PBN August 4, 2023

R.I. TOURISM STAYS LOCAL Giving Latinos a voice on radio

EVERYBODY’S BUSINESS

Regional campaigns lead the way this summer

BY CHRISTOPHER ALLEN | Allen@PBN.com

JUSTdays before the start of the high season in Newport in early July, local tourism officials gathered to talk status and strategy.

At the meeting of the 18-member board of directors for the Newport and Bristol Counties Visitors and Convention Bureau – otherwise known as Discover Newport – the leaders of hospitality and tourism had much to discuss, including signing off on a $5.3 million budget for the next fiscal year.

The Discover Newport sales team reported that it recently coordinated a visit from a group of Italian journalists in hopes of garnering glowing coverage online and in print to woo travelers from abroad.

There was talk of the success of the free

“Hop On, Hop Off” R.I. Public Transit Authority bus loop to various tourist attractions – financed through a partnership that included R.I. Commerce Corp.

Another encouraging sign: The sales team had returned to selling group visits of as many as 500 – most recently a conference of finance industry professionals – a sharp rebound from the pandemic-era groups that often maxed out at five.

“During COVID, it was practically against the law to meet,” said Timothy Walsh, Discover Newport vice president of sales. “The atmosphere is back to pre-COVID. The rest of the world is opening up.”

BY SAM WOOD | Contributing Writer

(Editor’s note: This is the 36th installment in a monthly series speaking with minority business owners and leaders. Each will be asked for their view on minoritybusiness conditions in the state and for ways to improve those businesses’ chances for success.)

WHEN LISTENERS TO WPMZ AM-FM turn on their radios, they’re not just listening for music and entertainment.

“They are tuning in for community,” said Anthony “Tony” Mendez, the owner of the twin stations best known as Poder 1110 AM and Power 102.1 FM.

Demographically, Latinos make up about 20% of Rhode SEE MENDEZ PAGE 15

Rivera

For more information, see pages 4-5.

PETAL POWER: Thousands of tourists were drawn to the 27th Newport Flower Show at the Gilded Age mansion Marble House in late June, one of many events on the schedule for local tourism officials this summer as they compete with other destinations for visitors.

PBN PHOTO/DAVID HANSEN

‘Still so many barriers’ for women in the trades

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FOR STARTERS

TRENDING

Most-read stories on PBN.com, July 2023

1

Brown’s new performing arts center name sparks outrage among Cambodian Rhode Islanders

POSTED ONLINE: JULY 24 Brown University’s Lindemann Performing Arts Center drew criticism from the Alliance of Rhode Island Southeast Asians for Education. Alliance Executive Director Chanda Womack said the Lindemann family has “a legacy of buying stolen artifacts of Cambodia.” tinyurl.com/47wck4vv

2

147-turbine offshore wind project suffers another setback

POSTED ONLINE: JULY 13

The R.I. Energy Facility Siting Board did not issue SouthCoast Wind Energy LLC an approval for power transmission lines to run from the turbine farm through Rhode Island waters. SouthCoast wanted to develop an offshore lease area in federal waters about 30 miles south of Martha’s Vineyard, with one cable corridor going through local waters. tinyurl.com/ytvcdtd6

VISIT PBN.com FOR DETAILS

3

3 car dealerships to pay $557K to settle deceptive practice charges with state

POSTED ONLINE: JULY 26

R.I. Attorney General Peter F.Neronha announced that Grieco Honda and Grieco Hyundai of Johnston and Grieco Toyota of East Providence will pay a combined $557,815 to settle claims that the dealerships charged customers automatic add-ons and fees not included in the advertising price and other such practices. tinyurl.com/y63rf9ew

5

4CEO of IGT Global Lottery Fabio Cairoli dies unexpectedly

POSTED ONLINE: JULY 10

Fabio Cairoli, CEO of International Game Technology PLC Global Lottery since 2020, died unexpectedly. Before stepping into the Global Lottery CEO position, Cairoli served as CEO of IGT’s Italian operations beginning in 2015, when Providence-based GTECH Corp. merged with International Game Technology in Las Vegas to create the current iteration of IGT. tinyurl.com/bdemmyhn

PBN unveils 2023 Leaders & Achievers

POSTED ONLINE: JULY 7

Providence Business News named 27 honorees for its 2023 Leaders & Achievers Awards program, now in its fifth year. The individuals were selected from multiple nominees based on their leadership, achievements and long-standing commitment to the business community. tinyurl.com/mpkwcfm6

6

6 R.I. companies among Newsweek’s best workplaces

POSTED ONLINE: JULY 11 tinyurl.com/6wjs6efh

7 Rhode Island Energy denies Revolution Wind 2 bid

POSTED ONLINE: JULY 18 tinyurl.com/4rswdweb

For sponsorship and advertising opportunities, contact 680.4800 or Advertising@PBN.com

presenting sponsors

8

SHAKY GROUND: Distressed office real estate could undermine banks, wider economy

PUBLISHED IN PRINT: JULY 7 tinyurl.com/mr2kn5rp

9 Young professionals honored during PBN’s 40 Under Forty event

POSTED ONLINE: JULY 21 tinyurl.com/3epnft67

10

Local physician surrenders license for multiple violations, including storing expired medicines

POSTED ONLINE: JULY 18 tinyurl.com/yc5befuu

COURTESY BROWN UNIVERSITY

COURTESY PETER F. NERONHA

Six months after the legalization of recreational cannabis in Rhode Island, the Cannabis Commission has been appointed. PBN’s 2023 Business of Cannabis Summit will feature a panel discussion with various industry experts, business executives, educators and community leaders to discuss the key obstacles the industry is facing and whether the potential revenue impact to the state, local businesses and economy will ever be realized.

KIMBERLY AHERN Chairperson RI Cannabis Control Commission

Keynote Speaker

PBN FILE PHOTO/ RUPERT WHITELEY

AP FILE PHOTO/DAVID GOLDMAN

FOR STARTERS

5Q: Brent Runyon

Former executive director, Providence Preservation Society

BY SAM WOOD | Contributing Writer

1Now that you’ve stepped down, what accomplishments are you most proud of in the decade you led the preservation society? It’s been a long 10 years and we’ve accomplished a lot. I’m most proud of the increased level of advocacy that the organization has achieved on various issues. We had been strong on education and fundraising for many years. But it was the board’s goal that advocacy be brought to the fore. We did that in a number of ways, by working with partners to preserve houses on the Brown Univer sity campus and the three-year effort to defeat the Fane tower.

2

What do you wish you were able to accomplish but didn’t?

I wish that we’d been able to bring back the State Historic Tax Credit. It was one of the most effective financial tools for the rehabilitation of commercial buildings. It made preservation work more affordable by allowing developers to pair it with the federal HTC. The fact we don’t have it means that many buildings aren’t being redeveloped.

4The PPS was outspoken in its opposition to the Fane tower, the proposed high-rise along the Providence River. What is your assessment of other structures that have been built or are scheduled for construction in the I-195 Redevelopment District?

The proposed buildings that complied with all zoning and city and state ordinances have been built in short order, when the financials were right, even when there was some consternation from us or others about their designs. Overall, it’s great to see so much new housing and a renewed focus on the riverfront as a public amenity.

5As well as being a licensed real estate associate with Residential Properties Ltd., you’re launching a consultancy focused on historic preservation called Runyon Heritage Associates. What work do you foresee doing?

3

Every year the PPS posts a list of the city’s most endangered properties. Which are you most worried about now? The Broad Street Synagogue. Since becoming vacant, thieves have stolen copper, including flashing. It’s substantially deteriorated and doesn’t have a permanent roof. It was sold to the current owner in 2016. It’s a blight on the South Providence neighborhood.

The consultancy will serve both forprofit and nonprofit organizations and include tax-credit consulting and helping developers and owners get through the regulatory review process. I’ll be doing research for the National Register for Historic Places and working on feasibility studies for cities and organizations that want to set up a revolving fund program. n

THERE ARE SIGNS OF A CHANGING OF THE guard in the restaurant scene in the state, reflected in the announcements in July of some new appointments to the Rhode Island Hospitality Education Foundation board of directors: Kevin O’Donnell, owner and chef of Giusto at Hammetts Hotel and the new Mother Pizzeria at Long Wharf Mall, both in Newport, and Julia Broome, owner of the downtown Providence eatery Kin Southern Table + Bar

O’Donnell started his hospitality journey at a young age, working various roles in local establishments, including the Bonnet Shores Beach Club and Junction Pizzeria in North Kingstown, where his passion for cooking was ignited under chef Walter Slater’s mentorship.

O’Donnell pursued his passion at Johnson & Wales University, during which time he had the opportunity to have an internship in Italy for four months. After returning to Rhode Island, he became chef de cuisine at Trattoria del Corso in East Greenwich before returning to Italy and immersing himself in traditional Italian cuisine at Ristorante Zeppelin in Orvieto. He then explored opportunities at Newport Restaurant Group’s Castle Hill Inn in Newport, Del Posto in New York City, and L’Office in Paris, where his fusion of French and Italian flavors earned him critical acclaim.

In 2012, O’Donnell partnered with the owners of The Salty Pig in Boston, where he played a pivotal

FOR STARTERS

DINING OUT | BRUCE NEWBURY

Changing of the guard

role in creating and enhancing their pasta program. After three years, O’Donnell and co-chef Michael Lombardi embarked on a new culinary venture, opening SRV in Boston in June 2016. This Venetian-style Bacaro and wine bar quickly gained recognition. [“Bacaro” is the term Venetians use for bars that offer an “ombra” (small glass of wine) and a “cicchetto” (a small bite to eat) – an Italian take on tapas.] In addition to widespread critical acclaim, the venue received 4-star reviews and a James Beard Award nomination.

O’Donnell eventually settled back in Rhode Island, opening two successful restaurants in Newport. The latest concept, an authentic Neapolitan pizzeria, is the second in town, opening just blocks away from the iconic Imbriglio’s Pizzeria Napoletana, owned and operated by the equally iconic Richard Sardella, who led the first wave of the restaurant boom in Newport when he opened Sardella’s Ristorante Italiano in 1980.

