January. The city joins Providence, East Providence, Newport, Smithfield, Bristol, Warren and Woonsocket.

As of late February, the Pawtucket Safe Station sites had been visited by 11 people, with three of those successfully enrolled in a local addiction recovery program with the help of mental health clinicians dispatched to the sites by Gateway Healthcare Inc., said Elizabeth Moreira, the city’s public health and equity leader.

Moreira said Pawtucket started the Safe Station program after overdose deaths in the city jumped from 16 in 2014 to 35 in 2020, with an overdose rate of 33.3 per 100,000 residents. Overdose fatalities continued at a high rate during the first six months of 2021 when 17 people in Pawtucket died from drug overdoses, according to the R.I. Office of State Medical

Examiners.

Throughout Rhode Island, 371 people died from an overdose in 2021, and in 2020 at least 384 people in the state died from an overdose, the most of any year on record and 76 more than in 2019, according to R.I. Department of Health data.

“This is a national crisis, but we’ve seen how it’s hit hard in Rhode Island, and specifically the city of Pawtucket,” Moreira said. “This is a preventative approach where individuals can come to us at their time of need. We can provide them with coordinated care, care that meets their needs individually.”

Moreira and others say the Safe Stations also help free space and help ease staffing concerns at local emergency rooms.

“In a sense, the Safe Stations are an emergency room diversion program,” said Thomas Joyce, director of recovery support services at East Bay Recovery Center, a nonprofit in Barrington that has partnered with East Providence and Bristol to dispatch support specialists to their Safe Station programs.

Local experts say that providing immediate support to patients makes it more likely they will follow through with recovery services.

AID ­AVAILABLE: Pawtucket Emergency Medical Services Director Lance Dumont and Elizabeth Moreira, the city’s public health and equity leader, hold kits containing naloxone and fentanyl testers at the Newport Avenue fire station, which became a Safe Station for people seeking help with drug addiction.

PBN PHOTO/ ELIZABETH GRAHAM

‘This is a national crisis, but we’ve seen how it’s hit hard in Rhode Island.’

ELIZABETH MOREIRA, Pawtucket public health and equity leader 8 | MARCH 18-31, 2022 | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | www.pbn.com

“If you can meet a patient in the moment when they’re coming in and asking for help, and build a rapport, there’s more of a success rate for that person to continue with treatment, rather than just giving them a phone number and saying make an appointment,” said Elizabeth James, manager for emergency services at Gateway Healthcare in Pawtucket.

James and Joyce said their programs don’t require patients to show proof of insurance before getting access to care. James said if they’re admitted to treatment and are uninsured, providers will work with patients to apply for coverage through HealthSource RI, the state’s official health insurance marketplace.

Joyce said police are treating drug addiction more as a health care issue now rather than a criminal problem, adding that Tiverton police are now looking to get involved with the Safe Station program.

Lt. Steven St. Pierre, who has served as Bristol’s police liaison with the recovery community, said his department stepped up to provide a Safe Station since the town has a volunteer fire department that wouldn’t be able to do so. St. Pierre said there may be “an aversion” by drug users to come into the police station to seek help, but he and his fellow officers have embraced the concept.

“There’s a role for police officers to play here,” said St. Pierre, who agreed with Joyce about the shifting mindset of police officers in recent years when it comes to dealing with people addicted to drugs in a more empathetic way.

“I think it’s been well received. The department already had a mindset that was positive and thinking along those lines. It was not a hard fit.”

In addition to summoning recovery specialists and mental health clinicians, police and firefighters who operate Safe Stations also provide “harm reduction kits” that include the overdose-reversing drug naloxone, fentanyl detection testing products and information about recovery clinics in the state. Some of the Safe Stations make these kits available in boxes for people to quickly grab if they aren’t ready to seek recovery services, including in East Providence, where naloxone from one of the kits was used to save a life, according to Fire Captain John Potvin.

“A lady whose daughter had an opioid problem got some and put it in her medicine cabinet,” Potvin said.

“The daughter’s boyfriend overdosed in the car outside the house last year.

The mother took the Narcan out of the medicine cabinet and resuscitated him.”

Potvin said the East Providence program has connected three people with recovery services since it was established in June last year and has distributed 12 doses of naloxone.

“Overall, I think it’s been a successful venture,” he said. “Sadly, I think there’s still a lot of stigma involving opioids and overdose in general. I think it’s a very worthwhile program.

I think it’s a program you can’t put on a shelf and let it sit there. You have to promote it and let people know, ‘Hey, we’re here when you’re ready.’ ” n

FOR STARTERS

A LEGAL SUBSTANCE: Dried hemp plants are sorted and trimmed at Hepworth Farms in Milton, N.Y. New York’s first 100 to 200 retail cannabis licenses will be solely for people with marijuana-related convictions or their immediate family.

AP FILE PHOTO/SETH WENIG

1st N.Y. pot permits focus on justice

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BY MARINA VILLENEUVE | The Associated Press

ALBANY, N.Y. – The first licenses to sell recreational marijuana in New York will go to people who were casualties of the war on drugs.

People with marijuana-related convictions will get dibs on the first 100 to 200 retail cannabis licenses awarded by the state in an effort to redress the inequities of a justice system that locked up a disproportionate number of people of color for drug crimes.

Some licenses will go to non­profits or businesses that have a leader linked to a marijuana conviction.

Priority also will be given to people with a parent, legal guardian, child or spouse convicted of a marijuanarelated offense.

The regulations were posted on the state’s website on March 9.

It’s unclear how many retail licenses will be issued in New York, the second-most populous state after California to legalize possession and use of marijuana for adults over age 21.

Social equity emerged as a key theme in marijuana legalization in recent years.

States where marijuana is legal have increasingly tried in recent years to ensure there’s a place in the market for people who were prosecuted because of a now-allowed drug. But the efforts have been slow-moving in many states.

In Rhode Island, legislative leaders have introduced a bill to legalize recreational marijuana that would require six of 24 retail licenses to go to “social equity” applicants. Among the possible qualifiers for that status is that at least half of the owners of an entity have been arrested and convicted of drug offenses eligible for expungement under the bill. Qualified entities would also be eligible to use

a financial assistance fund supported by application and licensing fees.

New York “is taking a big swing,” said Kassandra Frederique, the executive director of the pro-legalization Drug Policy Alliance.

“We don’t know what’s going to work,” she said, but “the thing that New York is showing here is that they’re willing to try and they’re willing to do things differently. … This is a real try towards achieving equity.”

The licensing plan follows other New York initiatives, such as a proposed $200 million grants and loans fund for marijuana entrepreneurs who are women or minorities, struggling farmers, disabled veterans and people from communities that endured heavy pot policing.

New York aims to provide 50% of licenses to such applicants.

“It’s really encouraging to see that New York is taking the lessons learned from other states,” said Melissa Moore, another Drug Policy Alliance leader.

New York’s regulations also will lay out rules for other retail license applicants. Individual applicants must prove their presence in New York and that they have at least a 10% ownership interest in a business that ran a net profit for two years.

“We want to see an industry that’s big enough and broad enough for everyone to be involved,” said Steve Hawkins, CEO of the U.S. Cannabis Council, an industry group. “This effort is one that we certainly embrace and see as very meaningful, in terms of giving those individuals impacted by the war on drugs an opportunity to get started in what’s going to be a very significant market in New York.”

PBN contributed to this story. n

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www.pbn.com | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | MARCH 18-31, 2022 | 9

FOR STARTERS | WHAT’S HAPPENING Professional development THE EAST BAY Chamber of Commerce will hold a workshop titled “Coaching & Why it is Important For Personal & Professional Development” as part of its WEBOND Women’s Networking series. Attendees will learn about professional coaching and how it is vital to staying steadfast in the business realm. Coffee will be served.

TUESDAY, MARCH 22, 9-10 A.M. $5 East Bay Chamber of Commerce, 16 Cutler St., Suite 102, Warren.

FUTURE OF BANKING: Rob Nichols, CEO and president of the American Banking Association, will be the keynote speaker at the North Kingstown Chamber of Commerce’s annual meeting and dinner on April 5 at Quidnessett Country Club in North Kingstown.

COURTESY NORTH KINGSTOWN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

EDITOR’S CHOICE

American Banking Association CEO to speak to N.K. Chamber ROB NICHOLS, CEO and president of the American Banking Association, will be the keynote speaker at the North Kingstown Chamber of Commerce’s annual meeting and dinner. Nichols will speak about his strategic leadership and vision for redesigning banks making an impact as a financial partner for all communities. The event will also have various showcase tables and networking opportunities.

TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 5:30 P.M. $75 Quidnessett Country Club, 950 North Quidnessett Road, North Kingstown.

INFO AND REGISTRATION: bit.ly/3tC0znt

INFO AND REGISTRATION: bit.ly/3JvUjnD

Cheers to two years THE WOMEN’S BUSINESS COUNCIL will hold a second-anniversary celebration, hosted by The Guild. The council promotes the full participation and leadership of women at all levels in the workplace, community and government. It also develops programs that provide access and opportunities for women to learn, network and share their expertise. The networking event, which will also have expo tables, will allow attendees to meet and build connections with one another.

TUESDAY, MARCH 22, 5-7 P.M. $30/members; $40/nonmembers The Guild, 461 Main St., Pawtucket.

INFO AND REGISTRATION: bit.ly/3Ba7Gad

Making new connections INNOVATION STUDIO RHODE ISLAND will hold a networking event, hosted by District Hall Providence.

The monthly event is for innovators, entrepreneurs and small-business owners looking to get out of their offices and find a fresh perspective in the community, as well as making business connections. There will also be a panel discussion. District Hall requires all participants to show proof of vaccination, a negative COVID-19 test prior to the event or wear a mask.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 4:30-6:30 P.M. Free District Hall Providence, 225 Dyer St., Providence.

INFO AND REGISTRATION: bit.ly/3sLIYZZ UPCOMING PBN EVENT: The 2022 Spring Health Care Summit will be held from 9-11 a.m. on Wednesday, April 6, at Providence Marriott Downtown. For more information, visit PBN.com.

For sponsorship opportunities, contact Advertising@PBN.com.

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Advertising / Design / Marketing / The Arts

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For Sponsorship and advertising opportunities, contact 680.4800 or Advertising@PBN.com 10 | MARCH 18-31, 2022 | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | www.pbn.com

WHAT’S HAPPENING | FOR STARTERS Rising together THE SOUTH COAST Powerful Women Rise Speed Networking event will allow local businesswomen to meet other professionals and exchange business cards with one another in a speed-meeting setting. Registration is required due to COVID-19 health protocols.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 5-7 P.M. Free Pub 6T5 Bar and Grille, 736 Ashley Blvd., New Bedford.

INFO AND REGISTRATION: bit.ly/3sI4lLM

Women of distinction THE GREATER NEWPORT Chamber of Commerce will hold its second annual Women of Distinction Awards, hosted

by Rosecliff, as part of its Women in Business After Hours networking series. The event will recognize women from the local business community for their efforts, as well as offer networking opportunities to create business connections.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 5:30-7:30 P.M. $35/members; $45/nonmembers Rosecliff, 548 Bellevue Ave., Newport.

INFO AND REGISTRATION: bit.ly/3HhXo9o

Construction show returns THE JLC LIVE NEW ENGLAND Residential Construction show will be returning to Rhode Island. The event will offer attendees opportunities for face-to-face education and networking with residential construction professionals. Various exhibitors and conferences will be part of the threeday event.

THURSDAY, MARCH 24, THROUGH SATURDAY, MARCH 26. $35/day pass; $350/all-access pass R.I. Convention Center, 1 Sabin St., Providence.

INFO AND REGISTRATION: bit.ly/3HRxeeE

Bryant University, 1150 Douglas Pike, Smithfield.

INFO AND REGISTRATION: bit.ly/3uNdLIu

Learn to use Google tools THE TAUNTON-AREA Chamber of Commerce, along with Boston Public Library, will hold a webinar titled “Grow with Google.” Bryan Caplan, a national online trainer, will lead the webinar showing attendees how to manage work and life tasks more effectively using Google tools.

TUESDAY, MARCH 29, NOON TO 1 P.M. Free Online.

Growing startups

INFO AND REGISTRATION: bit.ly/3LYoDtb

THE 11TH ANNUAL Bryant University Northeast Entrepreneurship Conference is designed by Bryant students for any student who shares a love for the entrepreneurial spirit. This conference is globally known as a part of the Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization, which has over 20,000 active members. According to current university policies, all attendees are required to wear a mask while indoors.

SATURDAY, MARCH 26, 10 A.M. TO 5 P.M. $75

Federal contracts THE CENTER FOR WOMEN & Enterprise will hold a workshop for attendees to learn about the federal Women-Owned Small Business Federal Contracting Certification Program, and how this certification can help your small business grow. The presentation will cover the program’s purposes and benefits, considerations for deciding if certification is ap-

propriate for you, eligibility requirements, and tips for getting the most out of the certification. A member of the U.S. Small Business Administration Rhode Island team will lead the workshop.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30, NOON TO 1 P.M. Free Online.

INFO AND REGISTRATION: bit.ly/3HSedIZ

Virtual mixer THE TRI-TOWN CHAMBER of Commerce will hold its virtual “Noon Networking” mixer event. The hourlong event offers attendees the ability to be able to see each other, socialize and build business relationships with one another. Each attendee will have the opportunity to speak about what they do. Registration is limited to 25 people.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30, NOON TO 1 P.M. Free Online.

INFO AND REGISTRATION: bit.ly/3hfHNg4

Interested in having your businessrelated event included in What’s Happening? Contact PBN Researcher James Bessette at (401) 680-4838 or Research@PBN.com.