Julia Broome, who has more than 10 years of experience in hospitality,

catering and events, began her career at the Greater Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau, connecting meeting planners and tourists with unique venues, restaurants and attractions. She then worked at Showcase Live at Patriot Place in Foxborough, Mass., coordinating weddings, product launches, VIP parties and concerts. She played a key role in the opening of the Plainridge Park Casino – the first casino in Massachusetts – handling staff hiring, training and community fundraising.

Recently, Broome worked as an account manager at Global Experience Specialists, overseeing trade shows and events for numerous clients. After being laid off during the pandemic, she pursued her dream and successfully opened her own restaurant, Kin Southern Table + Bar.

The hospitality education foundation’s mission is to develop, support and promote career growth opportunities within the hospitality industry to benefit students, organizations and the economy. This mission is achieved through the foundation’s work with youths, unemployed adults and incumbent employees. The foundation’s focus is on career awareness, providing work-readiness training and offering occupational skills training. n

“Dining Out With Bruce Newbury,” syndicated weekly on radio, can be heard in Rhode Island, Connecticut, Vermont and Indiana. Contact Bruce at bruce@brucenewbury.com.

To purchase tickets, hover over the QR code with your phone camera, or visit PBN.com/events

NEW BLOOD: Kevin O’Donnell, owner and chef of Newport restaurants Giusto and Mother Pizzeria, was recently appointed to the Rhode Island Hospitality Education Foundation board of directors.

FOR STARTERS

Stay calm, prepare to learn

BY SAM WOOD | Contributing Writer

JENNY GAYNOR was a successful elementary school teacher for nearly two decades before setting her sights on a second career.

“Education is more than stuffing their heads with facts,” Gaynor said. “There’s an urgent need to address kids’ well-being. That’s my focus now.”

In July 2022, Gaynor bid farewell to her last classroom of third graders.

“I got an opportunity to take a leap, quit my job and started Calm Education,” she said.

Calm Education helps children become ready to learn.

In one-on-one sessions, Gaynor coaches kids in social and emotional learning.

“I help them overcome anxiety over tests and stressors in the classroom and elsewhere,” she said.

She works out of her Barrington home but also makes house calls.

Gaynor employs “the CASEL 5” to address self-awareness, selfmanagement, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making.

Gaynor trained at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, is a certified yoga teacher and holds a master’s degree in special education.

Since November, she’s taught calming techniques to more than 50 students. Her goal is to return to the schools with her calming program. n

Car condos revving up

Units also feature a luxury lounge, amenities

IN ONE UNIT RESIDES A FERRARI, a 1962 Corvette

convertible and a Porsche 911 from the 1980s.

A few doors down, there’s a gleaming 1969 Pontiac GTO restored to its muscle car glory. It’s kept company by another 1969 Pontiac, a Firebird in showroom condition, and a 1950 BMW motorcycle.

The Newport Car Vaults on Aquidneck Island officially opened for business in June.

The 26 vaults are billed as “luxury motorsport lifestyle garage condominiums.” But each unit could be considered a private pocket museum, where the objects on display are exquisitely preserved and extraordinarily valuable automobiles from the golden age of motoring.

Holding up to 12 cars, each unit sports a luxury lounge on a mezzanine where owners can savor their collections. Some units are equipped with granite floors, pneumatic lifts, crystal chandeliers, original art on the walls, specialty track lighting, home theaters, cigar humidors, and rare-scotch bars.

Blake Henderson is the brains behind the operation. He once ran Northeast Engineers & Consultants on the property, at 55 John Clarke Road, in Middletown. In 2014, he sold the company and converted the building into an office complex. But rents were soft on the island.

TYPE OF BUSINESS: Luxury storage units for cars

“And I was looking for a way to generate more business,” he said.

Henderson’s friends owned collectible cars that they considered appreciating assets.

“They were always complaining they couldn’t find someplace secure to store them,” he said.

He looked at his 2 acres, figured he had enough space for another building, and started looking into the economics of what was, in essence, a set of very upscale garages.

“I was in construction, I saw the sales prices of similar car condo projects in California and Florida,” Henderson said. “I did the grocery math and recognized this could be a real business here.”

He hired an architect and specified that each unit be outfitted with its own robust security system and climate controls.

Even before he had applied for the special permits, his car-collecting friends opened their checkbooks. Henderson was staggered.

“They all wanted in,” he said.

Then the COVID-19 pandemic struck. His office tenants left the complex to work from home.

The pandemic didn’t deter the car collectors. Before going to his bank, his car condos were already

LOCATION: 55 John Clarke Road, Middletown EMPLOYEES: One, plus various contractors as needed

BY SAM WOOD | Contributing Writer

70% pre-sold. Financing was not a problem.

“I also had people who needed space for 30 or 40 cars, something the size of an airplane hanger,” Henderson said. “I couldn’t help them, but the business model has worked out fantastically. We’re almost completely sold-out now.”

He knocked down his office building. He’s weighing another battery of car condos.

Car culture in Newport is exploding, Henderson said. He points to the Audraine Museum and the Newport Car Museum in Portsmouth.

“The area has become a magnet for car people over the summer. I think it will continue to grow,” he said.

Units can cost up to $850,000 each. People are prohibited from living in them. His clients visit their babies regularly.

“You have to operate them, otherwise the cars decay and they lose value. But we haven’t gotten to the point where they ask property management to drive them,” he said.

Henderson enjoys automobiles, but he’s not as monomaniacal about them as his clients.

“I never had the time to collect cars,” he said. “My first car, however, was a ’65 Ford Mustang. If I found another one in good shape, I’d buy it.” n

FOUNDED: 2022

ANNUAL SALES: WND

CAR CONDO: Bob Gett, left, visits his car condominium at the Newport Car Vaults in Middletown and speaks with company owner Blake Henderson, who launched the venture in 2022 and officially opened the units in June 2023.

PBN PHOTO/DAVID HANSEN

ONE-ON-ONE: Jenny Gaynor, owner of Calm Education, reads to her daughter, Ella. Gaynor coaches kids in social and emotional learning.

PBN PHOTO/RUPERT WHITELEY

OWNER: Blake Henderson

Ryan: Fighting tax deal could be costly

BY JACQUELYN VOGHEL | Voghel@PBN.com

THE PROVIDENCE CITY COUNCIL’S recent move to pursue legal action against a local developer’s tax deal may help the city recoup revenue from previously granted breaks, which officials say were bestowed inappropriately, but some fear that the method and timing of this action could cost the city in other ways.

The tax deal, approved under the administration of former Providence Mayor Jorge O. Elorza, would have granted entities controlled by Arnold “Buff” Chace around $42.5 million in savings over 30 years, drawing from tax breaks on 10 downtown buildings that those entities own.

But since that time, concerns over the deal have arisen. In 2022, Providence Internal Auditor Gina M. Costa reported several “legal concerns” in the consent agreement, including the usage of 100% of the area median income to define “affordable units,” rather than the 80% figure used by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The developers also used other measures to inappropriately justify tax credits, Costa says.

Messages left at Cor nish Associates LP, where Chace is managing partner, were not immediately

returned.

The City Council, after a discussion meeting in a late July closed session, near-unanimously approved the decision to hire legal counsel from Wistow, Sheehan & Loveley P.C. to form legal opinions on the agreement. City Councilor Jo-Ann Ryan was the sole dissenting vote.

Ryan, who represents Ward 5, says she believes that the tax deal – and fundamentally, the law that originally spurred the agreement – needs revising, but she adds that hiring legal

REGIONAL PHILANTHROPIC OPPORTUNITIES

This publication connects top level business executives and their employees to the region’s nonprofit offerings.

Profiles of nonprofit organizations highlight their mission and position them as worthy of support by community leaders who can devote their time, talent and treasure.

In addition to the lasting value of the printed guide, additional distribution includes a digital edition on PBN.com for the year, distribution to all attendees of the AFP-RI National Philanthropy Day Awards in November and emailed to the entire PBN database on Giving Tuesday.

counsel isn’t the right step right now.

“I agree with my colleagues, and I agree with [Mayor Brett P. Smiley that] we want to try to claw back some of the tax payments from this deal,” Ryan said.

But she fears that the council’s route will ultimately lead the city down a long, costly litigation path.

“I think there’s a lot on the table that still needs to happen … I think it would have been far more prudent to work it out and negotiate in hopes that we could recover more” than the finances currently under discussion, Ryan said.

The original deal used a tax provision that allows a property owner to pay 8% of the previous year’s rent collections instead of regular property taxes, and was supported by a court settlement.

As it currently exists, the law is overly broad and easy for developers to abuse, Ryan says, and requires

legislative amendments.

Other former and current legislators involved with the original deal, including Elorza and former City Council President John J. Igliozzi, could not be reached or did not respond to a request for comment by PBN’s deadline.

City Council President Rachel Miller did not respond to a request for comment, and Councilor John Goncalves, who represents Ward 1, declined to comment.

City Council spokesperson Parker Gavigan said the council’s attorneys “are on the verge of litigation, and it would not be prudent to comment now.”

While Ryan agrees that tax breaks such as the one granted to Chace shouldn’t receive approval in the first place, she harbors concerns that the recent step to take legal action against the deal will deter other developers from Providence, stymying housing production in a statewide market that already lags the rest of the country.

“It’s a risky posture because we want developers in the city of Providence,” Ryan said. “We want affordable housing … and I just don’t want this to be a threat to that development. Being anti-development is not a good posture.” n

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‘I think it would have been far more prudent to … negotiate.’

JO-ANN RYAN, Providence city councilor

& Associates Law LLC, but as cannabis was legalized in more jurisdictions, the laws surrounding it intrigued her. Clients were asking for advice in areas ranging from plant cultivation and retail dispensaries to licensing and zoning disputes. It was time to launch Green Path as an adjunct practice, and Sheehan has represented hundreds of clients in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. She laughs when asked what legal problems clients wrestle with. “So many. From the beginning, we did a lot of business structuring, setting up bylaws. You get groups who want to get into the cannabis industry because they’re passionate about it, while others have money. We help them figure out how to work together. Or they may have a problem with a trademark. Or it may be an issue finding a business location. Some leases say you can’t violate federal law,” she said. Marijuana use is still illegal on a federal level.

Leaf and law: Sheehan combines her passions

BY SARAH FRANCIS | Contributing Writer

LIFE

lessons come from all directions. Consider the takeaway for Megan Sheehan, a Barrington lawyer: “My great aunties told me, ‘I just discovered vape pens!’ ”

It was an aha moment for Sheehan, who says she now uses cannabis for insomnia.

She’s not alone. “The majority of older members in my extended family are cannabis consumers,” she said.

“When clients began asking me how to get into hemp and CBD, I got excited. It’s interesting legally because cannabis intersects with state, federal and criminal law. There are a lot of gray areas,” she said.

Initially, Sheehan’s practice had been primarily in general law, but she also volunteered with patient advocacy groups. She saw how cannabis could help those with epilepsy or suffering serious pain. Using marijuana lets them avoid opioids.

She started taking clients in the cannabis business in 2017, then launched Green Path Legal, an all-female practice in Barrington that focuses on marijuana issues, in 2022. It was the same year Rhode Island legalized adult recreational use.

A military kid, Sheehan lived in

Massachusetts and North Carolina before the family settled in Lexington, Mass. Her mother, Maura, waitressed while attending law school when Sheehan was in elementary school. “I tagged along to classes with her when I was a kid,” she said. “I never wanted to be a lawyer though.”

After high school, Sheehan headed west, to Macalester College in St. Paul, Minn., a school that emphasizes internationalism, multiculturalism and service to society.

After college, she moved to Philadelphia and a job at the Prometheus Radio Project, a nonprofit that advocates for low-power radio stations as a tool for social justice organizing. “I worked with a telecommunications lawyer who practiced in this boring area of the law but he’d made it interesting,” she said.

She was fascinated by that contradiction and after six years in Philly, enrolled in Vermont Law School. As a student, she volunteered at the Vermont Workers’ Center and after graduation, stayed on as operations director. She eventually moved to southern New England to be closer to family.

Initially, Sheehan worked alongside her mother as a lawyer at Sheehan

BLAZING A TRAIL: As Rhode Island’s cannabis sector has gained traction, attorney Megan Sheehan has been growing her legal practice, Green Path Legal, right along with it.

Part of Sheehan’s work revolves around educating clients appearing before local zoning and planning boards. In a recent case, her firm successfully represented a Black pharmacist who’d won a license to open a compassion center in Woonsocket. The city zoning board had turned down the special use permit, saying, among other things, it wouldn’t fit with the neighborhood, which already had a methadone clinic.

“We appealed it to a Superior Court judge and won,” she said. “Although the judge didn’t rule on the issue of race, we believe it was a factor.”

Although Rhode Island is behind its neighbors in decriminalizing pot use, that’s also an opportunity. The state can learn from the best practices of others, she says.

One lesson that’s already obvious: There are many more cultivational licenses available than those for dispensaries, driving down the price of medical marijuana too far, and threatening those businesses.

Also crystal clear is the huge startup expense. A would-be entrepreneur has to afford rent for a prospective location while waiting for the next lottery of licenses. Simply applying for one can cost $10,000, and the last round of compassionate licenses went for $500,000, although Sheehan says she expects that the fee will drop to $150,000 next time. A cannabis entrepreneur needs deep pockets, which eliminates a lot of historically disadvantaged groups in the community, she says.

To overcome that and to help advance social equity for patients, consumers and entrepreneurs, Green Path co-sponsors regular social equity policy salons around the state. These allow people to network over upcoming legislation. The firm also co-sponsors in-person meetings so those in the cannabis world can share insights. Sheehan is as passionate about the cause as some of her clients.

“I love this area. You meet the most interesting people and you need creative problem-solving. I believe in the plant and its potential to do good in the world,” she said. “The cannabis community is really smart.” n

PBN PHOTO/ RUPERT WHITELEY

‘I believe in the plant and its potential to do good.’

MEGAN SHEEHAN, Green Path Legal founder

United Way launching support center for R.I. nonprofits

BY JAMES BESSETTE | Bessette@PBN.com

(Editor’s note: A version of this story was first published on PBN.com on July 31.)

PROVIDENCE – Nancy Wolanski feels Rhode Island’s nonprofit sector is overlooked, under-resourced and there are not enough adequate investments in the sector.

But she hopes to bring nonprofits in the Ocean State to the forefront of discussion through advocacy and offer such organizations needed support as the inaugural director of the United Way of Rhode Island Inc.’s new nonprofit resource center, which will launch in the fall. Wolanski has been executive director of the Grantmakers Council of Rhode Island for the last eight years.

Wolanski recently told Providence Business News there are some existing resources for nonprofits “in little pockets around the state.” However, the new resource center, she said, plans to provide nonprofits with existing information about those resources in one place, as well as address gaps within the sector. Plus, Wolanski feels it is really important for the center to help the state, the funders and the public gain a better understanding of what the sector is, its impact and its importance to Rhode Island.

“We’re looking to bring the sector together to create partnerships and develop a more sustainable, equitable sector,” she said.

Wolanski said the hub will operate in three equal ways. One is supporting people in the nonprofit sector, such as providing professional development for everyday operations, advocating for better employee wages or supporting improved worker pipelines. She said nonprofits are currently seeing people leave the sector, but there is no “strategic organized effort” to bring new employees into nonprofits.

Another aspect the resource center will provide, Wolanski said, is strengthening local organizations. The hub will assist nonprofits by increasing available funding resources to help organizations receive more charitable giving to support their operations. Also, Wolanski said the hub will provide nonprofits pro bono expertise, such as offering tools to develop online giving platforms.

Additionally, the hub will do more engagement to bring nonprofits led by Black, Indigenous and people of color and funders together, including increasing the capability of these organizations to apply for state and federal funding, Wolanski said. The new center will be more of a “linker” to funders in lieu of directly providing nonprofits funding for their operations, she said.

The R.I. Department of Health, Wolanski said, will also partner with the resource center to do a sector analysis because nonprofits lack data on the sector itself.

The center will also serve as an advocacy voice for nonprofits, looking to speak on any issues the sector is facing and bring them to the attention of local and state-elected officials, Wolanski said. Previously, individual nonprofits would testify at the R.I. Statehouse about issues affecting their clients, and Wolanski said there has been “no mobilization” of the nonprofit sector – one of the largest workforce sectors in Rhode Island – to address nonprofits’ issues affecting the whole sector. This hub, she said, plans to change that.

The new center will be incubated under the United Way and start operating primarily out of the United Way’s office on Valley Street, Wolan ski said. Two people – Wolanski and a member engagement coordinator –will staff the center at the start and it will build operations from there.

While an operational budget is still in the works, Wolanski said the center did receive a $118,000 grant from the R.I. Commerce Corp. for the design process and $1 million from Pappito Opportunity Connection to help with operations.

Wolanski said there is a goal for the center to become its own indepen dent entity down the line. However, she said there is “a need for ongoing philanthropic support” to maintain its operations.

“We’re looking to maybe do an en dowment or something to make sure we have ongoing support,” Wolanski said. “There will be some fee for ser vice and some membership dues, but it will be a mix of all of those.” n

INAUGURAL LEADER: Nancy Wolanski has been named the first director for the United Way of Rhode Island’s new nonprofit resource center, which will launch this fall. COURTESY UNITED WAY OF RHODE ISLAND INC.

FASHION LEADER: Yemi Sekoni, founder and creative director for Rhode Island Fashion Week, will lead a workshop about the business of fashion on Aug. 8 at the Center for Women & Enterprise in Providence.

EDITOR’S CHOICE

R.I. Fashion Week founder to lead ‘Business of Fashion’ workshop

THE CENTER FOR WOMEN & Enterprise will hold a hybrid workshop titled “Business of Fashion: Managing Your Time & Business.” The four-part workshop will focus on clothing, apparel or accessory designers interested in starting or adding to their businesses. Yemi Sekoni, founder and creative director for Rhode Island Fashion Week, will lead the workshop.

TUESDAY, AUG. 8, 5-6 P.M. Free

Center for Women & Enterprise, 132 George M. Cohan Blvd., Providence. INFO AND REGISTRATION: tinyurl.com/34juzfzz

Morning brew

THE SOUTHERN RHODE ISLAND Chamber of Commerce will hold its monthly First Friday Coffee networking event, hosted by Victoria Comfort Photography. The event will bring together various business professionals in a relaxed setting. Coffee will be served.

FRIDAY, AUG. 4, 8-9 A.M. Free Victoria Comfort Photography, 567 South County Trail, Suite 305, Exeter.

INFO AND REGISTRATION: tinyurl.com/bdcpv2kw

Seeking feedback

THE GREATER PROVIDENCE Chamber of Commerce will hold a workshop titled “How to Create a Culture of Empowering Feedback in the Workplace” as part of its Lunch & Learn series, hosted by Sprout CoWorking. In this workshop, attendees will learn the guidelines necessary to provide feedback and learn how to receive it. Donna Rustigan Mac, who heads executive leadership communication and workforce development at iVoice Communication, will lead the discussion.

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 9, 11:30 A.M. TO 1 P.M. Free/members; $15/nonmembers Sprout CoWorking, 166 Valley St., Building 6M, Suite 103, Providence.

INFO AND REGISTRATION: tinyurl.com/4wmsae2w

Establishing connections

THE NORTHERN RHODE ISLAND Chamber of Commerce will hold a networking pop-up event, hosted by Providence Brewing Co. The event will bring together local business professionals and entrepreneurs to build connections with one another in a relaxed setting.

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 9, 5-7 P.M. $20/members; $30/nonmembers Providence Brewing Co., 10 Sims Ave., Unit 110, Providence.

INFO AND REGISTRATION: tinyurl.com/3dc5c8ay

Working waterfront

THE GREATER NEWPORT Chamber of Commerce will hold a discussion titled “Rhode Island Voices – The

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

2023

We are now accepting applications to our Manufacturing Awards Program.

We are looking for innovative and dedicated organizations and leaders who are committed to delivering high quality products and making manufacturing in the state of Rhode Island stronger.

Now entering its 10th year, the PBN Manufacturing Awards recognizes manufacturers in multiple award categories including Lean Manufacturing, Exporting, Workforce Development, Product Innovation & Design and Supply Chain Management.

COURTESY YEMI SEKONI

Working Waterfront” as part of the “Blue & You” speaker series on the state’s blue economy. The event will have attendees explore working waterfronts through stories of people who make their living on the water. Hear about their challenges, as well as innovations that address some of the issues.

THURSDAY, AUG. 10, 8:30-10 A.M. Free

Innovate Newport, 513 Broadway, Newport.