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Member FDIC. www.pbn.com | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | MARCH 18-31, 2022 | 11

NEW GUARD PARLANGE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Last year, Parlange returned to the Ocean State to become the University of Rhode Island’s 12th president. On Aug. 1, he succeeded David M. Dooley, who retired after a dozen years as URI’s leader.

Along with helping the state’s only land-grant school expand its research capabilities and rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic, Parlange is aiming to position URI as a significant player in shaping Rhode Island’s blue economy.

You have taught at various institutions around the world. In addition to the URI presidency job, what led you back to your birthplace?

When I saw the advertisement for the presidency of the University of Rhode Island, I always felt a pride and connection to the state, historically to the city of Providence where I was born. I felt that URI is a university I have known for a long time because the research URI is known for resonates with my own research. It’s a state [Rhode Island] where you can have great impact. I think at the university we can play a critical role in the state of Rhode Island. I’m feeling really good about being here. I’ve told many people, this is the best job in the world.

What have you learned from your experience around the world that you have applied at URI thus far?

Over the years, one of the things I’ve found so important is to work with your friends and work together to lift the whole region, the economy, the state and the university. I think there’s a lot of interest as to how we can beef up the entrepreneurial activities of the university and how we can translate our research into practice. This was a big deal in Switzerland and in western Canada, when I was at the University of British Columbia. More recently, it was very important in Melbourne [Australia] and for Monash University. I’ve seen a lot of similarities with the benefits of public universities I’ve worked at prior, just the uplift they bring to the region and to the economy.

In your bio, you are considered a “firm believer in fostering collaboration across disciplines.” How do you plan to amplify that and make the university more attractive to students, both current and prospective?

I want to enhance the experiential learning opportunities of our students. I want to see them get internships in companies, so we’re working with parents groups who have companies to help recruit our students and have the students spend four months with the companies. I really want our students to take advantage of opportunities to do research and learn about research. Even if they decide to not go to graduate school, I want them to at least have that experience [of learning research] and that opportunity to do scientific inquiries in the humanities.

We are also celebrating 50 years of Talent Development [a program supporting Rhode Island high school graduates from disadvantaged backgrounds]. It has transformed thousands of lives of people who would not have gone to the university if it had not been for the support and infrastructure to bring them to the university. I see us supporting that more and more.

I like to support also that we have more students who are members of the Narragansett [Tribe]. We’re offering, this year, scholarships to tribal members. This is important; you come to the university and meet new people from across the U.S. and around the world. But you should also meet people from the state of Rhode Island, including our first nation.

MULTIPLE BENEFITS: University of Rhode Island President Marc B. Parlange goes for a run with students.

An avid runner, Parlange says he enjoys the mental break it provides, as well as the opportunity to meet members of the community.

COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND/NORA LEWIS

How has URI rebounded from the COVID-19 pandemic? And in what areas is the university still slow in recovering from the health crisis?

What programming is URI offering or what does it plan to offer to bolster the workforce in that sector?

What has been clear, and I think why URI did so well, is everybody knew the importance of coming back, being present. We were able to mandate early vaccines and boosters for faculty, students and staff. People have been good sports about wearing masks on campus. [On March 4, URI stopped requiring people to wear masks indoors on campus in most settings.] People are so glad to be back because that was a real tough part of COVID where people were asked to leave campus and to work from home. Students are happy to be back.

If we were to win Phase II of the [$1 billion federal Build Back Better Regional Challenge], we would implement a combination of strategies to train a workforce that world-class blue economy companies look for. Building on the foundations of Real Jobs RI, an innovative, business-led “train and place” program, we would use investments to scale up existing programs and develop new ones, including a workforce training center in offshore wind, advanced certifications in building trades, and “earn and learn” programs in areas like aquaculture and marine trades, which make it possible for trainees to receive longer-term training necessary for upskilling into the advanced sub-industries of the blue economy while continuing to meet their own financial needs. We are also in the process of creating a 10-year strategic plan, which will set a vision, goals and priorities for future programming and research at the university.

State lawmakers have made the tuition-free Rhode Island Promise program permanent, but it only involves the Community College of Rhode Island. Do you feel URI should be included in that program?

We would have to talk about it. We would have to have an honest appraisal of what is the support we’re seeing from the state today for the students and what would be proposed going forward. Just to [get] back to what we were [getting for state aid] in 2001, we would have to increase our funding by $45 million. I do think Rhode Island Promise is important. I hope to see the translation that those students do indeed come to the University of Rhode Island going forward. That’s an area we’re working on with [CCRI President] Meghan L. Hughes.

You previously said that offshore wind will be an important piece of the “blue economy.”

I always felt a pride and connection to the state.

12 | MARCH 18-31, 2022 | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | www.pbn.com

How will URI’s Business Engagement Center play a role in supporting the blue economy?

The center would be the front door for blue economy companies looking to connect into the university, whether to hire our students, sponsor research, use our labs and so forth. Examples of companies could include defense – Raytheon Corp. and General Dynamics Electric Boat; offshore wind – Orsted A/S; and startups – Jaia Robotics LLC and Flux Marine Ltd. There are businesses certainly that are going to come in aquaculture. Maybe not in the thousands of jobs, but maybe hundreds of jobs. There are going to be opportunities in the tourism sector.

There’s also going to be the marine affairs that will be extremely important. We have a lot of questions around coastal resilience. It has everything, from water management to questions about transitions that are going to happen in our smart grid because we’re going to have new sources of electricity. And a big piece is around the defense sector. We have a lot going on with underwater vehicle technology and robotics, where the university is a key player.

If you go to Electric Boat, half of the engineers are CONTINUES ON PAGE 14

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www.pbn.com | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | MARCH 18-31, 2022 | 13

NEW GUARD CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12

URI graduates.

Along with the blue economy, what other ways will URI be an economic driver for the state?

You see the excellence from our pharmaceutical college. You see the performance of our College of Nursing. Another area is agriculture and land use.

We’re building an agricultural innovation center at Peckham Farm. That alone, we expect to [grow] 10% of the produce [consumed] within the state.

We hope to see agricultural innovation and growth there in the state. It would be lovely down the road that we see Rhode Island become an exporter of food the same way the Netherlands is an exporter.

What is URI’s role in general workforce development? What kind of connections has URI developed with the state’s business community to ensure the university is putting emphasis on fields that need workers and that graduates are prepared to enter?

Accessing our talented students is the No. 1 reason that companies in Rhode Island interact with the university through the Business Engagement center. We provide a well-educated and hard-working workforce to many Rhode Islandbased, regional and national companies, both large and small. We are in constant dialogue with our industry partners to learn about their workforce and skill needs so we can be nimble in adjusting our curriculum to enable students to enter the workforce as prepared as possible. In this regard, we see ourselves as the economic and talent driver for the state.

In what areas of research should URI invest more of its resources?

Certainly in pharmaceutical. We’re very involved with research in the design of medicines.

We are also very involved with the University of Connecticut in underwater vehicle technology.

We’re working with the Office of Naval Research on that, so we see quite a bit of growth there in materials and that interface with companies.

URI has spent at least $456 million in build-

LOOKING UP

The University of Rhode Island has seen sponsored research funds awarded to the university grow from $73.5 million in fiscal 2017 to $123 million in fiscal 2021. That’s not including COVID-19 emergency funding received by URI in the last two years – $11.2 million in 2020 and $62.5 million in 2021.

$200

MILLION

AMERICAN RESCUE AND RECOVERY ACT FUNDING CARES ACT FUNDING SPONSORED RESEARCH FUNDING

--------

$150

--------

$185.5

--------

MILLION

$129.1

$100 $95.8

MILLION

$98.3 $80.8

$86.2

$98.2 $100.9

$86.9 $73.5

$71.5

$50

MILLION

0

FY 2011

FY 2012

FY 2013

FY 2014

FY 2015

FY 2016

FY 2017

FY 2018

FY 2019

FY 2020

FY 2021

SOURCE: URI DIVISION OF RESEARCH AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

ing new facilities on campus over the last 12 years. Where are future growth plans focused?

For the Narragansett Bay campus, we have this old science building out there where we do some $25 million in research each year. It is in a terrible state of disrepair. My first priority is to replace that with what we’re calling the Ocean Frontiers building. It’s [replacing] temporary buildings that have been used for 50-60 years that are essentially

rotting. We have facilities that are not at all conducive to doing research. It’s costing us in federal grants, and we don’t have the infrastructure to be able to compete anymore for some of the large grants. We also need a student health center. We’re running the center out of a series of caravans and temporary buildings. Students are basically on the floor waiting to get in, which is not good, especially in this time of COVID. We’re looking at the American Rescue Plan Act funding plan and also looking at the infrastructure bills [for possible funding options].

How will URI work closely with elected leaders in neighboring communities, such as South Kingstown and Narragansett, and students to help address issues surrounding limits on off-campus housing?

There have been decades where our students have been important citizens in these communities. It’s very important that I have a close connection [with local officials]. I’m happy to go to town hall meetings. I’ve had discussions with the communities and gone to their nightly meetings.

[Off-campus housing] is a major problem because … the rules of the game have changed for us. Essentially, the strategy of saying “we want fewer people in the house, but we’re going to charge more” will also cause difficulty for our students.

Many of them also have jobs to support their way.

It’s my job as the face of the university to understand their reasoning behind some of these decisions and if there are opportunities to work more closely together. It’s so fundamental.

You are an avid runner. Does running help spark new ideas for you or does it provide a brief respite from reality?

WELCOME WAGON: University of Rhode Island President Marc B. Parlange, right, welcomes a new student to campus last fall. In an effort to make the university more attractive to current and prospective students, Parlange wants to enhance the experiential learning opportunities of students and see them get internships and take advantage of opportunities to do research and learn about research.

COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND/NORA LEWIS

14 | MARCH 18-31, 2022 | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | www.pbn.com

It’s both. It’s definitely a wonderful mental health break, which is important for all people. It’s also fun socially because I meet members of the community, including town council members. I do get a lot of ideas while out running. When you’re working hard on a problem, it is sometimes good to step away and let your mind think about it and relax outdoors. Seeing the green trees or white snow always makes you feel good. n

PBN.COM | ANOTHER LOOK Closing ‘education gap’ crucial to Foulkes’ economic vision

BY CASSIUS SHUMAN | Shuman@PBN.com

(Editor’s note: A version of this story was first published on PBN.com on March 8. This is the first in an occasional series of stories speaking with this year’s gubernatorial candidates about their economic vision for Rhode Island.)

PROVIDENCE – Gubernatorial candidate Helena B. Foulkes says her economic vision for Rhode Island coming out of a pandemic is partly tied to improving the state’s education system. Foulkes, a Democrat, unveiled a public education plan on March 8 that she told Providence Business News is a step toward fulfilling her top priority if elected governor of helping the state’s businesses grow and prosper.

Foulkes, a former CVS Health Corp. executive and former CEO of Hudson’s Bay Co., is running against fellow Democrats who include Gov. Daniel J. McKee, Secretary of State Nellie M. Gorbea and two 2018 gubernatorial candidates, community activist Dr. Luis Daniel Muñoz, who ran as an independent, and former Secretary of State Matt Brown. The Democratic primary will be held on Sept. 13. The general election is Nov. 8.

Foulkes left Toronto-based Hudson’s Bay in March 2020 and now does some consulting work while serving on several boards. Even though she has never run for office, Foulkes says her sense of conviction and confidence in her decision is higher than six months ago when she kicked off her campaign. “I can see so clearly the impact that I could have on the state,” she said. “I feel I can make a difference.”

What is your economic vision for the state?

The No. 1 focus I have is making sure we support our existing businesses and help them grow. There is a lot we could do to create a better business climate for existing businesses. I also feel very strongly that we should be investing in growth sectors – life sciences, the green and blue economy, manufacturing, etc. We are in a really great position geographically, being 50 miles south of Boston, but also with all of our universities to take advantage of our assets. The reason that all matters is I think it creates great job opportunities for everyone in the state. And a critical aspect to all of this is making sure people have access to job training so that whether they are in high school or older, they can get the skills they need to compete and build great futures.

Those are things that I care a lot about, but the No. 1 thing that I believe we should do right now to create a thriving economy is invest in our public schools because I think COVID-19 learning loss has been really devastating. And I believe the governor isn’t acting with the sense of urgency he should to address this issue. When I think about competing economically with Massachusetts, I don’t think we’ll ever be able to compete until our public schools are as good as theirs. When I recruited families over the years to CVS, what I found so often is they would come to work at CVS, but most often they bought homes in Massachusetts to take advantage of the public schools and drive to work in Woonsocket.

How do you foresee building a better business climate in the state?

I have spoken with small and medium-sized businesses every week. What I most often hear is: “It’s too complicated, and we don’t ever really feel that people view us as part of a great solution for the state.” Examples of that are: We are only one of about a dozen states that tax the Paycheck Protection Program loans. Those were loans that

DIFFERENCE MAKER? Gubernatorial candidate Helena B. Foulkes says her No. 1 focus as governor would be “making sure we support our existing businesses and help them grow.” She says a key step to doing that and boosting the state’s economy is to step up investments in public schools.

PBN FILE PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

were taken out by places like Gregg’s and Chelo’s [restaurants] to keep people employed. Now, after the fact, they’re asked to pay a very high tax bill.

That makes them wonder how much we want those businesses to continue to grow. I have talked to people who own small businesses where they have locations in both Rhode Island and Massachusetts.