INFO AND REGISTRATION: tinyurl.com/yckvycz4

Breakfast meeting

ONE SOUTHCOAST CHAMBER of Commerce will hold a Business Builders Breakfast event, hosted by the Alzheimer’s Association at The Cottages at Dartmouth Village. Along with networking and learning about the association, attendees will also learn about resources and information for employees and the local community who may be caregivers. Deadline to register is Aug. 10.

TUESDAY, AUG. 15, 8:30-10 A.M. $15

The Cottages at Dartmouth Village, 274 Slocum Road, Dartmouth.

INFO AND REGISTRATION: tinyurl.com/2ujrcwe8

Learning about self-promotion

THE CENTER FOR WOMEN & Enterprise, along with the Women’s Fund of Rhode Island, will hold a virtual workshop titled “#IamRemarkable.” Attendees at the 90-minute workshop will participate in group discussions and exercises to develop the confidence and skills to promote themselves effectively. Attendees will also go through the main exercise to help them articulate their achievements and practice self-promotion.

TUESDAY, AUG. 15, 2-3:30 P.M. Free Online.

INFO AND REGISTRATION: tinyurl.com/4bz588pp

Building new relationships

THE GREATER NEWPORT Chamber of Commerce will hold a Business During Hours networking event. The event will allow attendees to network with fellow members of the business community over a complimentary, casual networking lunch. Speak with Chamber representatives and learn more about the organization and how membership can benefit your business.

THURSDAY, AUG. 17, NOON TO 1 P.M. Free/members; $10/nonmembers

Innovate Newport, 513 Broadway, Newport.

INFO AND REGISTRATION: tinyurl.com/mahpyw3e

Noontime networking

THE TAUNTON AREA Chamber of Commerce will hold a Noontime Networking event, hosted by Old Colony YMCA – Taunton Branch. Attendees will have the opportunity to build business connections over a light lunch. There will also be tours of the new YMCA building.

THURSDAY, AUG. 24, NOON. Free Old Colony YMCA – Taunton Branch, 71 Cohannet St., Taunton.

INFO AND REGISTRATION: tinyurl.com/2hhvtbkn

All revved up

CUDDLES OF HOPE FOUNDATION will hold its Car and Bike Show. Various classic vehicles will be on display. All proceeds will support the nonprofit, which works to help comfort children in need.

SUNDAY, AUG. 27, 9 A.M. to 1 P.M. Free Governor Notte Park, 2 Governor Notte Parkway, North Providence.

INFO AND REGISTRATION: tinyurl.com/2kdwtfzz

Summer business bash

ONE SOUTHCOAST CHAMBER of Commerce will hold its annual End of Summer Business After Hours Bash, hosted by Servpro of DartmouthNew Bedford. The event will provide complimentary drinks and hors d’oeuvres. There will be plenty of time for attendees to network and build business connections with one another.

THURSDAY, AUG. 31, 4:30-7 P.M. Free

Servpro of Dartmouth-New Bedford, 1476 Purchase St., New Bedford.

INFO AND REGISTRATION: tinyurl.com/5ajn3fsp

UPCOMING PBN EVENT:

The 2023 Healthiest Employers Awards Program will be held on Thursday, Aug. 10, from 9-11 a.m. at the Providence Marriott. For more information, visit PBN.com. For sponsorship opportunities, contact Advertising@PBN.com.

TOURISM CAMPAIGNS

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Still, amid the enthusiasm at the board meeting, there were hints of the challenges this summer, too.

The return of tourism means the return of international competition, Walsh said after the meeting.

“People are swarming Europe for vacations,” he said. “Everyone out there is out there beating the drums saying, ‘Come see us.’ COVID is in the rearview mirror. And there are a lot of choices out there. So, you’ve got to stay at the forefront.”

Discover Newport isn’t the only group trying to stay at the forefront, not even in little ol’ Rhode Island.

Similar discussions have taken place throughout Rhode Island as officials in the state’s six tourism districts plan how to promote their individual slices of the Ocean State and attract cash-laden visitors for their busiest months in July, August and September.

It hasn’t exactly been smooth sailing in the first month or so.

Realtors acknowledge that in many places shortterm vacation rentals have been lackluster this year, with listings staying open longer and renting at lower rates. The hit-or-miss weather patterns haven’t helped, either, keeping some day trippers away. Likewise, some restaurants in tourist hotspots have acknowledged so-so sales.

A lot rides on the success of the high tourist season.

R.I. Commerce says spending by visitors to the state totaled $5.3 billion in 2022 – 17% higher than in 2021 – and that spending sustained more than 84,300 jobs, including 57,500 direct jobs. That’s 1 in 8 Rhode Island jobs that has ties to tourism.

Local tourism leaders say they’ve been working closely with officials at R.I. Commerce on promotion and attracting people from untapped markets and demographics, even though there’s been no apparent overarching message and tagline such as the catchy “fun-sized” campaign from a few years ago.

But some say it ultimately comes down to the work done by the state’s six local tourism councils.

“We now work hand in hand [with the state] on many things,” Walsh said. “You need a state effort with a targeted message, but you also need regional ones because everyone is trumpeting their own song.”

DISTRICT DIVERSITY

That’s largely been the case since 1985, when state leaders carved up Rhode Island into six tourism regions, administered by local councils and overlaid by a statewide district overseen by R.I. Commerce.

The regions are varied in their attractions and resources, from Block Island to the Blackstone Valley, and are funded by a hotel tax paid by guests, 45% of which goes to the tourism district, 25% to the state, 25% to the city or town where the hotel is located, and 5% to the

Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau

Overall, the districts received $8.8 million in fiscal 2023, up 10% over 2022, but the shares vary widely, depending on how many visitors are drawn to those areas. Newport received $4 million in 2023, while Blackstone Valley in northern Rhode Island got $565,765.

Robert Billington

would like to receive more money, but he’s not complaining.

For decades, the president of the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council has been extolling the sights in the northern reaches of the state where, instead of mansions and beaches, the main attractions are a river and a rich industrial history.

Sometimes, it can be a tough sell.

Billington says the valley seems to be returning to pre-pandemic travel activity. “We started off to [a]pretty good spring from what we can gather. People want to travel,” he said. “We are going in the right direction, but it’s still early.”

The tourism council recently released its 84page visitors’ guide. Its next big push is an “international restaurant trail,” launching by September, that will feature more than 40 restaurants celebrating the region’s ethnic diversity.

“All of those [restaurants] are going to be on stage for us,” Billington said. “We are telling people to come for the food and stay for the story. Our new focus is about the culture of Blackstone Valley.”

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the BVTC budget declined by 83% because the hotel tax revenue evaporated. Billington says his group is still clawing back, not easy with an annual budget of between $1 million and $2 million.

He says he’s satisfied with the assistance the council has received from R.I. Commerce while it continues on a decadeslong effort to reinvent the valley from one of the nation’s industrial engines to a leisure destination.

“That’s not remedied by a little bit of promotion,” he said. “Marketing is a small bit of what we do. We are not yet where we want to be. Our hope is to grow if the market is there ... which is always a big ‘if’ for us.

“We’re not planning on becoming a Newport or Providence,” he said. “We are happy to be the 10 towns of Blackstone Valley.”

EVOLVING CAMPAIGN?

At least from the outside, R.I. Commerce has apIn March, Anika Kimble-Huntley, the

state’s chief tourism marketer, told Providence Business News that R.I. Commerce Corp. was close to coming out with a new state tourism campaign and tagline “that everybody can rally behind.”

But the quasi-public agency has said little since about those plans, despite repeated inquiries from PBN.

On Aug. 2, Commerce spokesman Matthew Touchette in an emailed statement told PBN there will be an upcoming campaign that “will lean on a campaign theme line to create a memorable expression that touts all the state has to offer. The campaign will be different from what Commerce has done in the past.”

But he did not give any details on how the campaign will differ from past efforts.

The R.I. Commerce marketing team recently launched its summer campaign, including exhibits in the Detroit, Baltimore, Los Angeles and Atlanta airports. Passengers can enter to win a trip to Rhode Island via a QR code on smart devices, take a selfie and then receive six free Rhode Island digital postcards with their image on them to share on social media, text or email.

Under Anika Kimble-Huntley, Commerce’s chief marketing officer for nearly two years, the marketing team has increased the number of email addresses in its database by 400%, according to Touchette.

It’s an approach appreciated by Kristen Adamo, CEO and president of the Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Providence benefits mightily from large-scale events such as conventions and sporting events, which have brought $68 million in direct spending in fiscal 2023, according to Adamo. The bureau booked 240 events in the fiscal year, resulting in 137,350 hotel room nights.

Hotel revenues in Providence and Warwick are up 30% over last year. And June revenue was the strongest month since the start of the pandemic, Adamo says, with a 79% hotel room occupancy rate, an 18% increase from a year ago.

Adamo says tourism marketing by the state is pivoting to more data-driven methods to spark engagement, and her organization is doing the same because it’s seeing the benefits.

For example, Adamo recently discovered a spike in traffic to their website from New Jersey browsers, which will factor into future campaigns.

“You want to know where your customers are coming from,” she said.

‘People are saying, “Why am I going to pay that amount when I could pay that much to go to Europe?” ’

BECKY CLARK, The Beachead restaurant co-owner

ON GUARD: Becky and Tim Clark, owners of The Beachead restaurant on Block Island, say business hasn’t been quite as robust so far this summer.

PBN PHOTO/ K. CURTIS

& AWARDS

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNERS

FASTEST GROWING COMPANIES

(Listed alphabetically. Rankings revealed at the event.)

$250,000 TO $5 MILLION

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GiveSendGo LLC

Keane’s Wood Fired Catering

Luminous Creative Agency

Systems Change Strategies LLC

$5 MILLION TO $25 MILLION

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Feast & Fettle Inc.

Gurnet Consulting LLC

Infused Innovations

Spyglass MTG LLC

$25 MILLION TO $75 MILLION Centreville Bank

John Matouk & Co.

Kahn, Litwin, Renza & Co. Ltd.

Stanley Tree Services Inc.

Wright-Pierce

$75 MILLION AND ABOVE

Altus Dental Insurance Co.

Blount Fine Foods Corp.

Lafrance Hospitality

Navigant Credit Union SEACORP LLC

INNOVATIVE COMPANIES

(Listed alphabetically by category.)