I talked this weekend to a guy who has an architecture firm. He said he has a dozen people in Boston, and a couple of people in Rhode Island, and you should look at the level of regulation and bureaucracy that gets in [his] way in Rhode Island versus Massachusetts.

What strategy or plans would you have for working on the state’s economic development with the R.I. Commerce Corp.?

The thing that I hear most often is people don’t know how to access the programs and funds that we have available today. I don’t think we have a problem with insufficient funding. I think we have a problem of making it clear and transparent to everyone across the state, no matter what community you live in, about the funding that is available. I think that we want to make sure that R.I. Commerce Corp. is set up for navigators across the state who can help people in every single community access the funds that are there.

What have you learned from your background that feeds your economic vision?

First and foremost, the governor is the chief marketing officer for the state – and I know how to listen, and I know how to attract. I have done that my whole career. I think that’s a very important

COVID-19 learning loss has been really devastating.

role that the governor plays. I could see, firsthand at CVS, this education gap that we had, and how hard it was to attract people, and I only think it’s going to become harder. I spoke with someone who has a business downtown where he has [people with advanced degrees] working for him, and he said, “The people I am trying to attract don’t want to send their kids to public schools in Rhode Island. It makes it hard for me to expand here.”

What are your thoughts about how the state has allocated federal COVID-19 relief dollars?

I have not seen from anyone a very clear and specific plan that holds ourselves accountable to the results that it could have. For me, I start from a perspective of what is the strategy; what are the priorities we have; and how do we invest dollars to achieve those goals. And so, my No. 1 priority would be education, and specific ideas around that.

What I am very worried about is our ability to hold people in the administration accountable for where we are spending this money. An example is a year ago we received $200 million from the federal government to make sure that people didn’t get evicted from their homes. Well, we’ve only spent $100 million of it. I spoke with community leaders who say they are trying to help people in their community get access to these funds, and they don’t know how to do it. So, we should be holding the governor and the team around him accountable for making sure that the money that we get is spent wisely.

Do you think that the wealthy should pay more in taxes?

I think the most important thing right now with the $600 million surplus and the billions of dollars coming from the government is we should really focus on how to make sure we’re spending that money effectively. And I have laid out education as my No. 1 priority. But I am not thinking about raising taxes right now because I think we have a big surplus. And I am very focused on how we could provide tax relief for lower-income and middleclass families in Rhode Island. What I hear every day is people worrying that they are being priced out of the state. That it is getting too expensive to be here. So, I would want to be looking at those surplus dollars and making sure that tax relief is going to lower- and middle-class families. n

www.pbn.com | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | MARCH 18-31, 2022 | 15

FOCUS | CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN

‘Lifestyle center’ moves forward at mall site

BY JACQUELYN VOGHEL | Voghel@PBN.com

AFTER

years of stalled progress, plans to bring new life to the site of the defunct Swansea Mall are once again picking up now that developers have reached an agreement with Walmart Inc., which abuts the former mall and maintains property rights.

Though no tenants have filled the mall since its closure in 2019, the site has not been without activity – property owners Anagnost Cos. and Brady Sullivan Properties have gutted the inside of the structure to make way for a planned “lifestyle center,” with plans for tenants that range from retailers and restaurants to fitness and health centers.

Nearby on the property, the developers envision two new residential buildings with a total of 144 market-rate ­apartments.

Since the developers purchased the property in 2019, “a laundry list” of restrictions set by Walmart has stymied these plans, said Dick Anagnost, president of the New Hampshire-based Anagnost Investments Inc., part of Anagnost Cos. But a new easements with covenants and restrictions, or ECR, agreement reached with Walmart in February has

opened the door to the wide range of tenants the developers have envisioned, Anagnost said.

The property owners and the town of Swansea have both been eager to see the former commercial center remodeled.

“This is a significant piece of our economic vitality,” said Swansea Town Administrator Mallory Aronstein. “It’s a commerce area and without development there, it’s just a concrete jungle, underutilized space.”

Though the redevelopment is privately funded, the town has pushed to prime the area for the planned lifestyle center. In 2019, voters elected to authorize the site as the “Swansea Mall Redevelopment Area,” and to establish the Swansea Redevelopment Authority, which has overseen the contentious process.

“It’s exciting,” Aronstein said of the redevelopment. “I think it does hearken back to when the mall came in the ’70s.

I think Swansea is ready for this kind of development [that] they can frequent right here in this community.”

Once a vibrant shopping center, the Swansea Mall opened in 1975, and over its 40-plus year history hosted a movie theater, restaurants and various big-box retailers, including Walmart, which was

‘This is a significant piece of our economic vitality.’

MALLORY ARONSTEIN, Swansea town administrator 16 | MARCH 18-31, 2022 | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | www.pbn.com

GUTTED: Anagnost Cos. and Brady Sullivan Properties, property owners of the now defunct Swansea Mall, have gutted the inside of the structure to make way for a “lifestyle center,” with plans for tenants ranging from retailers and restaurants to health and fitness centers.

PBN PHOTO/RUPERT WHITELEY

housed in the mall from 2001 until it moved to its adjacent location in 2013.

Over the next few years, a string of other large retailers, including Sears, Toys R Us and Macy’s, shut down in a wave of nationwide closures. In early 2019, on the heels of Macy’s announcing its upcoming closure, then-owner Carlyle Partners announced the mall would shutter in early spring.

The developers aren’t chasing the early success of the shopping mall, Anagnost said, calling malls “a thing of the past.”

“The way a mall used to work is a lot of stores would be located in one place and feed off each other,” Anagnost said. “Now, you need to bring in traffic generators.”

The concept of a lifestyle center, which has gained traction around the country in recent decades, holds that adding in a mix of nonretail vendors will draw in these customers.

While some have questioned whether a lifestyle center bears a significant difference to a traditional shopping mall, the concept has garnered its own designation from the International Council of Shopping Centers, which defines a “lifestyle” shopping center as “upscale nationalchain specialty stores with dining and entertainment in an outdoor setting.”

A regional mall, meanwhile, focuses on “general merchandise or fashion-oriented offerings,” according to the ICSC. The developers in Swansea also plan to host a gym and at least one medical office, Anagnost said, further expanding the range of tenants, while the apartment units will provide a steady customer base for businesses.

“You create a new product mix,” Anagnost said. “A lifestyle center has people who live there all the time and take advantage of things that are there,” in addition to customers who travel in from surrounding areas.

The two apartment buildings have already been approved but will not be constructed until the final phase of the project. The 144 market-rate units will comprise one- and two-bedroom apartments.

Aronstein is eager to see the new apartments become available in town.

In Swansea’s current real estate market, “it’s more the housing type that needs to change,” Aronstein said.

“We’re predominantly single-family homes, and residents who are looking to downsize don’t really have a lot of options.”

“It’s a nice option to have,” Aronstein added. “I think that really, statewide … that type of housing availability needs to be more diverse, and I think that answers that call.”

A spokesperson for Walmart said the company is working with the property owners “to pay a portion to assist them in meeting their responsibility to repair and maintain the surrounding road” but declined to provide further comment.

The developers will begin repaving the site’s parking lot and surrounding ring road in April or May, depending on contract approval and weather allowances. Anagnost anticipates that the project’s completion will take at least three years. n

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FOCUS | CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN WATERFRONT CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

the Metro Bay Special Area Management Plan, which the CRMC is tasked with enforcing under the federal Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972.

CRMC staff wrote in 2020 that Fandetti’s application failed to justify a variance from the 25-foot setback requirement since it didn’t sufficiently address key concerns, including sea wall integrity that could be impacted by construction, the potential for the site to become flooded due to a predicted 5 feet of sea level rise within 50 years, and the need for adequate bioretention measures to manage stormwater runoff.

The I-195 Redevelopment District Commission, which oversees the site, is doing its “due diligence” by having third-party engineering consultants complete additional predevelopment analysis on the property before issuing another request for proposals, said spokesperson Cara Cromwell.

CRMC spokesperson Laura Dwyer said she couldn’t speculate whether a hotel project was possible on the site since the project was abandoned rather than going fully through the commission’s approval process.

“There were a lot of issues with the construction of a hotel on such a narrow site,” Dwyer said.

“Normally, during the process, staff evaluates a proposal from the applicant. They make a professional recommendation, and it goes through council for approval or denial, and maybe changes are suggested. But that did not happen here. It wouldn’t be right to speculate as to what would have happened.

“In terms of development in general in this metro bay urban environment, there are certainly success stories,” Dwyer added. “This is just one where the developer was confronted with a very restricted parcel to begin with. Creating a vision in one’s mind of what you want to do with a parcel sometimes runs against environmental regulatory issues that a parcel has. This is just one of those cases.”

The situation demonstrates the difficult balancing act of addressing environmental regulations and making economic sense when pursuing a successful commercial waterfront development.

But that balancing act is something others, such as the team behind the Hammetts Hotel in Newport, say they were able to navigate through diligent planning and engineering work.

Colin Kane, founding partner at Peregrine Group LLC in East Providence, said before the Hammetts was completed in 2020, the company’s project team had to deal with a seaside foundation that he described as a “guacamole” of underground dirt, construction debris and dredge material, along with a grading change from the more elevated front side of the building.

“It was a challenge from an engineering perspective,” Kane said. “That’s true for most of Rhode Island’s waterfront. All of those projects on the waterfront contend with some level of structural challenge.”

The $30 million Hammetts Hotel took 3½ years to get permitting through the city of Newport and the CRMC, and there were 80 to 90 public meetings before the building was finished, Kane said of the property that formerly contained a parking lot.

“It’s a long process and it’s expensive,” Kane said. “But it’s worth it. … I think we created a special place. It’s 8,000 times better from an economic, environmental perspective than a parking lot

FLOOD ­PROTECTION: Colin Kane, founding partner of Peregrine Group LLC in East Providence, says the Hammetts Hotel in Newport, pictured, had to be built 14 feet above the 100-year flood line.

PBN PHOTO/DAVE HANSEN

that’s full two months out of the year.”

Several special design considerations were needed for the waterfront hotel property, including an elevated first floor, lifting the whole building 14 feet above the 100-year flood line, Kane said.

A small publicly accessible easement connected to the Newport harbor walk separates the building from where the water meets the wharf at high tide.

In anticipation of a catastrophic storm known as a 100-year flood – which has a 1% chance of occurring in any given year – the hotel is outfitted with collapsible walls, said Douglas Kallfelz, managing partner at Union Studio Architecture & Community Design Inc. in Providence, which designed the building. The collapsible walls wrapping around the foundation would give way, allowing water to flow through the piers that the hotel is built on, protecting the structural integrity of the building, Kallfelz said.

“You can imagine if there was a rigid wall in place and all of a sudden you have water coming against that, the amount of pressure on the surface can be significant,” Kallfelz said. “All the walls around the elevator and between the piers can fall away. There are also openings, grills in the side walls of the building, that allow the water to flow in and out of the foundation.”

While Fandetti expressed frustration with the CRMC’s variance denial, Kane said the project had

little chance of approval due to the inherent difficulties of the Parcel 1A site.

“Using the word ‘site’ is an overstatement. It’s a postage stamp,” Kane said. “It’s too small. ... Blaming [CRMC] for killing it is an excuse for a project that was never viable.”

Fandetti did not respond to a request for comment on this story.

Pam Rubinoff, a coastal management specialist at the University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography, said the setback requirements along the Providence River are important because they preserve public space for pedestrian access and protect properties from the impact of rising sea levels. Over the past 100 years, this area has seen an 11-inch rise in the sea level, which is expected to rise 1.5 feet more by 2050, she said.

“The regulations are designed to have minimum standards,” Rubinoff said. “And there are different ways to work with those, while thinking about the future, to come up with a project that is reasonable. Or, one of the options is a no-action alternative: not to do anything and to restore the waterfront property to its natural state. It’s got to be a balance between environmental issues, economic issues and what the community envisions for its future. … [Preserving] public space in an area at risk allows the area to flood without putting people or economic development under water.” n

‘All of those projects on the waterfront contend with some level of structural challenge.’

COLIN KANE, Peregrine Group LLC founding partner 18 | MARCH 18-31, 2022 | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | www.pbn.com

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FOCUS | GENERAL CONTRACTORS (ranked by number of regional employees) FOCUS | GENERAL CONTRACTORS (ranked by number of regional employees) 2022 rank

1

2021: 1

2

2021: 2

3

2021: 3

4

2021: 5

5

CLOSER LOOK

General contractor | Website CEO/President

Address Phone

Regional employees Year founded

Cardi Corp. | cardi.com Antonio Cardi, president

400 Lincoln Ave. Warwick, R.I. 02888 (401) 739-8300

550 1967

Asphalt, bridge and highway construction, concrete, sand and stone

Gilbane Inc. | gilbaneco.com Thomas F. Gilbane Jr., chairman; Thomas Laird Jr., CEO and president

7 Jackson Walkway Providence, R.I. 02903 (401) 456-5800

393 1870

Construction and facilities-related services, preconstruction planning and integrated consulting capabilities

Arden Building Cos. LLC | ardenbuildingcompanies.com Robert Bolton, CEO

505 Narragansett Park Drive Pawtucket, R.I. 02861 (401) 727-3500

375 1954

Design and build, electrical, fire protection, HVAC, plumbing and sprinkler service maintenance

J.L. Marshall & Sons | jlmarshall.com Leo K. Marshall, president

P.O. Box 2210 Pawtucket, R.I. 02861 (508) 399-8910

Dimeo Construction Co. | dimeo.com Bradford S. Dimeo

75 Chapman St. Providence, R.I. 02905 (401) 781-9800

Specialties

275 1933

Reinforced concrete structures and slab, water and wastewater-treatment plants

Construction manager and builder of academic, corporate, health care, institutional, residential and retail projects

Pariseault Builders Inc. | pariseault.com Brian Casey, president

25 Sharpe Drive Cranston, R.I. 02920 (401) 738-0524

75 1946

Construction services for academic, health care, religious, commercial, multiunit, restaurant, luxury residential, and nonprofit/community clients

Shawmut Design and Construction | shawmut.com Les Hiscoe, CEO

3 Davol Square, Suite A275 Providence, R.I. 02903 (401) 752-6500

68 1982

Education, commercial, cultural, health care, life sciences, hospitality, retail, sports venues

8

D.F. Pray Inc. | dfpray.com Scott Pray, president

25 Anthony St. Seekonk, Mass. 02771 (508) 336-3366

65 1959

Multifamily housing, senior living, financial, health care, LEED, life sciences, manufacturing, retail

9

J2 Construct Inc. | j2construct.com Jeff Lipshires, president

55 John Clarke Road Middletown, R.I. 02842 (888) 301-0076

51 2018

Commercial/industrial/luxury residential construction company, construction management services, estate management, institutional and health care projects

Agostini Bacon Construction Cos. | baconconstruction.com George L. Agostini, chairman and CEO; Steven J. Agostini, president and chief operating officer

241 Narragansett Park Drive East Providence, R.I. 02916 (401) 431-1200

50 1967

Administrative, classroom and residential educational facilities

Sweenor Builders Inc. | sweenorbuilders.com Jeff Sweenor, CEO

12 High St. South Kingstown, R.I. 02879 (401) 789-4341

48 1989

Full range of design and build services for new construction and remodeling; specializing in coastal, custom homes in southern Rhode Island

TRAC Builders Inc. | tracbuilders.com William Tracey, president; Nelson Ferreira, chief operating officer

28 Wolcott St. Providence, R.I. 02908 (401) 943-3800

45 1995

Construction management, general contracting

Site Specific LLC | sitespecificllc.com Peter Crump, partner; Matt Dempsey, partner; Bo Koloski, vice president, client services; John Pignataro, vice president, operations

141 Gano St. Providence, R.I. 02906 (401) 632-4400

45 2004

Academic, commercial, health care, historical, hospitality, museum and gallery, residential, retail

Catalano Construction Inc. | catalanoconstruction.com Jason Catalano, president

10 Nate Whipple Highway Cumberland, R.I. 02864 (401) 658-3999

42 1989

Site work, excavation and utility contractor specializing in commercial, academic and municipal projects

E.W. Burman Inc. | ewburman.com Edward Burman, president

33 Vermont Ave. Warwick, R.I. 02888 (401) 738-5400

36 1964

Commercial and industrial buildings, historic restoration, hospitals

Ahlborg Construction Corp. | ahlborg.com Eric Ahlborg, president; Glenn Ahlborg, vice president and director of construction operations

355 Centerville Road Warwick, R.I. 02886 (401) 681-4949

35 2009

Design and build, construction management, general contracting

Pezzuco Construction Inc. | pezzcon.com Richard Pezzuco, president

28 Kenwood St. Cranston, R.I. 02907 (401) 942-2244

31 1987

Custom build, design and build, general contracting, historic preservation, LEED, new construction and renovation

Davitt Inc. 1 | davittdesignbuild.com Matt Davitt

4 Frank Ave. South Kingstown, R.I. 02892 (401) 792-9799

30 1982

Design and build firm for luxury and coastal homes; insurance/restoration for large property losses due to fire, flood or severe storm damage

6

2021: 8

7

2021: 7

2021: 6

2021: 13

10

2021: 11

11 2021: 12 12

2021: 9

12

2021: 9

14

2021: 15

15

2021: 14

16

2021: 16

17

2021: NL

18

2021: 17

2,662 Ranked by oldest contractors:

1

Gilbane Inc. Year founded: 1870

265 1930

2021: 4

Total number of employees:

2

E. Turgeon Construction Inc. Year founded: 1896

3

Bowerman Construction Inc. Year founded: 1914

LIST RESEARCHED BY James Bessette NEED A COPY? To purchase a copy of this list, call (401) 273-2201 or visit PBN.com/lists for more information.

UPCOMING LISTS April 1: New England Resorts; R.I. Independent Insurance Agencies; Tourist and Cultural Attractions; April 15: Adult Education Programs; Online Degrees and Programs.

WANT TO JOIN? For more information about participating in PBN’s Top Lists, or to make additions or corrections, call (401) 680-4838 or write to Research@PBN.com.

NL = Not listed last year.

FOOTNOTE j Also known as Davitt Design Build.

1 Also known as Davitt Design Build.

YEARS

20 | MARCH 18-31, 2022 | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | www.pbn.com

130 130 YEARS

www.nemca.org www.nemca.org @NewEnglandMCA 617.405.4221 617.405.4221 @NewEnglandMCA

PROMOTING PROMOTING THETHE MECHANICAL MECHANICAL CONTRACTING CONTRACTING INDUSTRY INDUSTRY FOR FOR OVER OVER

FOCUS | GENERAL CONTRACTORS (ranked by number of regional employees) FOCUS | GENERAL CONTRACTORS (ranked by number of regional employees) 2022 rank

19

2021: 20

20

2021: NL

21

2021: 18

21

2021: 18

23

2021: 21

24

2021: 21

24

2021: 24

26

2021: 23

27

2021: 25

CLOSER LOOK

General contractor | Website CEO/President

Address Phone

Regional employees Year founded

Deslandes Construction Inc. | deslandesconstruction.com James G. Deslandes Sr., president; James Deslandes Jr., vice president

126 Bellows St. Warwick, R.I. 02888 (401) 467-7600

28 1963

Commercial construction and build-outs, custom homes, project management, residential renovations

Marsella Properties LLC | marsellaproperties.com Christopher Marsella, president

56 Exchange Terrace Providence, R.I. 02903 (401) 421-1910

27 2013

Property management and construction services

1

Case Construction | caseconstructionri.com Kurt Gustafson, president

225 Wampanoag Trail East Providence, R.I. 02915 (401) 434-6511

22 1918

Self-performing general contractor specializing in educational, medical and commercial construction

2

Behan Bros. Inc. | behanbros.com Michael J. Behan Jr., owner and president; Garrett Behan and Michael Behan, vice presidents

975 Aquidneck Ave. Middletown, R.I. 02842 (401) 846-1516

22 1973

Affordable and luxury residential, design and build, historical preservation, commercial, industrial, institutional, LEED

Bowerman Construction Inc. | bowermanconstruction.com Greg Post and Leo Hudon, principals

1 Richmond Square, Suite 220E Providence, R.I. 02906 (401) 454-4300

21 1914

Automotive, dental, health care, industrial warehouse, manufacturing/office, retail, residential apartments and veterinary hospitals

Specialties

Ranked by newest contractors: J2 Construct Inc. Year founded: 2018

Marsella Properties LLC Year founded: 2013

3

Ahlborg Construction Corp.

Year founded: 2009 LIST RESEARCHED BY James Bessette

H.V. Collins Co. | hvcollins.com Henry Collins, president

99 Gano St. Providence, R.I. 02906 (401) 421-4080

18 1924

Conceptual and design development budget preparation, pre-construction services

A. Autiello Construction Co. | autielloconstruction.com Anthony Autiello, vice president

125 Carlsbad St. Cranston, R.I. 02920 (401) 942-6822

18 1994

Academic, commercial, cultural/assembly, financial, health care/life sciences, hospitality, industrial, interiors, retail, special projects

Keough Construction Management Inc. | keoughconstruct.com Raymond Keough, president

312 Waterman Ave. East Providence, R.I. 02914 (401) 383-8266

17 2004

Construction management services, design and build services, general contracting, owner representation services

E. Turgeon Construction Corp. | eturgeon.com Francis Ducharme, president; David Ducharme, secretary; Christopher Ducharme, treasurer

8 Webb St., Unit B Cranston, R.I. 02920 (401) 943-0190

10 1896

Construction management/general contracting firm specializing in commercial projects such as retail, office/ warehousing, athletic facilities, religious institutions, retail, schools and historical renovation

NEED A COPY? To purchase a copy of this list, call (401) 273-2201 or visit PBN.com/lists for more information.

UPCOMING LISTS April 1: New England Resorts; R.I. Independent Insurance Agencies; Tourist and Cultural Attractions; April 15: Adult Education Programs; Online Degrees and Programs.

WANT TO JOIN? For more information about participating in PBN’s Top Lists, or to make additions or corrections, call (401) 680-4838 or write to Research@PBN.com.

NL = Not listed last year.

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If you are looking for inspiration and VALUE, please contact us today at 401.732.3040 or visit www.offdir.com www.pbn.com | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | MARCH 18-31, 2022 | 21

FOCUS | PROPERTY MANAGEMENT FIRMS (ranked by total square footage) FOCUS | PROPERTY MANAGEMENT FIRMS (ranked by total square footage) 2022 rank

1

2021: 1

2

2021: 2

3

2021: 3

4

2021: 7

5

2021: 5

6

2021: 4

7

2021: 8

7

2021: 13

9

Company | Website President

Address Phone

Peregrine Property Management LLC | peregrinepm.com Brendan C. Kane and Jeffrey P. Spratt, principals

20 Newman Ave. East Providence, R.I. 02916 (401) 270-0600

Carpionato Group | carpionatogroup.com K. MacArthur Coates

1414 Atwood Ave. Johnston, R.I. 02888 (401) 241-2413

Chestnut Hill Realty | chr-apartments.com George McHugh, president of property management

300 Independence Drive Chestnut Hill, Mass. 02467 (617) 323-2100

F.H. French Co./Blackstone Management | fhfrench.com Jennifer Cookke, owner and president

6 Blackstone Valley Place Lincoln, R.I. 02865 (401) 334-8900

Olympus Group Management Co. | ogmcri.com Ed Webb III

151 Broadway Providence, R.I. 02903 (401) 751-9600

Paolino Properties LP | paolinoproperties.com Joseph R. Paolino Jr., managing partner; Donna M. Paolino, partner

Churchill & Banks Cos. | churchillandbanks.com Richard P. Baccari II, CEO and president

Nexus Property Management | nexuspropertymanagement.com Nicholas D'Agnillo, founder and CEO

No. of buildings

Square footage

Sample clients/properties

365

8 mil.

75 Newman, 550 Hartford Ave., Providence; Ocean State Residential Communities, Rumford Center, The Gardens

80

4.9 mil.

Citizens Bank, MetLife, Whole Foods, Stop & Shop, Lowe's, Home Depot, BJ's Wholesale

35

4.4 mil.

Regency Plaza Apartments, Village Green Apartments

3 mil.

WND

50

2.7 mil.

Courtyard at Metacom, King Estates, Mill at Allendale, Village at Spring Green

100 Westminster St. Providence, R.I. 02903 (401) 274-6611

79

2 mil.

Citizens Bank, Nautic Partners, GSA, Webster Bank, Bank of America, Providence Equity Partners

10 Greene St. Providence, R.I. 02903 (401) 273-8010

170

1.7 mil.

Atwood Medical Center, Brewed Awakenings, CVS Pharmacy, Kettle Point Condominium, Lifespan Corp.

49 North Union St. Pawtucket, R.I. 02860 (401) 288-1117

2021: 11

Bilodeau Property Management Inc. | rentri.com; condori.com Harrison Bilodeau

217 Waterman St. Providence, R.I. 02906 (401) 831-5995

10 2021: NL

Marsella Properties LLC | marsellaproperties.com Christopher Marsella, president

56 Exchange Terrace Providence, R.I. 02903 (401) 421-1910

Bliss Properties Inc. | blissproperties.net Lisa Garabedian Regan, chief operating officer; Gary Bliss Garabedian, executive vice president

25

340

1.7 mil.

Management for all types of property, from single-family homes to large apartment buildings

1.6 mil.

Residential/commercial in Central Falls, East Providence, North Providence, Pawtucket, Providence

36

1.4 mil.

Brown University, Rhode Island School of Design, Union Station, Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce, Delta Dental of Rhode Island

245 Waterman St. Providence, R.I. 02906 (401) 272-0804

10

1.3 mil.

Bliss Place Building - 245 Waterman St., 10 Weybosset St., Providence; Bellevue Gardens Shopping Center, Newport; Warwick Mall

Capstone Properties | capstone-properties.com Paul E. Griesinger, president and co-owner; Chris Greenman, senior vice president and co-owner

180 Westminster St. Providence, R.I. 02903 (401) 454-4660

48

1.1 mil.

WND

Premier Property Management | premierpm.biz Ronald A. Grandchamp, senior property manager and president

26 Valley Road, Suite 203 Middletown, R.I. 02842 (401) 845-2128

111

920,508

333 Atwells Ave., Eastside Commons, Goat Island, West Davisville Small Business Center

14

Urban Smart Growth | urbansmartgrowthllc.com Lance Robbins, principal

1005 Main St., Suite 1220 Pawtucket, R.I. 02860 (401) 722-0752

2

700,000

Greystone Lofts, Hope Artiste Village

2021: 9

15

Summit Management Corp. | summit-mgmtri.com Thomas Cousineau

250B Centerville Road Warwick, R.I. 02886 (401) 273-3900

20

620,000

The Cornerstone Group, DiSanto Priest, MassMutual, MetLife, University Orthopedics

16

Douglas Pike Management Inc. | douglaspike.com Axel Stepan

900 Douglas Pike Smithfield, R.I. 02917 (401) 232-2020

5

270,000

Commercial properties in Rhode Island and Florida

17

Divine Investments | divineinvestments.com Rani Vails

222 Broadway Providence, R.I. 02903 4012726722

39

200,000

2 Angell St. Condo Association, Providence; 820 Park Ave., Cranston

18

Edgewood Group | edgewoodgroup.com Alfred M. D'Andrea, principal

200 Lavan St. Warwick, R.I. 02888 (401) 573-1000

14

125,000

Parkside, The Grand, The Gaspee, The Perry

11

2021: 12

12

2021: 9

13

2021: 14

2021: 16

2021: 17

2021: 18

2021: 19

22 | MARCH 18-31, 2022 | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | www.pbn.com

58

CLOSER LOOK

Ranked by number of buildings under management:

1

Peregrine Property Management LLC No. of buildings: 365

2

Nexus Property Management No. of buildings: 340

3

Churchill & Banks Cos. No. of buildings: 170

LIST RESEARCHED BY James Bessette NEED A COPY? To purchase a copy of this list, call (401) 273-2201 or visit PBN.com/lists for more information.