ARCHITECTURE, CONSTRUCTION & ENGINEERING

Skanska USA

GOVERNMENT

Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority

HEALTH & WELLNESS

Kent Hospital at Home

LIFE SCIENCES

Moss Pure

NONPROFIT

AccessPoint RI

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Greenwich Bay Brokers

TECHNOLOGY

Attender

FASTEST GROWING 2023 REGISTER NOW TO ATTEND september 20 | 5:30-8pm the Graduate Hotel

TOURISM

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12

R.I. Commerce – which renewed contracts with its advertising and public relations firms in June, including $4 million with RDW Group and $2.18 million with the Zimmerman Agency – has attempted to grab attention in offbeat ways, too.

Two months ago, the agency sponsored a fiveminute segment on Jennifer Hudson’s nationally syndicated TV talk show, where an audience member answered Rhode Island trivia questions and played Skee-Ball to win a trip to Rhode Island. Breeze Airways, which has added numerous routes out of Rhode Island, gave $100 vouchers to the other audience members.

Most recently, a campaign to place oversized stuffed quahogs in regional airports generated some considerable buzz. But Touchette said that initiative “has been delayed slightly due to production lead times and airport approval processes.”

The agency hired local artist Julie Lancia, a designer with Symmetry Products, to build the mock-up replicas. “It’s designed to catch people’s attention,” Touchette said. “To make something creative and specific to Rhode Island.”

MORE SUBDUED?

Among the state’s tourism districts, Block Island is an outlier, literally and figuratively.

The island is 9 miles off the coast, and its tiny year-round population swells to 20,000 during the summer. Yet the tourism marketing effort is overseen by Jessica Willi, a self-described “office of one person.”

The executive director of the Block Island Tourism Council credits Kimble-Huntley for identifying untapped travel markets and providing Block Island with useful research analytics, something Willi’s budget doesn’t allow for.

But there’s only so much marketing she can do. Staffing shortages and inflation makes the hospitality business especially challenging given the

island’s isolation and high living costs.

“It’s hard to find workers,” said Becky Clark, who co-owns The Beachead restaurant with her husband. “And employees make the wheels go round.”

Clark says the weather has been a factor too, especially during the Fourth of July weekend that saw heavy rainfall and “diluted” the weekend’s receipts at the restaurant, which overlooks Crescent Beach just outside downtown.

“We rely on a lot of day trippers,” she said.

Clark is now struggling to improve profit margins at a time of rising prices mixed with smaller crowds and fewer reservations.

“It might be too soon to tell, but it is not as crazy as I feel it was last year. It’s a little more subdued,” Clark said in mid-July.

Matt King, owner of Hula Charters Inc., also feels a slowdown from 2022.

“Even with COVID, we were still very busy. But the island seems slower this year,” he said. “I’m hearing that people are going to Europe. Many people I talk to say that [they are considering international travel].”

King agrees the weather this year may have had an impact. Asked if the state’s marketing effort has had any noticeable effect on his fishing charter company, King was unsure.

“That’s hard for me to say,” he said. “But sometimes it takes a year or two to see results.”

With rising wages and increased food costs, it’s a tough balance, Clark says, especially in a place that requires shipping in goods that are then hit with freight charges.

“Inflation has put pressure on small businesses. Customers keep a threshold on what they will spend,” she said. “I think everybody on the island had to go up this year [in prices]. We also have higher electricity, fuel and water.

“People are saying, ‘Why am I going to pay that amount when I could pay that much to go to Europe?’ ” she said.

GET THE WORD OUT

Faye Pantazopoulos, creative director of the South County Tourism Council, says her agency has been focused on marketing beyond the region, from as far north as Canada and to the state’s “drive market” encompassing New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

“Our reach is increasing,” she said.

Pantazopoulos says R.I. Commerce helped coordinate travel writers and “influencers” to write about South County. They recently hosted travel

writer Tab Hauser to write about boating to Watch Hill for GoNomad.com and Boating Life; influencer and journalist Nneya Richards listed South County as a “Best Places to Travel in 2023,” which the council then featured in a Conde Nast Traveler advertisement.

“That is helping expand our reach,” she said. “[These partnerships] have allowed us to reach into European markets such as the United Kingdom, Italy, China and more.”

Pantazopoulos says the addition of direct flights from such airlines as Breeze Airways and Allegiant Air to cities such as Nashville, Tenn.; Los Angeles; Pittsburgh; Cincinnati; Charleston, S.C.; and Salt Lake City have been a boost.

The bureau plans to spend $840,000 of its $1.6 million fiscal 2024 budget on marketing, mostly on print ads in publications such as Conde Nast Traveler, Bon Appetit and Yankee Magazine.

In 2022, the South County Tourism Council launched the Atlantis Rising International Sand Sculpture Competition, which attracted more than 25,000 people to Misquamicut State Beach in Westerly. Local restaurants and hotels saw a boost from the event, which is returning on Columbus Day weekend in October.

“We definitely expect more people this year. People have been calling and emailing about it and we could advertise using the photos and videos from last year,” Pantazopoulos said.

Attendees last year were “stunned” to arrive and see the towering sand sculptures lit up by drone lights.

“A hush fell over the crowd when it started,” Pantazopoulos said. “They expected sandcastles.”

MARKETING MONEY

Back in Newport, Walsh, the Discover Newport vice president of sales, says the money the state put into tourism promotion was minuscule years ago. “It got to be an embarrassing amount of money to promote the state,” he said. “It was a drop in the bucket from the general fund. And we have to compete with Massachusetts and Connecticut.”

Last year, Discover Newport invested $3.9 million in sales and marketing efforts, according to its annual report. And the organization has a marketing budget of $4.2 million for fiscal 2024.

With so many summer travelers visiting Newport, attracting media coverage is rarely a problem. A feature story was recently published in Vogue Magazine telling readers of the “Gilded Age” lifestyle to be had at the classic Vanderbilt hotel.

Now, tourism officials are putting a concerted effort into drawing more people to Aquidneck Island in the “shoulder” months in the spring and fall, according to Discover Newport board member Charles Holder Jr., a local restaurateur.

“July and August pretty much promote themselves,” he said. n

GOING UP: Blackstone Valley Tourism Council President Robert Billington says traveler activity in the region is headed in the right direction, which is returning to pre-pandemic levels.

PBN PHOTO/ MICHAEL SALERNO

‘Marketing is a small bit of what we do.’

ROBERT BILLINGTON, Blackstone Valley Tourism Council president

GARDEN PARTY: Attendees of the Newport Flower Show in June gather outside the gates after unloading from chartered buses.

PBN PHOTO/DAVID HANSEN

Island’s population, but the proportion of Spanish speakers in Providence is far greater. More than 43% of the city’s residents identify as Hispanic, making them the largest demographic group in the capital city.

Mendez serves that vast and varied audience with a high-energy tropical music format and a blend of thoughtful information and commentary –some of which he hosts himself.

“The dominant audience is Caribbean,” Mendez said. “The biggest single group is from the Dominican Republic, followed by Puerto Ricans, Guatamalans and Colombians.”

In bigger cities such as New York, Los Angeles and Miami, Spanish-language stations may focus on only one nationality.

Mendez reaches out to them all.

“The mix of cultures is much better blended here. In California and Florida, there may be more segmentation. But since Rhode Island is such a small state, you find that all the nationalities work together,” Mendez said. “We play salsa from Colombia, merengue from the D.R., bachatas and urbano music like reggaeton. Here, a Dominican will identify with Colombian culture because we’re exposed to the same setting.”

Mendez bought Poder 1110 in 1995 and changed its format to become the first all-Spanish-language station in the Ocean State.

“It was a big gamble. I’m fortunate it worked,” Mendez said. “It was successful not only because

we could now listen to the music and news in Spanish, but people felt our culture was now validated.”

The stations are small but mighty, at only 5,000 watts on the AM band and 100 watts on FM. For comparison, Boston’s news radio station, WBZAM, is powered by 50,000 watts.

“Our antenna is quite high,” Mendez said. “We reach all of Rhode Island.”

A rival, Latina 100.3, launched in 2002 and targets a younger audience.

“We are different. We stick more to an older group, 24- to 54-year-olds, though entire families listen,” he said. “We also do a lot of local issue programming.”

But music remains the bread and butter for his two stations.

“With the popularity of music, the love of the Spanish language increases. It’s about validation,” Mendez said. “Spanish music is such a force because the Spanish-speaking population continues to grow in the United States.”

He points to Karol G, the enormously popular Colombian singer headlining a show at Gillette Stadium on Sept. 28.

“Karol G likely will be the first Latina to sell out the stadium,” Mendez said. “When our Hispanic youth see one of their own performing at the largest venue in New England, it’s a source of pride. Last year, Bad Bunny did it at Fenway Park. It was huge. At TD Garden, Hispanic shows are now presented on a regular basis. It’s not just one show per year.

“You start getting used to these huge performances at the biggest venues in New England and it validates your culture and the language,” Men-

Do you believe racism is keeping minorities from starting businesses in the Ocean State or succeeding when they do?

Sometimes there are hurdles to accessing services at city institutions. But that’s not usually due to racism but because of mainly language. Sometimes information is not available in Spanish. Throughout my years in Rhode Island, that’s what I’ve seen as the main barrier.

2

How dependent is your business on the support of other minority groups? Is that a sustainable business model?

Most listeners to Poder are Hispanic. So yes, we fully depend on their support. Our audience is bilingual, but they are more comfortable in Spanish. Many haven’t mastered English.

3

dez said. “We really do have something to offer.”

Mendez began his career behind the microphone at the student-run station at the University of Rhode Island. He later picked up on-air gigs at the Portuguese station in New Bedford.

He leaves the entertainment to his staff. But for 20 years, Mendez has interviewed political figures –Providence Mayor Brett P. Smiley is a regular guest – and hosted an election season series that profiles the candidates.

As he juggles the demands of both stations and their corporate parent, Video Mundo Broadcasting Co. LLC, Mendez still finds time to engage in other community projects.

In May 2020, he joined the board of the Rhode Island Foundation. Yet he doesn’t consider himself a Providence power broker.