UPCOMING LISTS April 1: New England Resorts; R.I. Independent Insurance Agencies; Tourist and Cultural Attractions; April 15: Adult Education Programs; Online Degrees and Programs.

WANT TO JOIN? For more information about participating in PBN’s Top Lists, or to make additions or corrections, call (401) 680-4838 or write to Research@PBN.com.

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DBVW ARCHITECTS | dbvw.com MARTHA WERENFELS

KRISTI GELNETT

Senior Principal 401.831.1240 mwerenfels@dbvw.com

Senior Associate 401.831.1240 kgelnett@dbvw.com

YEARS IN CURRENT INDUSTRY

YEARS IN CURRENT INDUSTRY

YEARS WITH CURRENT ORGANIZATION

YEARS WITH CURRENT ORGANIZATION

EDUCATION

EDUCATION

FAIA, LEED AP

38

26

Cornell University, Bachelor of Architecture Brown University, Master’s Degree in American History

MARTHA WERENFELS, FAIA, LEED AP is a nationally-recognized expert in the field of historic preservation and the first woman in Rhode Island to be elevated to the American Institute of Architects’ College of Fellows. Over the last 38 years, Martha has had the distinct honor of preserving some of New England’s most cherished landmarks, such as the Rhode Island State House, the Tabernacle on Martha’s Vineyard, and Connecticut Hall, the oldest building at Yale University.

Each of these projects required rigorous attention to detail, as well as thorough knowledge of preservation technology and architectural history. When designing additions to historic buildings, such as the recently completed Plymouth Town Hall and Taunton City Hall, Martha has adhered to the highest standards of preservation while designing additions that are respectful of and compatible with their historic neighbors. As a Senior Principal at DBVW Architects, Martha endeavors to hire and mentor younger architects who have a particular interest in preservation. Throughout her career, Martha has served on several boards of not-for-profit organizations that have a focus on preserving artifacts, structures, and, most importantly, communities.

TAMI HUGHES Senior Associate 401.831.1240 thughes@dbvw.com

YEARS IN CURRENT INDUSTRY

AIA, LEED AP

25

21

Pennsylvania State University, Bachelor of Arts - Interior Architecture / Historic Restoration and Preservation

Rhode Island School of Design, Master of Architecture

KRISTI GELNETT, AIA, LEED AP has been involved with some of DBVW’s most challenging projects. Many of these projects have helped shape the City of Providence, including a new building called Edge College Hill at 169 Canal Street, and renovations to the Peerless Building, the Biltmore Garage, and the Harkness Building.

She has also completed various projects with the Providencebased non-profit arts group AS220. She is a leader within DBVW’s arts and housing sectors and is currently serving as the project manager for Paragon Mills, a residential development that will rehabilitate a 116,000 square foot historic mill complex in Providence’s Woonasquatucket River Corridor into 101 market rate and affordable housing units. She is also serving as project manager for the renovation and expansion of Real Art Ways, which will create cinemas, live theatre venues, and gallery spaces within an 83,000 square foot industrial building in Hartford, CT. In her spare time, Kristi serves as the mayor-appointed Chairperson for the Providence Downtown Design Review Committee.

KARISSA KUHNS

AIA, LEED AP

Senior Associate 401.831.1240 kkuhns@dbvw.com

20

YEARS IN CURRENT INDUSTRY

10

YEARS WITH CURRENT ORGANIZATION

YEARS WITH CURRENT ORGANIZATION

EDUCATION

Rhode Island School of Design, Bachelor of Architecture & Bachelor of Fine Arts

TAMI HUGHES plays an important leadership role on academic projects at DBVW. This includes work at the University of Rhode Island, Johnson and Wales University, the Rhode Island School of Design, and the Moses Brown School. She has also played a key role on many restoration, arts, and healthcare projects including South Street Landing in Providence, RI, Victory Theatre in Holyoke, MA, and Cape Cod Healthcare in Osterville, MA. Tami is currently working with URI to reimagine Ballentine Hall, the home of the URI College of Business Administration. In addition, she is working on the adaptive reuse of Union-Eagle Mill, which will transform a historic mill complex into a residential mixed-use development in Lee, MA. Within the office, Tami serves as DBVW’s in-house REVIT manager and has significantly advanced the firm’s use of Building Information Modeling (BIM). Outside of the office, Tami volunteers with ACE RI, a mentorship program that introduces high school students to the fields of Architecture, Engineering, and Construction. A dedicated member of ACE RI for the past 14 years, Tami is an advanced group mentor, the curriculum committee co-chair, and a member of the board.

22

16

EDUCATION

Roger Williams University, Bachelor of Architecture Double Minor Photography & Studio Art

KARISSA KUHNS, AIA, LEED AP is a leader within DBVW’s multifamily housing sector and has spent much of her time at DBVW helping non-profit housing developers create affordable and market rate developments. She is known by these clients for her dedication to each project, friendly attitude, and excellent communication skills. Karissa is currently serving as project manager for multiple affordable housing developments in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. She is working closely with ONE Neighborhood Builders on 434 Atwells Avenue in Providence, a new Energy Star rated 39-unit, 5-story, podium-style mixed use building in the Federal Hill neighborhood of Providence. She is also working with Omni Development Corporation and Wingate Companies to redevelop the Barbara Jordan II Apartments in South Providence. Karissa is currently working with The Community Builders on two large new residential developments in Franklin and Provincetown, MA. With her passion for equitable, community-centered design, Karissa has played an essential role in helping DBVW create over 2,500 units of housing throughout New England. www.pbn.com | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | MARCH 18-31, 2022 | 23

RHODE ISLAND MEDICAL IMAGING (RIMI) | rimirad.com SPONSORED CONTENT

WOMEN IN ARCHITECTURE, CONSTRUCTION & ENGINEERING

PIERCE ATWOOD LLP | pierceatwood.com PIERCE ATWOOD PARTNER Katharine Kohm represents owners, general contractors, architects, engineers, subcontractors, and suppliers in state and federal courts and at arbitration and mediation proceedings throughout New England. Katie asserts and defends claims involving a wide range of disputed issues including contract breaches, change orders, warranties, defects, schedule delay, and termination in industry sectors including commercial and residential development, heavy civil roadways, bridges, and marinas, and power generation of all types including solar and wind, as well as broadband.

Beyond her litigation and dispute resolution practice, Katie offers transactional legal services including contract review, drafting, and negotiation for design professionals, owners, and contractors for all project delivery methods. She regularly prepares contract documents, working with the AIA, ConsensusDocs, and EJCDC forms, and reviews and drafts bespoke manuscript contracts for firm clients.

KATHARINE E. KOHM

Partner 401.490.3407 kkohm@pierceatwood.com YEARS IN CURRENT INDUSTRY

10

YEARS WITH CURRENT ORGANIZATION

8

EDUCATION

University of Virginia, B.S., Civil Engineering University of Richmond School of Law, J.D. magna cum laude

Katie is a member of and has held leadership roles for Rhode Island’s chapter of the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC), is a steering committee member for the Dispute Resolution American Bar Association’s Forum on Construction Law, an appointed member of the Rhode Island Contractor’s Licensing & Registration Board, a founding steering committee member of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee for the Rhode Island Bar Association, and a board member on Roger Williams University Construction Management Professional Advisory Board.

Katie is a regular contributor to construction law scholarship, most recently authoring chapters in national treatises on liens, bonds, and professional licensure and the ABA’s treatises titled Construction Defects and The Construction Trial Deskbook.

Before joining Pierce Atwood, Katie clerked for the Honorable Justice Gilbert V. Indeglia of the Rhode Island Supreme Court and the Justices of the Rhode Island Superior Court in Providence County. Prior to becoming a lawyer, Katie was a civil and environmental engineer with a worldwide engineering consulting firm headquartered Massachusetts.

ZDS ARCHITECTURE & INTERIORS | z-ds.com

ZDS ARCHITECTURE & INTERIORS | z-ds.com

JULIE BARTLETT

AIMEE LOMBARDO

YEARS IN CURRENT INDUSTRY

YEARS IN CURRENT INDUSTRY

YEARS WITH CURRENT ORGANIZATION

YEARS WITH CURRENT ORGANIZATION

EDUCATION

EDUCATION

Associate 401.680.6699 jbartlett@z-ds.com

16

7

BS in Architecture Northeastern University 2007;

Managing Principal 401.680.6699 alombardo@z-ds.com

25

1

BS in Architecture Syracuse University 1999

MArch Northeastern University 2008

JULIE BARTLETT is a Project Manager and Associate with ZDS. In her role as an Associate with ZDS, she contributes to the firm’s management and leadership, mentoring staff on projects from conception through construction. She has contributed to the growth of ZDS and assists in leading the firms’ commercial/mixed-use, multiunit residential, institutional, and hospitality architectural projects.

An advocate for thoughtful design and practical execution, as a leader she ensures collaboration from the design team begins at the onset of each project and continues with the same team members encouraging ownership and responsibility. She strongly believes that successful design depends on strong, fluid relationships between client, architect, and consultants. Her dedication to each project’s individual needs has created noteworthy buildings and spaces and resulted in long-lasting client relationships.

24 | MARCH 18-31, 2022 | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | www.pbn.com

AIMEE LOMBARDO is the Managing Principal, Director of

Operations for both ZDS Architecture and Interiors’ Providence and Washington DC offices. With decades of leadership and firm management expertise, Aimee has led over a hundred projects, many to award winning success throughout the greater New England community. Her designs have gained notoriety in Science and Technology, University, and Civic design sectors. She delivers eloquent and experienced solutions for high-quality, technically complex environments such as automation laboratories, planetariums, spectrometry labs, environmental rooms, and tissue culture suites.

Her rigor and organized approach have proven success at several Ivy League University campuses. Aimee holds a professional Bachelor of Architecture from Syracuse University and professional license to practice in several states. Aimee has served on the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Rhode Island Board of Directors, participated in Library Journal’s Design Institute as a seminar educator, and is an active participant of the Society for College and Urban Planning.

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LINDON GROUP INC. | LindonGroup.com MINDY IS A NATIVE RHODE ISLANDER and has spent the last 20 years building her business, Lindon Group Inc, in the Ocean State. Graduating from Providence College (GO FRIARS!) in 1988, Mindy would go on to lead a division of a family-owned textile company. In 1993, she gave birth to her first child (who was born with severe food allergies), which spawned Mindy’s first product invention in 1999, and Lindon Group was established. After several years of inventing products for national brands, manufacturing, selling at retail and on QVC, Mindy developed an expertise in product development, manufacturing, sales and distribution. Relying on all of her past experience (after having developed an erosion control product), Mindy took a leap of faith in 2011 by venturing into the traditionally male-dominated construction industry and established her Lindon Supply division.

Lindon Group Inc. today: Lindon Group recently moved their headquarters into a newly-renovated

MELINDA (MINDY) PENNEY

Founder / CEO 401.272.2081 sales@lindongroup.com

YEARS WITH CURRENT ORGANIZATION

20

EDUCATION

Providence College 1988

26,000 sq foot facility in Rumford RI, where they maintain a robust inventory of materials–including Mcwane ductile iron pipe, Lane drainage, Clow and Spears accessories etc, establishing Lindon as one of Rhode Island’s premiere stocking distributors in the construction industry. In January of 2022, Lindon opened a state-of-the-art pipe and sheet metal fabrication division. This exciting new division has not only opened more opportunities for Lindon, it will allow Lindon to continue to create more jobs in RI. Lindon Group Inc. is a WBE / DBE material supplier throughout New England, NY, NJ and PA. Their newest venture will be in Florida, where Lindon has already secured multiple opportunities and will continue to expand its footprint.

Lindon’s growth and continued success can be attributed to their loyal and dedicated employees, who take excellence and customer service to another level. Lindon stands by its core values which represent excellence, integrity, accountability and living a balanced life. We strive to create an environment which enhances each employee’s life, while working both hard and smart.

Lindon brings a new, innovative, approach to the construction business and we believe that Lindon’s mission is one that enhances the lives of our employees and their families while serving our customers and community with excellence.

Mindy proudly runs the company on principles that follow the example of Jesus Christ, which include Lindon’s Golden Rule to treat all employees, clients and vendors as we would want to be treated–and then a little bit better.

Lindon Group is a member of C12, an International Christian CEO organization, Mindy is the current President of the Board of Harmony Women’s Care and has served previously on Providence College’s National Board of Overseers, as Board member of Meeting Street School and on the National Board of Directors of FAAN (Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network).

We are proud to use this opportunity to introduce our newest employees; estimator Gabriella Aiello, who holds both B.A. and M.S. degrees from the University of Rhode Island’s Industrial and Systems Engineering Program, along with our newest Florida sales associate, Dina Marks.

www.pbn.com | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | MARCH 18-31, 2022 | 25

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DESLANDES EXCAVATION, LLC | deslandesexcavation.com

DIMEO CONSTRUCTION COMPANY | dimeo.com

JILL V. DESLANDES

KRISTIN FARLEY

President/Owner 401.601.0415 jill@deslandesexcavation.com

Estimator

YEARS IN CURRENT INDUSTRY

24

YEARS IN CURRENT INDUSTRY

YEARS WITH CURRENT ORGANIZATION

26

YEARS WITH CURRENT ORGANIZATION

3

EDUCATION

1

Wentworth Institute of Technology, BS, Architectural Engineering

EDUCATION

Masters Accounting, Johnson & Wales University Bachelor of Business Management, University of Maine

JILL BEGAN HER CAREER in magazine production after attaining her

Degree in Business Management. While pursuing her career and raising three boys she also earned a Master’s Degree in Accounting. Jill then joined her husband as Business Manager at Deslandes Construction, Inc. managing the finances, accounting, marketing, and human resources.

Deslandes Construction has grown over the years and now employs 25 full-time carpenters, cabinet makers and project managers.

As Deslandes Construction flourished and expanded, Jill and her son, Jim Jr., began to see growth opportunities within the site development/ excavation industry. They established Deslandes Excavation, LLC in early 2021, with Jill at the helm. Jill’s years of experience with start-up companies, along with her knowledge of the construction industry, allowed her to seamlessly transition to the position of President and Owner, where her skills and experience are utilized to nurture Deslandes Excavation in becoming a formidable competitor in the industry.

J2CONSTRUCT | j2construct.com

AS A PROJECT ESTIMATOR, Kristin is part of Dimeo’s Technical Services Group and leads project teams in all aspects of pricing, creating budgets and cost estimates. She focuses on prevention through design and the needs of the client to create a thorough scope of work. Kristin supports purchasing efforts to estimate scope reviews and pricing reviews with subcontractors during the buyout process.

Kristin has worked with several clients across all market sectors including Pfizer, Fulcrum Therapeutics, Rubius Therapeutics, Schneider Electric, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital among others. Her recent work at Dimeo includes several projects at Yale University and the recent award of Garden City Elementary School in Cranston, RI. She is dedicated to continuing her education and has obtained her Passive House Institute US Builder’s Certification (PHIUS). Kristin is sought after within the organization as a mentor to her colleagues and continuously performs at the highest level in the Preconstruction field.

STARKWEATHER & SHEPLEY INSURANCE BROKERAGE, INC. | starshep.com

THERESA D’ORSI

SARA DONNELLY

Vice President, Construction Practice Group O: 401.709.7580 M: 401.644.2074

Senior Project Manager 888.301.0076 sdonnelly@j2construct.com YEARS IN CURRENT INDUSTRY

tdorsi@starshep.com

25

YEARS WITH CURRENT ORGANIZATION

4

EDUCATION

YEARS IN CURRENT INDUSTRY

29

YEARS WITH CURRENT ORGANIZATION

6

Business/ Katherine Gibbs School

SARA DONNELLY has been in the construction industry for 25 years.

In her career, she has managed several multi-million-dollar projects including The International Tennis Hall of Fame, St. Clare Home, 41 North Hotel, and most recently, a $13M summer home on the Rhode Island Coast.

Starting fresh out of school as an office manager and accounting specialist, Sara eventually became more involved with field operations and grew into a Senior Project Manager. When Jeff Lipshires decided to open J2Construct nearly four years ago, she took the risk and followed him; and was instrumental in getting the company off the ground.

Since then, they have grown the company to one of the fastestgrowing in the state. Sara collaborates with the clients, architects and designers on the projects with valuable insight.

Sara is valued not only for her organizational skills and industry experience but most well known as a “closer” or someone that can motivate and push a project to the finish line.

26 | MARCH 18-31, 2022 | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | www.pbn.com

EDUCATION

Roger Williams University, Bachelor of Science

THERESA D’ORSI is the Vice President of the Construction Practice

Group.

Theresa specializes in the construction industry helping clients manage and transfer risk. She provides clients with personalized assessments and customized insurance programs tailored to their unique construction business risks. She represents construction firms throughout New England.

Theresa stays up to date, as a member of the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC); National Utility Contractors Association of RI (NUCARI) and Associated Builders and Contractors of RI (ABC). Theresa’s designations include the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU), Certified Risk Manager (CRM), Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC), and Accredited Advisor in Insurance (AAI).

Starkweather & Shepley, established in 1879, has experience understanding the risks associated with construction projects. In addition to their specialization in the Construction Industry they offer Employee Benefits, Personal/Private Client Insurance, Claim Advocacy, and risk management services both locally and nationally through their Assurex Global Partnership.

Panel: Companies need to fine-tune their perks

BY JACQUELYN VOGHEL | Voghel@PBN.com

IN

today’s job market, companies that hold strictly to pre-pandemic work expectations, such as rigid schedules and full-time office hours, tend to struggle to find talented workers, says Nina Pande, executive director of Skills for Rhode Island’s Future.

Meanwhile, “if employers were quick to pivot and recognize what employees want, they’re successful,” Pande told the audience at Providence Business News’ Workforce Development Summit on March 8.

With companies in nearly every sector reporting the recruitment and retention of a high-quality workforce as among their biggest challenges – if not the biggest – Pande and a panel of industry leaders at the summit said it’s vital for employers to stay informed about workforce trends and their employees’ priorities.

And for businesses that continue to struggle to hire and keep their best workers, there are still multiple opportunities to adapt to the demands of today’s workforce, the panelists said.

“It’s an employees’ market, and we all

know it,” said Lisa Abbott, senior vice president of human relations and community affairs at Lifespan Corp. “Anyone who’s hiring knows it.”

Panelists said prospective employees aren’t just looking for traditional perks.

While offerings such as competitive wages remain important, salary isn’t the only tool businesses have to work with to attract the best job candidates. And as people retire earlier at increasing rates, employers need to recognize the different needs of a younger workforce.

CONTINUES ON PAGE 28

EXPERT INSIGHT: Providence Business News Editor Michael Mello, right, moderates a discussion among PBN Workforce Development Summit panelists, from left, Lisa Abbot, Steve Duvel, Nina Pande, Doug Sherman and Matthew Weldon.

PBN PHOTO/MIKE SKORSKI

www.pbn.com | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | MARCH 18-31, 2022 | 27

PBN SUMMIT | WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT CONTINUED FROM PAGE 27

If businesses can’t raise wages, they can consider measures such as allowing work from home, flexible scheduling and promoting growth opportunities within the company, said Matthew Weldon, director of the R.I. Department of Labor and Training.

“People are living differently, and they want to continue that work-life balance,” Weldon said.

Employees “can do both and be good at both,” he added, referring to their personal and professional lives.

While work from home and flexible scheduling have come under the spotlight during the COVID-19 pandemic, employers can also think beyond these now-expected perks. As an example, Weldon said, businesses may consider allowing employees to divide their hours between four work days, rather than five.

And in industries where perks such as remote work aren’t possible, employers need to think creatively, Abbott said.

Work-from-home opportunities in health care were once thought of as completely unrealistic, but when the pandemic struck, “we did it in 10 minutes when we had to,” she said, with telehealth shifting from a rarity to common for many patients.

Abbott also said that different generations of workers are prioritizing different benefits: with student loan debt reaching record highs in recent years, younger workers tend to value benefits such as debt assistance over retirement offerings.

This trend pairs with a workforce that is less likely to stay with a company long term, the panelists noted.

“Longevity is not from start to retirement,” Pande said, adding that new employees are more likely to stay with their companies for two to four years before moving on to explore different career pathways.

While younger workers are comprising an increasingly significant portion of the workforce,

TRAINING WOES: Douglas Sherman, right, senior vice president and provost of New England Institute of Technology, says that because of the COVID-19 pandemic, students have missed out on in-person training opportunities. Other panelists at the PBN Workforce Development Summit on March 8 included, from left, Lisa Abbott of Lifespan Corp., Steve Duvel of Gilbane Building Co. and Nina Pande of Skills for Rhode Island’s Future.

PBN PHOTO/MIKE SKORSKI

employers also need to prepare for changes in how the younger generations prepare to enter the workforce.

With college enrollment decreasing, and students at all levels having missed out on socialization and in-person training opportunities over the past two years, businesses need to increase their training program offerings and anticipate increased mental health needs among employees, said Douglas Sherman, senior vice president and provost of New England Institute of Technology.

‘It’s an employees’ market, and we all know it.’

LISA ABBOTT, Lifespan Corp. senior vice president of human relations and community affairs

JOB MARKET CHANGES: Lisa Abbott, Lifespan Corp. senior vice president of human relations and community affairs, discusses the difficulties in recruiting and retaining talented workers during the PBN Workforce Development Summit on March 8. From left are panelists Steve Duvel of Gilbane Building Co., Nina Pande of Skills for Rhode Island’s Future and Matthew Weldon of the R.I. Department of Labor and Training.

PBN PHOTO/MIKE SKORSKI

28 | MARCH 18-31, 2022 | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | www.pbn.com

“The students we’re seeing come to us are less prepared than we’ve seen in the past,” Sherman said.

“We can be extremely creative” in helping employers meet the young workforce’s needs, he said, using an example of slashing an 18-month accelerated degree program down to nine months to meet the needs of students who weren’t able to wait a year and a half to enter the workforce.

Some businesses can also find opportunity for themselves and potential employees in the decline of college enrollment rates, with this trend highlighting alternative career paths that can be accessed through trade school or a regular high school diploma, panelists said.

This shift has made a difference in the construction industry, according to Steve Duvel, New England division leader of Gilbane Building Co. in Providence.

“From a career standpoint, we’re in a great place,” Duvel said. “You can graduate high school and start a career in construction and make as much as a four-year degree individual coming right out of college, without debt.”

Employers must also take steps to increase diversity, equity and inclusion in their workplaces, the panelists said.

To prepare for these steps financially, businesses should multiply their anticipated spending toward diversity initiatives by three, Pande said.

Duvel said that businesses can also take steps such as creating employer resource groups focused on diversity, equity and inclusion. Gilbane started an ERG for this purpose three years ago, he said, and over a third of the company now participates.

“It doesn’t cost a lot,” Duvel said. “It just means that you exercise your listening skills; you open yourself up to new ideas and perspectives.”

But with this type of initiative, businesses must pay particular attention to deliberate practices, Pande said.

While businesses can take important steps, they shouldn’t be asked to face workforce challenges alone, Pande said, who encouraged employers to take advantage of programs such as Real Jobs Rhode Island, a state-sponsored workforce development initiative led by the local business ­community.

For business leaders, she advised, “make sure your voices are known, make sure people understand your needs” while continuing to make necessary investments in the workforce. n

Building Careers with Care As the state’s largest health system, Lifespan is dedicated to delivering the highest quality clinical care, biomedical research, education, and community services.

Almost 17,000 people work at Lifespan, bringing their unique skills, experiences and compassion to their jobs every day. Join us in delivering health with care.

As the state’s largest employer, we are dedicated to building healthcare careers for the future, through a robust workforce development program that provides opportunities, inspiration, and education to youth and adults from across the communities we serve.

Learn more at Lifespan.org/careers Lifespan is the proud sponsor of the Providence Business News Workforce Development Summit.

www.pbn.com | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | MARCH 18-31, 2022 | 29

PBN SUMMIT | WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

Panelist Matt Weldon, RIDLT (center) with Dan Egan and Luke Thompson, AICU Rhode Island.

Members of the Skills for RI’s Future Team.

Steve Kitchin, NEIT with Laurie Lewis and Katie Schibler Conn, KSA Marketing.

Jessica Federico, Better Business Bureau.

PBN’s Workforce Development Summit on March 8 at the Providence Marriott.

Panelist Steve Duvel, Gilbane talks with a guest.

SKILLS FOR RHODE ISLAND’S

FUTUR E

SkillsRI is a Proud Sponsor of PBN’s workforce development summit Skills for Rhode Island’s Future

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IT’S PERSONAL CCRI names diversity director ANDREA RAY, a former senior human resources business partner for CVS Health Corp.’s MinuteClinic division, was recently named the Community College of Rhode Island’s new director of diversity, equity and inclusion and organizational development. In her time at CVS, Ray led the company’s diversity efforts, including creating its first diversity leadership team at MinuteClinic, and she managed the company’s review process by identifying and preparing top-performing and high-potential leaders for strategic development and professional growth. At CCRI, Ray will work collaboratively with internal and external audiences to develop an open, diverse, inclusive and supportive learning and working environment with a specific focus on underrepresented and marginalized populations.

What diversity and inclusion initiatives did you help to implement at CVS Health?

As a senior human resources business partner, the diversity objectives we had were colleague engagement and marketplace diversity. I led the efforts in standing up the first cohort of the diversity leadership team for MinuteClinic, which focused on increasing the engagement and retention of diverse colleagues and increasing patient satisfaction.

How do those initiatives at CVS Health meet the objectives of the diversity strategy?

The purpose of these initiatives was to increase the representation of candidates and new hires, create an environment where colleagues can contribute at their best by being authentic in their roles, and ensure equitable opportunities.

We exceeded our goals for the internship offers and new hires in the first two conference cycles. We also developed external partnerships with several organizations whose mission is to develop and consult on career pathing for underrepresented professionals.

What are your goals for CCRI as the new director of diversity?