“I see the station as the power broker. It’s not about me,” Mendez said. “The stations are a bridge between the institutions and the community. We bring in officials, even if they only speak English. We translate so [our audience] can have direct communication and access to them. We are the bridge. It’s the role we are most proud of. ”

What one thing could Rhode Island do to boost the odds for minority-owned business success?

The best way to boost success for businesses is by continued work on breaking down the language barrier. The state and the cities are pretty good at offering information in Spanish. The key is to see that Hispanics want the same things as other immigrant groups that have come to the state. They want to contribute.

4

Have you had to turn somewhere other than a bank for a loan? Do you believe the state’s lending institutions generally treat minorities fairly?

The banks are more open than before. But access to capital is still a challenge to many small businesses, both Englishand Spanish-speaking.

I believe with the growth of the Hispanic population, and Hispanics now working at many institutions, a lot of progress has been made. There’s more to be done, of course.

5

If another minority entrepreneur asked you where they could turn for support for their business, where would you direct them?

I’d direct entrepreneurs to the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce because they are deeply active in the community. They have the bandwidth to promote services to Hispanics. It is a great source of information and guidance.

The Rhode Island Small Business Development Center is doing more outreach to small businesses, too. n

It was a big gamble. I’m fortunate it worked.

PBN PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

FOCUS | CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN

recently announced.

Barton and others close to the project said the Lindemann PAC was designed to fill a long-standing campus need for a building meant to serve as an artistic incubator and maker space.

“My favorite part of the building is yet to be proven,” said Joshua Ramos, founding principal at REX, the New York-based architectural firm that designed the Lindemann PAC. “If the building does what we hope it will, which is to support this dynamism and creative explosion that Brown is instigating … I’m hoping that’s what really happens.”

Spanning approximately two years, the design process, an “integrated project delivery method,” began with REX’s selection for its experience designing buildings with “hybridity” elements, Barton said.

Amongst other architecturally significant points of interest, the Lindemann PAC features a modulated main hall that allows for reconfiguration of spatial, acoustic and technical needs suited to various artistical needs.

Lindemann center to serve as arts incubator

BY REBECCA KEISTER | Contributing Writer

ATan impressive 118,000 square feet, Brown University’s Lindemann Performing Arts Center, slated for a public opening this October, has a large presence on the university’s College Hill campus.

Coupled with its size, the building’s standout design makes it all but impossible to compare the center to its structural neighbors. While some have dubbed its design as a complimentary “radical approach,” others have taken issue with its façade’s “white box” style appearance.

“There will always be critics when you have strong, well-conceived and well-executed architectural projects that don’t match identically to [surrounding buildings],” said Craig Barton, university architect. “We understand the criticism and hope that [critics], over the course of time, will come to see the building as we see it.”

The center’s grand opening on Oct. 21 will mark the culmination of the building’s five-year road from concept to completion.

It is not, however, the conclusion of new buildings, renovations and expansions supported by Brown’s strategic plan, “Building on Distinction: A New Plan for Brown.”

For more than a decade, the university has had multiple capital projects in various stages of design and construction,

with nine completed in the last three years and three large-scale constructions on its active projects list.

“These buildings really reflect the leadership’s priorities and it’s exciting for these resources to be channeled into these spaces,” said Avery Willis Hoffman, artistic director of the Brown Arts Institute.

Projects are largely located on Brown’s College Hill campus.

In addition to the Lindemann PAC, the Brook Street residence halls should be open to welcome students when classes resume for the fall 2023 semester. Renovations and additions to the Churchill House, home to Brown’s Department of Africana Studies, are also slated to be finished this fall.

In early June, the university announced plans for a 76,000-square-foot indoor practice facility within its athletic complex that would replace an outdoor practice field. Architect selection is underway, and the university hopes to begin construction in summer 2024.

Brown’s strategic plan also calls for development with the Jewelry District, both because of limited space on campus for new construction and to contribute to Providence’s economic and cultural environments. A planned 300,000-squarefoot integrated life sciences building was

SOARING

CEILING: Members of the Brown University arts community tour the Lindemann Performing Arts Center in April, walking through the main performance space that can transform into numerous configurations, from a 625-seat orchestra hall to a 250-seat proscenium theater.

COURTESY BROWN UNIVERSITY / NICK DENTAMARO

Providing the correct lighting for a facility that would house many different purposes that had vastly differing lighting needs, Barton said, was a consideration in design, as was what material would best accommodate the building’s exterior scale needs.

“Brick wasn’t an option,” Barton said. “The [REX] team did a really clever and thoughtful job.”

REX is a boutique firm with expertise in constructing reconfigurable buildings.

“We wanted to make a building that produced extraordinary work and extraordinary research. It’s important to emphasize that we still wanted to make sure it was beautiful,” Ramos said.

Hoffman said the building was needed to create a space where artists of various concentrations and creative pursuits could coexist, collaborate and produce work that would spur Brown’s efforts to position itself as a leader in artistic performance and other related endeavors.

Other building features at Lindemann include three smaller performance spaces, practice rooms, frontand back-of-house spaces, as well as an outdoor communal space.

Hoffman said the center’s inaugural performance series – there won’t be traditionally scheduled seasons – will run from October 2023 through December 2024. She said this series, “Ignite,” reflects the “layers of our making on campus and in Providence.”

“The goal of ‘Ignite’ is that it is collaborative and interdisciplinary,” Hoffman said. “The focus is about art as a social impact … and inviting [people] to think about the impact of the arts and how we can support that way of thinking.”

This is the kind of movement Ramos is talking about regarding his vision for the center.

“As an architect, we want our buildings to be beautiful, we want them to be iconic. If you try to make an icon, you’re going to fail,” he said. “The best way to make an iconic building is to make a building that empowers its artist to make iconic art.” n

‘It’s exciting for these resources to be channeled into these spaces.’

AVERY WILLIS HOFFMAN, Brown Arts Institute artistic director

‘Still so many barriers’ for women in the trades

BY CHRISTOPHER ALLEN | Allen@PBN.com

GIVEN THE DIFFICULT life circumstances Elizabeth “Ellie” Navarro has had to deal with, it’s a wonder she’s so upbeat.

Growing up, the 19-year-old Pawtucket native was changed public schools several times before dropping out of high school, and she saw friends struggle with trauma, crime and incarceration.

Navarro didn’t want to let her past define her future but was unsure of what her future held. She knew she preferred physical activity to the types of low-wage jobs that are often the only option for those without a col lege degree.

“I only had time on my hands,” she said. “I wanted anything but the streets. And I didn’t want to wait for something to just come along. I’m a ‘now’ person.”

Navarro attended a recent panel discussion at the Pawtucket Public Library hosted by Anita Bruno, execu tive director of Rhode Island Women In The Trades

A union carpenter turned advocate, Bruno implored the dozen or so attendees to consider the opportunities offered by the building trades, which offer some of the highest wages for those without a college education.

It’s not been an easy task to get more women involved in the field.

The self-described “union girl” with close to 20 years of experience as a carpenter, Bruno has witnessed both the opportunities provided and the oc casional ugliness of punching a clock in a male-dominated sector.

The trades have a long-established association with class solidarity. But Bruno says the reality in Rhode Island often falls short of that vision. She still sees evidence the industry has

yet to rid itself of an old boys’ club mentality.

“The solidarity is lacking,” she said. “There are still so many barriers.”

According to a study by National Center for Construction Education and Research, nearly half of women polled said they’d been the target of

derogatory comments or improper jokes on the job site.

One consequence is the industry’s reputation can discourage interfamily recruitment. Parents, uncles, aunts and cousins are less likely to encourage female relatives to enter the trades.

A recent study found 60% of female construction workers between the ages of 28 and 40 have alleged to be the targets of harassment. Bruno has experienced hassling from male co-workers, and she has seen female colleagues face retaliation for

CONTINUES ON PAGE 19

‘They are not reaching out to a variety of pipelines.’ ANITA BRUNO, Rhode Island Women

In The Trades executive director

|

| HIGHWAY PROJECTS IN RHODE ISLAND (ranked by project cost)

(ranked by project cost)

Reconstruction of entire interchange, including replacing seven bridges, adding new bicycle/ pedestrian paths, a "flyover" ramp and landscaping

Total cost of projects: $1.4 billion

Improvements to the Route 146 corridor, replacing multiple bridges, repaving 8 miles of roadway and correcting numerous safety and congestion

Improvements to Route 37 will be made in two separate projects that will rehabilitate or replace 22 bridges and make safety and congestion improvements in this critical east-west freeway in central Rhode Island, linking the cities of Cranston and Warwick, major retail, office and residential areas, interstate highways and Rhode Island T.F.

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

Aug. 18: Estate Planners. Rhode Island CIOs, Software Development Companies; Sept. 1: Employee Benefit Administrators, Property & Casualty Insurers.

WANT TO JOIN?

For more information about participating in PBN’s Top Lists, or to make additions or corrections, call (401) 6804838 or write to Research@ PBN.com.

portion

of the

FOOTNOTES j Projects are part of the R.I. Department of Transportation’s RhodeWorks infrastructure repair initiative.

and Wellington

rehabilitation of the ramp bridges carrying traffic from

will demolish it and build a narrower structure with two lanes of travel in the westbound direction and one lane of travel in the eastbound direction $6.3 mil. 2023 1 Projects are part of the R.I. Department of Transportation's RhodeWorks infrastructure repair initiative. 2 The project's tentative completion date has been delayed. There is no word when it will be completed.

 The project’s tentative completion date has been delayed. There is no word when it will be completed.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17 speaking up.

“It’s up to us to make the environment as healthy as possible so they stay,” she said.

In Rhode Island, women fill less than 10% of the jobs in the trades and less than 3% of field construction work, according to the R.I. Department of Labor and Training.

Bruno says there are about 26 women among the 1,826 union carpenters, and about the same number for iron workers, electricians and engineers.

Bruno thinks union leadership in the state and nationally doesn’t advertise enough or market the training opportunities for women. There’s still a perception there are certain jobs they cannot do.

“They are not reaching out to a variety of pipelines,” she said, acknowledging that there has been a noticeable spike in women in management roles. “There are still not enough boots on the ground.”

And boots will be needed. Last October, U.S. Secretary of Commerce

Gina M. Raimondo announced the “Million Women in Construction” initiative to double the number of women in the field by 2032. The trades are projected to be a growth industry over the next decade, accelerated in Rhode Island by the millions being poured into infrastructure, housing and green energy.