A primary goal of the work is to build equity-embedded

practices across the college to create an inclusive environment that engages and recognizes the needs of its diverse employees and students. Our goals include building a strategic plan that aligns to the mission and principles of the college; creating effective DEI programs that will help drive successful student outcomes, especially for underrepresented students; and enhancing our learning platforms to provide different levels of training and development for all employees.

Where do you feel you can build upon DEI efforts underway at CCRI? A key reason I chose to work at CCRI is the college’s commitment to improving equity for students and employees.

To continue the work already underway, I recognize the urgency for creating a strategic plan to help address the disparity in success rates amongst Black and Latinx students and to increase representation within the workplace.

We will work as OneCCRI to sustain a culture that operates from an equity-minded position to ensure we are dismantling any barriers that prevent our students from achieving their educational or professional goals. n

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PEOPLE ON THE MOVE ARCHITECTURE

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DBVW Architects is pleased to announce the promotion of Christian Caldwell, AIA to Job Captain.

With his passion for historic preservation and community centered design, Christian has served as a key member of project teams for The Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul in Providence, and multiple projects at Yale University.

His enthusiasm and great attitude make him an invaluable member of the DBVW team.

Vision 3 Architects is proud to welcome our new Architectural Designer, Dan Sadowniczyk.

Dan graduated from Roger Williams University with a Master of Architecture degree in December 2019, joining Vision 3 soon after in August as an Architectural Designer.

Dan’s interest in architecture came to fruition through his interest in art, design, and construction. His passion for design inspires him to become a registered architect which will elevate his ability to collaborate and design spaces that better support people and the environment.

Peter Karlson has been promoted to Vice President of ERISA Services.

He has been a member of The Angell Pension Group, Inc. since 1990. Peter has more than 30 years of ERISA plan consulting experience in the employee benefits field. Peter is responsible for assisting clients in managing their fiduciary risk associated with their retirement plans. Peter provides technical and strategic support to associates, colleagues and clients on all aspects of ERISA compliance. Peter is responsible for maintaining the qualification status of all plans as requested or required by legislative changes, and the submission of all plans to the Internal Revenue Service. Peter also oversees compliance related to mergers and acquisitions.

Adler Pollock & Sheehan welcomes David Webster as a member of the firm’s Business & Corporate Group. David has experience assisting clients with commercial real estate sale and acquisition, contract formation and negotiation, and business formation and dissolution. He currently works out of the Newport and Providence offices. Prior to joining Adler Pollock & Sheehan, David served as a Law Clerk to Justice Brian P. Stern in the R.I. Superior Court and interned for the R.I. Department of Health & Human Services. David received his J.D, cum laude, from Quinnipiac University School of Law and his B.A, cum laude, from University of Rhode Island.

Announce new hires, promotions and special accomplishments to the Rhode Island business community with PBN’s People on the Move.

For additional information or to submit a Standard listing, go to PBN.com/pbnconnect.

For a Featured listing, contact your account manager or Advertising@PBN.com | 401.680.4800 32 | MARCH 18-31, 2022 | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | www.pbn.com

IT’S PERSONAL MACKAY’S MORAL | HARVEY MACKAY

Be courageous every day IN HIS PULITZER PRIZE-WINNING book “Profiles of Courage,” U.S. President John F. Kennedy wrote eloquently about courage: “Courage, the universal virtue, is comprehended by us all. For without belittling the courage with which men have died, we should not forget those acts of courage with which men have lived.

“The courage of life is often a less dramatic spectacle than the courage of a final moment; but it is no less a magnificent mixture of triumph and tragedy.”

Courage is regarded as one of the major human virtues. Courage is bravery, valor, standing up to danger, guts and nerves all rolled into one. It’s easy to be ordinary. Courage is what sets people apart from the crowd.

Stories of heroism are inspiring, but few of us will ever find ourselves in the kind of extraordinary situations that are the stuff of legend.

Consider the words of American poet Maya Angelou: “Courage is the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can’t practice any other virtue consistently.”

The good news is that courage is available to everyone. There are plenty of ways to be courageous in our lives.

Maybe it’s just standing up for yourself or someone else. How about asking for a raise or a promotion at work, or leaving a job you don’t like and becoming an entrepreneur?

Maybe it’s simply having the courage to take responsibility for your actions, or having the courage to be who you are and to be authentic.

It takes courage to persevere in difficulties when we are tempted to give up. I have never met a successful person who hasn’t had to overcome a little or a lot of adversity. Trying times are no time to quit trying.

One of the greatest challenges in life is doing what people say you can’t.

When things seem most bleak, you must have the courage to carry on to success.

The line between failure and success is so fine that we scarcely know when we pass it, so fine that we are often on the line and do not know it.

How many people have given up too

soon?

Anyone who has started a business or managed an organization understands the courage required to make decisions and take risks. Taking the easy way out is not an option.

In business, prospects may seem darkest just before they are about to turn. A little more perseverance, a little more effort, and what seemed a hopeless failure may turn into a glorious success.

But it also takes courage to know when to admit failure and move on to more-productive ideas. Walking away from an investment of time and money is a decision many businesses have had to make. That’s not cowardice – it’s courage born of wisdom.

Working up the courage to learn how to say that two-letter word – no – can be daunting at first. Do not feel guilty when you need to say no.

Some people feel like they have to say yes to almost anything they are

Trying times are no time to quit trying.

asked to do. Others just want everyone to like them. They’re afraid if they say no, they might cause the person making the request to reject them.

I’m offering a challenge for the new year: Be the courageous person that you know you can be. I think you’ll discover that demonstrating courage in small acts will enable you to trust your instincts when more-difficult situations arise. Make courage an everyday thing, not something reserved for special occasions.

Here’s a little story to illustrate my point. An unlikely hero was being hailed for standing up to an attacker twice his size and was asked how he could be so brave.

“I was too scared to run,” he said, “and too dumb to think of anything else.”

But his friends said, “No, you didn’t have time to think. Courage is a natural instinct, if you have it.”

Mackay’s Moral: If a thing is worth having, it’s worth fighting for. n Harvey Mackay is the author of the New York Times bestseller “Swim With the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive.” He can be reached through his website, www.harveymackay.com.

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www.pbn.com | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | MARCH 18-31, 2022 | 33

IT’S PERSONAL GUEST COLUMN | PETER GEORGE

Creating engaging slides HAVE YOU EVER BEEN to a presentation where the presenter turns his back on the audience and reads from the slides? I have. A few years ago, I attended a presentation given by a prominent professor who, for 40 minutes, read from slide after slide.

Due to such presentations, the term “death by PowerPoint” has become ubiquitous.

Yes, PowerPoint has had a great deal of criticism over the years, but the problem, as I see it, is not with PowerPoint nor similar slide programs. Instead, it is with the presenters. How else could we explain sitting through so many presentations that bore us to tears, and then, when it’s our time to develop a presentation, we emulate what we know isn’t engaging nor beneficial?

Before we move on, please keep these two points in mind. 1) When using the term PowerPoint, I am using it in a generic sense, representing all slide programs. 2) There is no such thing as a PowerPoint presentation. It is merely a slide program designed to help support your actual ­presentation.

Now, let’s take a look at a few ideas that will help make your pre-

sentations not only more engaging but also more effective.

Flashcards Think of your slides as flashcards where your audience quickly looks at the slide, understands its relevance to your point, and looks back to you.

An exception to the flashcard rule is when using a complicated slide. For instance, if you were showing where pipes carrying chemicals and gases cross over each other, you would show the green pipe. Then, you would introduce the red pipe while discussing its proximity to the green pipe.

Then, you would add the blue pipe, and so on.

One idea per slide Have you ever seen a slide segmented into halves, thirds, quarters, etc.? If so, several ideas are likely being presented on one slide, which can be confusing. Instead, put one idea on one slide. So, where you might have had three ideas on one slide, you will

have three ideas on three slides.

ages to quickly convey your points.

Sticky notes When creating a slide, first draw it, no matter how rudimentary, on a 3-inch-by-3-inch piece of paper, perhaps a sticky note. If it doesn’t fit, it could be that you are trying to put too much information on one slide.

Black slides During your presentation, the only time an image should be on the screen is when the image supports what you are saying. Therefore, you should bring up a black slide when speaking about a topic or point that does not require a slide. Then, when you get to a topic that has a corresponding slide, bring up that slide.

One bullet at a time When including bullets on a slide, limit each bullet to only a few words at most. Also, instead of having all the bullets appear simultaneously, add one bullet at a time. This way, the audience does not get ahead of you.

Use images If you were to speak about the number of homeless children steadily increasing over the past three years, what would get your point across faster and more powerfully, a spreadsheet, or an image of a 12-year-old child living in a car? It is the image, no doubt. So, when possible, use im-

Use images to quickly convey your point.

Keep it simple Everything on a slide competes for attention. So, when you include your corporate logo on each slide, it competes with whatever else is on the slide. Leave it off. This is also true when presenting to an organization.

There is no need to include its logo.

You don’t need to create the same boring slide decks that people suffer through so frequently. Instead, you can develop slide decks that serve your audience well by implementing these techniques. n Peter George is president of Peter George Public Speaking Inc. in Providence and specializes in helping attorneys and executives improve their public speaking skills.

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IT’S PERSONAL GUEST COLUMN | DR. PHILIP LEDERER

Doctors, ditch the white coats ON A WARM AUGUST 2004 day in Philadelphia, I joined 150 first-year medical students on stage at the University of Pennsylvania to celebrate the start of our medical careers. The dean called our names and, one by one, draped short white coats around our shoulders.

During my four years of medical school, I wore that short white coat on the hospital wards. After graduation, I moved to California and traded in the short white coat for a long one. Residency was exhausting. I was on call for 30 hours every few nights, my coat became sullied, and it was difficult to keep it pristine. Once, after rounds in the intensive care unit, the attending physician took me aside. “Do a better job washing that coat,” he admonished me. “Patients and their families shouldn’t see you like that.”

Several years later, I am an infectious diseases fellow at Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital and help teach the Harvard Medical School students when they do their infectious diseases clinical rotations. When I came here, I was given new white coats. But I have never worn them.

And now, with a few years of experience, I have come to believe that we

should get rid of white coats.

You wouldn’t want to be cared for by a doctor who doesn’t wash his or her hands. Why would you want to be treated by a doctor wearing a white coat that hasn’t been washed in a week? Many white coats are covered in bacteria. And it’s time to hang them up for good.

According to the Society of Healthcare Epidemiology guidelines, health care personnel apparel can hypothetically serve as a vector for pathogen cross-transmission in health care settings. Eli Perencevich and Mike Edmond, physicians at the University of Iowa, have studied this issue in depth. They admit that while transmission to patients hasn’t been definitely proven, there is strong circumstantial evidence that it could occur.

Physicians haven’t always worn white coats. Until the late 19th century, surgeons operated wearing black coats.

Although Edinburgh, Scotland, physician Dr. Joseph Lister had discovered that being free of microorganisms reduced the risk of hospitalacquired infections, it took years for doctors to get rid of their black coats.

A few pioneering Germans seized on the idea of the surgeon as a scientist. They traded in their black coats for pristine laboratory whites.

And it’s not just tradition that keeps physicians in white coats.

Doctors give a variety of reasons for wearing them – to carry papers, hospitals are cold, or for a confidence boost when facing a stressful situation.

Yet the situation is notably different in many countries in Europe. In

Patients rarely perceive that white coats can be covered with bacteria.

MARKETPLACE

the United Kingdom, for example, physicians simply don’t wear white coats when seeing patients because they have adopted a “bare below the elbows” policy.

A few months ago, Dr. Vineet Chopra and Dr. Sanjay Saint wrote an article arguing that patients prefer white coats.

I disagree. At least one study from Scotland suggested that patients feel that their doctors’ appearance was not as important as compassion, politeness and knowledge.

And patients felt an impression of cleanliness and good personal hygiene were more important. In fact, patients preferred a “smart casual” style of dress, which conformed with a “bare below the elbows” dress code policy.

In any event, patient preferences are primarily shaped by cultural norms rather than medical evidence.

Patients rarely perceive that white coats can be covered with bacteria, that coats are infrequently washed, that white coats can make a health care worker’s hands dirtier, and that coats could lead to serious infections. n Dr. Philip Lederer is an infectious disease physician in Boston.

Distributed by The Associated Press.

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OPINION EDITORIALS

Remote access to public meetings a pandemic legacy to celebrate

MORE ACCESS: John Marion, executive director of Common Cause Rhode Island, says the General Assembly needs to pass legislation preserving remote access to public meetings after the pandemic ends.

PBN FILE PHOTO/ MICHAEL SALERNO

There are few positive things the pandemic will be remembered for, but the ability of government to be able to reach out to more citizens through public meetings via Zoom and other online platforms should be one of them.

“The pandemic showed us people could participate [in government] remotely,” said John Marion, Common Cause Rhode Island executive director. “The public has responded by showing up.”

But how long they’ll continue to be able to do so is uncertain in most communities. An executive order issued by Gov. Daniel J. McKee allowing public government meetings to be held virtually expires at the end of the month. Mr. Marion does not expect it to be renewed.

Common Cause and other groups are pressing the General Assembly to pass legislation preserving remote access to public meetings. That’s because not all local officials like remote access. The reasons include increased costs and aversions to more openness or longer meetings, he says.

What’s best for the public, however, are hybrid, in-person meetings with remote access. And state lawmakers should pass legislation allowing local communities to make that a pandemic legacy worth celebrating.

It’s a topic Mr. Marion’s group and others will be discussing via Zoom on March 23, in recognition of Sunshine Week. It’s an annual reminder of the importance of open government and freedom of information. Events around the country educate the public on these rights and the need to fight to preserve and strengthen them.