“There is a lot of work coming down the pike,” Bruno said.

But workers in the sector are also aging. Those 55 and older represented

27.3% of the construction workforce in 2021, up from 11.4% in 2001.

Advocates say the best way to convince women there is a life in the trades is to live by example. Meagen Hendricks, construction manager for Inspire Brands LLC’s national remodel program, including all the Dunkin’ Donuts locations, makes six figures and has traveled the world. She is also president of the National Association of Women in Construction’s Rhode Island chapter.

“The work is hard but rewarding and can be a lucrative opportunity that can open doors to many different avenues,” she said.

Finding a healthy work-life balance in a male-dominated field remains a hurdle.

“Child care availability doesn’t often coincide with the hours at a job site, which can be a huge challenge,” she said. “More companies are starting to offer more flexibility. However, we still have a long way to go.”

Among those helping is Annie Unger, director of operations and manufacturing at the Jane Addams Resource Corp., which recently partnered with Polaris MEP to open a job training center in Providence.

She said 50% of their trainees are women.

“The trades are booming,” Unger told attendees at the panel discussion in Pawtucket. “They need employees. They need you right now.”

Navarro didn’t attend the panel discussion to get information but to offer

FOCUS LAW 2023

PRINT August 18, 2023

Top List: Estate Planners

October 13, 2023

Top List: Law Firms

Special Advertising Section: Notable Women in Law

Contact Linda Foster at 401.680.4812 or Foster@PBN.com for details

wisdom to girls and young women interested in the trades.

She recently graduated from the charter school YouthBuild Preparatory Academy in Providence and is now entering a pre-apprentice program run by the nonprofit Building

Futures. She wants to be a carpenter, just like Bruno, who has become her mentor.

“Where I’m from, [girls] do want more for themselves,” she said. “And I’m big on support. I want to tell them it’s OK to be firm and strong.” n

WORKING TOGETHER: Anita Bruno, right, executive director of Rhode Island Women In The Trades, and Jessica Baez, pre-apprentice, work on a construction site at a home in Cranston.

PBN PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

FOCUS | MEETING & CONVENTION FACILITIES

FOCUS | MEETING & CONVENTION FACILITIES (ranked by meeting space square feet)

Convention Center | riconvention.com

executive director, R.I. Convention Center Authority;

Mutual Pavilion 1 | dunkindonutscenter.com

executive director, R.I. Convention Center Authority;

Plaza Providence-Warwick | ihg.com/crowneplaza/hotels/us/en/

CLOSER LOOK

Most meeting rooms: Four Points by Sheraton Norwood Meeting rooms: 30 Largest seating capacity: Amica Mutual Pavilion Seating capacity: 14,000

Maximum banquet seats The R.I. Convention Center Banquet seats: 5,500

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

Aug. 18: Estate Planners. Rhode Island CIOs, Software Development Companies; Sept. 1: Employee Benefit Administrators, Property & Casualty Insurers.

WANT TO JOIN?

For more information about participating in PBN’s Top Lists, or to make additions or corrections, call (401) 6804838 or write to Research@ PBN.com.

FOOTNOTES

j Formerly the Dunkin’ Donuts Center. Amica Mutual Insurance Co. on Sept. 6, 2022, was awarded the naming rights to both the arena and within the R.I. Convention Center, and the arena was rebranded to Amica Mutual Pavilion.

 Formerly Gurney’s Newport Resort & Marina, which was purchased in June 2022 by Pebblebrook Hotel Trust for $174 million.

(ranked by meeting space square feet)

•

•

Rhode

toWork Work

IN RI

RE-IMAGINING the workforce of today & IDENTIFYING solutions for tomorrow.

This new PBN annual publication, focusing on workforce development and career opportunities in our region, will serve as a resource for employers and job seekers, targeting Rhode Island’s emerging workforce.

Rhode to Work will feature information about careers in seven essential industries in our area.

15,000 COPIES TO BE DISTRIBUTED TO:

• PBN’s audience

• Educational and career centers

• State employment offices and workforce organizations

•

• Other relevant outlets

Rhode to Work should be a part of your marketing plan if:

• You want to increase your brand exposure and be part of workforce development in Rhode Island.

• You are hiring or plan to hire.

• You have internship opportunities at your company.

• You are targeting tomorrow’s workforce with classes, programs and/or seminars for a degree, certification or special skills training.

• You offer human resource services to help RI companies recruit, train, and retain their future workforce.

• You offer services and products for members of the workforce.

PUBLICATION DATE: September 29, 2023 SPACE RESERVATION: August 25, 2023

Presenting sponsor

Partner sponsor

Ankur Shah (fourth from the right) with his Brown Medicine colleagues.

Sheryl Guglielmo (center) with her DiPrete Engineering team.

Mario Grande (center) with family and colleagues from Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence.

URI Foundation & Alumni Engagement Honoree Jenny Demeter accepts her award from John Silva, Bristol County Savings Bank.

Honoree Jaclyn Morrocco with KPMG colleagues.

Honoree Stephanie Mansour, WithumSmith+Brown, accepts her award.

Kristen Hubbard (holding flowers) with her Coastal Medical Physicians team.

Excited guests show the 2023 40 Under Forty supplement.

Presenting sponsor Bristol County Savings Bank.

Krystal Carcieri Carnes, Carpionato Group, accepts her award.

Honoree Stefan Petrella (third from the left) with colleagues from Starkweather and Shepley Insurance.

IT’S PERSONAL

Berman’s real estate work lauded

ANNE BERMAN, director of real estate for the R.I. Housing and Mortgage Finance Corp., received the 2023 Joseph A. Caffey Award from the Housing Network of Rhode Island at the nonprofit’s annual meeting on June 5. The award celebrates exemplary leadership and impact on the community development field within Rhode Island.

What does receiving the Caffey Award from the Housing Network of Rhode Island mean to you?

I am honored and thrilled to have been selected by the Housing Network to receive the Joseph Caffey award. Joe was a visionary who changed the landscape of Providence, revitalized neighborhoods and delivered high-quality affordable housing to families across the state. Being recognized by the Housing Network, the trade association for the nonprofit housing developers in Rhode Island, means a lot to me. I began my career working for nonprofit community development entities, so I know how challenging their jobs can be. I have the utmost respect for the work the network members undertake every day. I appreciate their recognition of my efforts as an affordable housing lender to help achieve our collective goals of creating more affordable housing throughout the state.

HOUSING LEADER: Anne Berman, director of real estate for the R.I. Housing and Mortgage Finance Corp., recently received the 2023 Joseph A. Caffey Award from the Housing Network of Rhode Island. At left is former R.I. Superior Court Associate Justice Edward C. Clifton.

Housing notwithstanding, in what ways have you helped support the community at-large over the years?

Community engagement and volunteering is something I was exposed to at an early age. Both of my parents were involved with social service and educational organizations, so it’s always been part of who I am. I have volunteered with a number of organizations in both Rhode Island and Florida, most recently completing a nine-year engagement with Child & Family Services, my final two years as board chair.

The state is now making affordable housing a priority. How vital is it for more affordable housing to be constr ucted in Rhode Island?

The need for affordable housing cannot be overstated. According to the report issued by the Rhode Island Foundation in April, Rhode Island needs more than 20,000 affordable housing units. More than one-third of households in the state are cost-burdened and they pay more than 30% of their income for housing. This means that these families have less money to spend on food, health care, their children’s educational enrichment and all the things that many of us take for granted. It also means there is less money in general flowing into the economy to support our small businesses. I am very pleased with the investments that the governor and the legislature have made in affordable housing, and I look forward to seeing the state invest even more in the future given the enormity of the need.

Moving forward, what other community initiatives do you have in the works?

In May of this year, R.I. Housing approved funding for more than 1,400 units of housing. My focus will be on working with our development partners to move their projects through the development pipeline so we can begin construction and bring units online for the state’s underhoused and cost-burdened families. n

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

ARCHITECTURE

LAW

Meeting Street, Providencebased leader in early childhood development programs and inclusive education, promoted Nazik Fernandes to Chief Financial Officer. Fernandes joined Meeting Street as the Finance Director in 2018, overseeing the financial operations of the organization’s multiple campuses. Prior, she was a Senior Financial Analyst at Citizens, a Corporate Accounting Manager at LIN Media, and a Senior Auditor at KPMG. Fernandes serves as a member of Progreso Latino’s Board of Directors. She is a licensed CPA and received her BS in Business Administration and her MS in Accounting from the University of Rhode Island.

DarrowEverett welcomes Associate Michael J. Raposa to its Private Wealth Services and Tax Practice Groups. Raposa advises individuals and businesses on estate planning, wealth and asset preservation planning, and tax mitigation strategies. His tax work includes extensive involvement with the structuring and sale of real estate investment assets. He works with managers, accountants, and in-house counsel of companies to resolve a variety of tax-related issues, from business formation, to restructuring and to optimizing federal income tax deductions. Prior to joining DE, he had spent nearly four years working at a large Boston-based firm.

Justine Aho joins DBVW Architects as a Designer after completing the graduate program at Roger Williams University, where she received her Master of Architecture degree as well as her Bachelor of Science in Architecture with a Minor in Urban Studies. Throughout her design education, she sought to gain a deep understanding of architecture’s ability to impact communities and is excited to apply this passion to future projects. Aho gained experience as an architectural intern in offices in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire before joining the DBVW team. Since starting, Aho has worked on the design of a private residence, as well as projects at St. Clare – Newport and St. Mary’s Church in Pawtucket, RI.

ARCHITECTURE

Tia Miller joins DBVW Architects as a Designer with a Master of Architecture from the Rhode Island School of Design and a Bachelor’s Degree in interior design from the University of Cincinnati College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning. Miller has held a number of architectural and interior internships before moving to Providence. With a Certificate of Collegiate Teaching in Art + Design, Miller has held various teaching roles such as graduate teaching assistant and a Youth Continuing Education Instructor in Interior Design at RISD. Since joining the team, Miller has worked on the Real Art Ways project in Hartford, CT, as well as the new Female Youth Residential Facility for the RI Dept. of Children, Youth, and Families.

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 or 401.680.4800

your fears

ONCE UPON A TIME, there was a warrior whose teacher told him he had to battle fear. He didn’t want to because it was scary. But his teacher said he must do it.