You can register for the local discussion at Commoncauseri.org. n

Yes, ‘it’s an employees’ market’ “It’s an employees’ market,” said Lisa Abbott, Lifespan Corp.’s senior vice president of human relations and community affairs, at PBN’s March 8 Workforce Development Summit. And with 2,300 job openings to fill, she knows the reality better than most.

The message from Abbott and other panelists to employers was to use every tool at their disposal to retain employees and recruit new ones. While salary increases and traditional job perks still matter, they are no longer enough in many cases.

Younger workers, in particular, are often most interested in flexible work schedules and the opportunity to work remotely. For many smaller businesses that can’t compete with the deep pockets of large employers such as Lifespan, that’s a good thing.

But Lifespan, the state’s largest employer, is also embarking on a marketing campaign with lessons for every business. It’s relying on employees to share their stories to help recruit new hires.

Your workers are your best assets. Treat them right and they’ll be your best recruiters too. n

Read even MORE business news on PBN.com

POLL CENTRAL EXECUTIVE POLL

Getting to know you Do you typically attend events for networking purposes?

Do these events benefit you and your business?

Yes: 86%

Yes: 86%

No: 14%

No: 14%

Do you prefer attending networking events in person or virtually?

Do you regularly attend business development seminars and workshops?

In person: 83%

Yes: 57%

Depends on the circumstances: 17%

No: 43%

Virtually: 0% The Providence Business News Executive Poll is a weekly survey of 70 business leaders throughout the state, representing small and large companies in a variety of industries.

PBN.COM POLL

Is this the right time for Rhode Island to legalize adult recreational marijuana use?

MARCH 4-10 Yes, we are already losing muchneeded revenue to neighboring states

47%

No, much of the business community remains opposed

29%

Yes, we can learn from other states to ensure proper regulation

10%

No, because it is still illegal under federal law

8% I’m not sure 5%

Should the state and local communities continue providing remote access to most public meetings after the pandemic ends?

THIS WEEK’S POLL:

•Y es, it increases government transparency and public input • Yes, but only if the meetings are also held in person • No, it would be too costly and time-consuming for most boards • No, public meetings are too difficult to follow online • I’m not sure To vote, go to PBN.com and follow the link on the home page

36 | MARCH 18-31, 2022 | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | www.pbn.com

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OPINION OPINION

It’s time to take stock of housing options CELINEMARIE PASCALE GUEST COLUMN

The United States is facing an expanding gap between how much workers earn and how much they have to pay for housing.

Workers have faced stagnant wages for the past 40 years. Yet the cost of rent has steadily increased during that time, with sharp increases of 14% to 40% over the past two years.

Now, more than ever, workers are feeling the stress of the affordable housing crisis.

While I was conducting research in economically hard-hit communities from Appalachia to Oakland, Calif., nearly every person I met was experiencing the painful reality of being caught between virtually stagnant wages and rising housing costs.

I had expected that low-wage workers would struggle with the cost of housing. I did not expect to meet people who worked two jobs and lived with roommates and still struggled to pay their bills.

For perspective, a person making $14 an hour would have to work 89 hours a week to cover the rent on a “modest” one-bedroom rental, estimated to cost $1,615 per month, according to a 2021 study by the National Low-Income Housing Coalition.

Millions of workers earn less than $14 an hour. Among U.S. employees, the average hourly earnings, adjusted for inflation, were only $11.22 in 2022.

In January 2022, median rents in the U.S.

reached their highest level yet. The average median cost of one-bedroom units in the 50 largest metro areas rose from $1,386 in 2020 to $1,652 in 2022.

Households that spend more than 30% of their income on rent are referred to as “cost burdened,” according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. In 2019, 37.1 million households, or 30.2% of all U.S. households, fit this category. The situation has worsened since the pandemic.

The financial burden of the increasing cost of rent falls hardest on the half of workers in the U.S. who earn less than $35,000 each year. After paying rent, about 80% of renter households with incomes under $30,000 have between $360 and $490 left to cover all other expenses, including food, health care, transportation and child care.

Oakland has been described by gentrification experts as the new center of the nationwide affordable housing crisis.

A growing tech industry in San Francisco, a lack of affordable housing, weak rent control laws and a predominance of low-wage service industry jobs contribute to the shortage of affordable housing in Oakland.

Vanessa Torres is one of the more than 15,000 people who live in a low-income neighborhood in Oakland known as “the Deep East.” When I spoke with Torres in 2020, the worry in her voice was clear.

The situation has worsened since the pandemic.

In 2019, the midpoint for monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Oakland was $2,300.

Torres would need to earn almost $50 per hour, approximately $96,000 a year, to be able to afford $2,300 a month in rent, according to the nonprofit California Housing Partnership Corp. Torres earns roughly $50,000 a year as an educator.

Elected officials across the country have tried to address the affordable housing crisis through proposals to raise the minimum wage and to mandate more-meaningful rent control. They have also proposed greater government investment in affordable housing, and pursued partnerships with developers. As yet, none of these efforts have been successful to any significant extent.

Countries with more government control over the economy have taken a different approach to affordable housing. For example, Nordic countries treat the development of low- and medium-cost housing as a public utility. This reduces and stabilizes housing prices by removing the cost of land, construction, finance and management from the speculative market. They have succeeded in producing quality housing that is subsidized and permanently price restricted.

Known as social housing in Denmark, this strategy has produced 20% of the total available housing there.

Given the affordable housing problems in the U.S., taking stock of other options could provide some inspiration. n Celine-Marie Pascale is a professor of sociology at American University. Distributed

by The Associated Press.

Teacher turnover may not be as bad as expected CHRISTOPHER REDDING, ALLISON GILMOUR, ELIZABETH BETTINI AND TUAN D. NGUYEN GUEST COLUMN

Every spring, school and district leaders ask teachers about their plans to return to teaching in the fall. They need to know how many teachers to begin recruiting for the next school year.

These career conversations are currently taking place under the unprecedented circumstances brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Stories from across the country show high levels of teacher stress and burnout from repeated and long-term disruptions to school routines.

School leaders are worried about whether they’ll have enough teachers to keep classrooms staffed. In a January 2022 poll of members of the country’s largest teacher union, the National Education Association, 55% of educators said the pandemic has made them more likely to leave the teaching profession earlier than they had planned. That’s nearly double the proportion of teachers who said that in July 2020.

Among Black and Hispanic teachers, the percentages of teachers saying they have accelerated their plans to leave teaching were even greater – 62% and 59%, respectively.

Despite these signals of increased turnover, the past two years have not experienced mass departures from teaching.

In the past, teachers who were looking to leave didn’t depart immediately, so there’s some hope that the current crop of burned-

out teachers won’t either.

We looked at national data from over 100,000 public school teachers from 2004 to 2012. Of the teachers who said they would leave the profession “as soon as possible,” 34% had left the field by the following school year, and 66% were still teaching. By contrast, of the teachers who said they planned to remain in teaching as long as possible, just 5% left the profession, and 95% kept teaching the following year.

Teachers’ feelings about departure can change throughout the year. The 2021-2022 school year helps to illustrate this ebb and flow in teachers’ career plans.

The high rates of teacher absences during the surge of the omicron variant added additional responsibilities on an already strained teacher workforce. A teacher in Memphis, Tenn., who eventually quit said she was assigned nearly 200 additional students beyond her normal teaching load when a colleague quit midyear.

A beginning teacher in Colorado reflected in one report: “I also might want to just do it for one more year, just to kind of be more stable financially. If you asked me if I’ll be in the classroom in two years, or three years, I say those odds are even lower.”

As omicron wanes, teachers’ urgent feelings to leave may ease.

Changing personal circumstances may

also influence teachers’ decisions to leave.

Many teachers depend on employer-provided health insurance and would want to find a job with comparable benefits.

Some teachers are keeping their jobs while they figure out their next steps. For example, one North Carolina teacher says she is thinking about going back to school for a new degree outside of education.

Based on our research, we think it unlikely that most teachers who say they plan to leave teaching as soon as possible will actually leave this school year.

However, if even one-third of teachers who say they’re leaving the profession do so, that would be significantly more than the 8% of teachers who leave in an average year.

Teachers are clearly sounding the alarm about stress, burnout, dissatisfaction with school and district leadership, and other working conditions – even if they do stay in their jobs. n Christopher Redding is an assistant professor of educational leadership at the University of Florida. Allison Gilmour is an assistant professior of education at Temple University.

Elizabeth Bettini is an assistant professor of special education at Boston University.

Tuan D. Nguyen is an assistant professor of education at Kansas State University.

Distributed by The Associated Press.

www.pbn.com | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | MARCH 18-31, 2022 | 37

ONE LAST THING To motivate, inspire

Craig A. Pickell Bullard Abrasives, Inc. and Marvel Abrasive Products LLC CEO and president; Rhode Island Manufacturers Association chairman Craig Pickell has been the principal and CEO of Bullard Abrasives for more than 20 years. Bullard Abrasives was founded in 1927 in Westborough, Mass., and relocated to Lincoln, R.I., in 2006. Marvel Abrasives Products of Chicago was acquired in 2014 and relocated to Lincoln in 2017.

MOTIVATION!

One of my most compelling life lessons came from a chance, faceto-face meeting with Herman Cain. For those unfamiliar with Herman, he was the gold standard for consummate overachievers. He joined Pillsbury Co. as an executive at Burger King, producing a legacy of accomplishments that prompted his appointment to chairman and CEO of Godfather’s Pizza. He took responsibility for a losing brand and created an award-winning franchise business that was one of the most profitable divisions in the Pillsbury portfolio. He was also chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City and a senior economic adviser to the late Bob Dole’s presidential campaign. This guy knew his stuff.

Herman’s lesson was simple, and one he made passionately at every possible opportunity was that you can never motivate

people, but you can provide the inspiration that ignites our motivation. Throughout his years managing people, he learned that motivation comes from a deep reservoir within each of us, that we all possess that energy to make good things happen, but it is our responsibility and decision to either let it flow or remain untapped.

His experience taught him the secret to harnessing this natural pool of “let’s get it done” energy was simply to identify ways to “inspire” us through leadership’s own actions and projection of confidence.

Within the Bullard/Marvel employee family we encourage and coach our folks to expand their knowledge, learn new techniques, work as a team and, most of all, implement their ideas. We have successfully managed through our fair share of challenges due in large part to applying Herman’s philosophy.

It is pretty simple, focus on inspiring folks each and every day – and the motivation takes care of itself. n PBN FILE PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

38 | MARCH 18-31, 2022 | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | www.pbn.com

April 7, 2022 Tune in to NBC 10 WJAR beginning with Sunrise and continuing throughout the day’s newscasts as we celebrate Rhode Island Hospital’s excellence in care.

To learn more, visit rihdayofgiving.org rihdayofgiving.org.

S

uffering from a rare arthritic condition in his left knee and a rotational deformity that led to unexpected, excruciating dislocations of the kneecap, Michael Friend had lost confidence in his ability to walk. For the active 53-year-old who enjoyed biking, kayaking, skiing and lifting weights, his quality of life was at a crossroad.

“It hurt just to move around,” he recalls.

After dislocating his patella three times in a short period in 2021, Michael knew something had to be done.

He connected with Rhode Island Hospital and University Orthopedics surgeon Derek Jenkins, MD, who specializes in complex reconstructive joint replacements. Because of Michael’s relative young age and desire to return to an active lifestyle, Dr. Jenkins needed to think outside the box for the implant to use.

“This really was a custom surgical procedure,” says Dr. Jenkins.

The solution for Michael would come in the form of a device—neverbefore-used at Rhode Island Hospital—made from a special porous metal and utilizing ‘un-cemented’ fixation technology. This technology not only allowed for greater rotation mobility, but would also last longer.

“This was a difficult situation that would have been overwhelming if I had to leave Rhode Island for the procedure I needed.”

—Michael Friend

Michael underwent surgery last fall, just prior to the Omicron-fueled COVID-19 surge that paused elective procedures. Within two weeks, Michael was walking comfortably for the first time in years and back to work. And in the months since, he’s ramped up his activities, lifting weights and going to the gym with his sons. This summer, he’s eager to bike and kayak without the nervous concerns he used to have.

“I try to not think about where I’d be without the surgery, but I know I’d be struggling physically and emotionally. The emotions you battle when you’re worried to walk are a lot.”

You can meet Michael and hear more about his innovative joint replacement during the Day of Giving on April 7.

Thank you to our media sponsor

www.pbn.com | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | MARCH 18-31, 2022 | 39

BRISTO COUNT SAVING BANK

We’ve Got This Down to a Science At Amgen, we aspire to be the best human therapeutics company.

Whether we’re creating medicines to fight serious illnesses and combat unmet medical needs - or hiring a diverse and talented workforce Amgen Rhode Island is what happens when an ideal location meets an incredible workforce.

We’re Up and Running Our newest facility in West Greenwich, RI completed construction in 2020, is the first of its kind for Amgen in the United States and fully operational. This new plant incorporates multiple innovative technologies within a single location and will help our existing plant - now 20 years running reliably produce and deliver medicines to patients who need them. Both plants will work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to fulfill our mission to bring medicines to every patient, every time. What’s more, our new plant saves more energy, consumes less water and emits less CO2.

We’re Honored (again) For 14 years running, Amgen Rhode Island has been proud to be named by Providence Business News as a Best Place to Work in Rhode Island. It’s a direct result of creating an environment that enables our workforce to realize its full potential, a workforce that we’re proud to report is more diverse and highly skilled than ever before.

40 | MARCH 18-31, 2022 | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | www.pbn.com