When the day arrived, the student warrior stood on one side, while fear stood on the other. The warrior felt small, while fear was large and intimidating. They both had their weapons, but suddenly the warrior fell to the ground and asked fear, “How can I defeat you?”

Fear replied: “My weapons are that I talk fast. And I get very close to your face. Then you get completely unnerved and do what I say. If you don’t do what I tell you, I have no power.”

With that, the student warrior learned how to defeat fear.

Being courageous and having a great life is all about being intimate with fear. Rather than being depressed or scared about fear, lean into it and see it as an opportunity to learn and grow.

My friend, motivational speaker Les Brown, said, “Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears.”

Don’t be afraid to confront your fears. If you are afraid, admit it. We all face fears and anxieties every day,

and the only way to overcome them and succeed is to recognize them so we can confront them directly.

n Examine your fears by identifying them. Spend some time each morning asking yourself what might happen during the day that you’re afraid of – failure to reach the people you need to talk to, for example, or getting lost on the way to an appointment.

n Take preventive steps. Think of what you can do to prevent your fear from coming true. Be on the lookout for behaviors and thoughts that add to your fear and train yourself to change your patterns of action and thinking.

n Learn from your fears. You’ll succeed or fail. Either way, use the experience of confronting your fear to overcome new problems.

Many years ago, I wrote a column about the Second Ten Commandments. Commandment two stated: Thou shall not be fearful, for most of

the things we fear never come to pass.

Companies that make bold moves rarely do so without some element of fear. Leaders worry every day whether they have acted too soon or are missing some unanticipated obstacles when they introduce new products or services.

Successful organizations know how to master their fear and put it in the proper perspective. They know their target markets and customers well enough to predict their chances of winning. They understand that if an idea fails, it most likely will not spell imminent doom.

They understand the difference between confidence and arrogance. I’ve seen plenty of businesses succumb to arrogance when a reasonable dose of fear might have prevented their failure. Fear can be useful when it is used to guide practical decision-making.

But fear can paralyze you, preventing you from achieving, even from living. Can you actually die from

fear? Most likely not. What fear kills is your spirit, your ambition, your confidence.

Here’s another story to illustrate my point. The commanding general in the Persian army would go through a rather unusual ritual with captured spies: He would give criminals a choice between the firing squad or going through a big black door.

Most spies decided on the firing squad, with the usual results.

Turning to his aide, the general said, “They always prefer the known way to the unknown. It is typical of people to be afraid of the undefined. Yet, we gave them a choice.”

“What lies behind the big black door?” asked the aide.

“Freedom,” replied the general, “and I’ve only known a few brave enough to take it.”

Mackay’s Moral: Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark, professionals built the Titanic. 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.

Keep up with PBN’s 2023 roundup of the leaders making a difference throughout Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts.

At companies across the region, notable leaders are running businesses, navigating company restructuring, serving on boards, and investing in growth. The notable individuals profiled in these categories are exemplary examples of the work being done here in our market.

Share your success with your customers and employees.

THIS TIME OF YEAR, when the days are longer and hotter, we use the grill often to cook meats and lighter seafood dishes, including grilled white fish. It also means we sip lighter-style wines, moving away from heavier, bold selections that we often enjoy in the cooler months.

Here are my top summertime wine picks for less than $25 that pair with the season’s cuisine. These selections are different than the lighter typical wines of pinot noir, sauvignon blanc and pinot grigio.

Dom di Brial Rose, France. From the warmer region of southern France, this rose is a blend of two grapes – grenache and syrah. It has a nice viscosity to it without being heavy and displays crisp, bright cherry, raspberry and plum notes on the palate. It has a light to medium body, due in part to its stainless steel fermentation and aging. This gives it a zingy, vibrant finish. It is a good partner for seafood salad, turkey burgers and grilled mahi mahi atop grilled spinach. Less than $20.

La Spinetta Ver mentino, Tuscany, Italy. Vermentino is a white grape that grows in various regions in Italy. This one is from Tuscany. The wine displays a golden color, with aro-

TO SAVOR | JESSICA NORRIS GRANATIERO

Long days, light wines

mas of golden delicious apples. On the palate, it shows refreshing citrus and red apple notes with a medium to full body and a flavorful minerally finish. It only spends time resting in stainless steel tanks on its lees, which adds to its complexity and body. It pairs well with shellfish such as oysters and clams and grilled chicken kebobs with yellow peppers and onions. Less than $25.

Domaine Felines Jourdan Picpoul de Pinet, France. Picpoul is the name of the grape and Pinet is the name of the region in the Occitaine area in southern France. This unique grape variety and wine is reminiscent of a blend of sauvignon blanc and chenin blanc. Exotic in nature, it displays citrus, Granny Smith apple and tropical fruit notes. Medium bodied with great viscosity, it is fruit forward, yet without sweetness. If you like sauvignon blanc, try this. Dry yet aromatic, this light- to medium-bodied wine marries well with grilled shrimp with a mango chutney, rosemaryrubbed grilled chicken with asparagus and a tomato and Feta cheese salad. Less than $15.

Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc-Viognier, Calif. A unique blend of two grapes – chenin blanc and viognier.

The chenin blanc adds great minerality and acidity, while the viognier adds weight and full-flavored fruit and aromatics. The chenin blanc gives us notes of orange, lime and pineapple with a hint of spice at the end. The viognier aromatics are more poignant with notes of melon and honeysuckle. Its combination is pleasing with the right balance of weight, fruit and acid.

It is stainless steel fermented and pairs well with several dishes, from corn salads to seafood cream-based chowder to foods with a hint of spiciness. Its light sweetness balances out a cuisine’s heat. Less than $15.

Fattoria Magliano HEBA Morellino di Scansano, Tuscany, Italy. This wine comes from southern Tuscany, specifically from the Scansano region that sits along the coast. Morellino is the local name for the grape sangiovese. This is a blend of both morellino and syrah. The color is a bright ruby red, and the aromatics from the glass are of red berries. However, the palate has a taste profile of both red and black berries. Its time in stainless steel and cement tanks preserves its vibrancy and freshness.

Due to its light body, it is a great selection as a starter with cheese and meat boards with roasted almonds and walnuts. Yet it has enough body to pair with a grilled tenderloin or burgers topped with sliced tomato and Fontina cheese. Less than $25. n

Jessica Norris Granatiero is the founder of The Savory Grape, a wine, beer and spirits shop in East Greenwich. She can be reached through her website, www.jessicagranatiero.com.

OUT OF THE BOX: These selections aren’t the typical picks to pair with summer cuisine.

COURTESY JESSICA NORRIS GRANATIERO

AN INSURANCE EXECUTIVE

in Boston planned to attend a conference in Asheville, N.C., in the spring. He was to fly into Charlotte and then rent a car for the scenic three-hour trip to Asheville. It was a two-day conference, so he flew in on Sunday and out on Tuesday night. The airfare through JetBlue is $290 roundtrip, and he was getting a discount at the Biltmore Estates Hotel at $380 for two nights. Budget conscious, he was pleased that the cost of airfare and hotel were only $670 total. But he needed to rent a car for the drive to Asheville.

He looked online first at the betterknown rental agencies and saw a Toyota Camry. Not fancy but nice enough in case he needed to entertain prospects or clients. It was a noon pickup on Sunday and a drop-off at 6 p.m. Tuesday. But when he hit the checkout button, sticker shock ensued.

Total cost: $1,042.

How could that be? He looked at the second tier of rental agencies and found the price to be $806. Better, but

Stress over car rentals?

still more for a car than airfare and hotel combined. He began to wonder what a three-hour Uber ride would cost.

The high cost of car rentals has been a major thorn in the side of business travelers since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, as rental companies siphoned off a lot of their unused vehicles and seemingly never thought travel would come back with a vengeance.

Jonathan Weinberg, founder and CEO of AutoSlash.com, a website that compares rental car prices and selection, says that after rental companies sold off significant parts of their fleets during the pandemic, many struggled to replenish the fleets because of supply chain issues, computer chip shortages and other

delays. Some even bought used cars instead of new ones.

Bottom line: Rental car prices remain significantly higher than they were in May 2019.

Now, if a businessperson is traveling to a major city that has easy access to its downtown and suitable transportation infrastructure, then there is probably no need to invest $1,000 in a rental car. But in places such as Florida and California, wheels are needed.

For many business travelers, the key to relieving this angst is by implementing corporate car rental management through a travel management company, or a TMC. These agreements can bring considerable cost savings and also provide timesaving benefits to travelers. When

negotiating, a TMC can stipulate insurance requirements and what extras will be included and/or permitted. This speeds up the time it takes at the car rental desk. Most car rental vendors also have travel loyalty programs that can be utilized in conjunction with the company’s corporate agreement. These programs allow the traveler to store personal data, such as driver’s license details, which in turn allows that person to use express pickup services. A nice thing for someone running late for a meeting because a flight was delayed. Business travel is stressful enough, and a smooth, carefree, nohassle trip need not be put in jeopardy by the high cost of car rentals or a bad experience at a car rental desk. And it’s an experience that can grow to unbearable proportions when you have an hour to get to an important meeting across the city and have no car at your immediate disposal. n

Franc Jeffrey is CEO of EQ Travel, with offices in Boston and the United Kingdom.

HELP WANTED

Software Engineer (Applications) Android, sought by Splitwise Inc. to work in Providence, RI to engineer new s/ware solutions & features for the Splitwise Native Android Applications. Reqs Bach’s in Comp Sci, S/ware Engg, or IT & 1 yr exp as a S/ware Dvlpr working on Android, incl professional s/ware dvlpmt exp on native Android applications in Kotlin or Java & exp maintaining one or more Android mobile applications w/ more than 10,000 total registered users or customers. Work from home permitted 2-4 days/wk. Send resume w/ ref. to Job Code SEA0523 to jobs@splitwise.com.

The high cost of car rentals has been a major thorn in the side of business travelers.

EDITORIALS

State tourism efforts could use a boost from new campaign Connect with R.I. Commerce

SLOW START?

The Beachhead owners Becky and Tim Clark say business hasn’t been as busy as they’d hoped for yet this summer at their Block Island restaurant.

Within weeks of the poorly conceived 2016 rollout of the disastrous “Rhode Island: Cooler & Warmer” campaign, Rhode Island tourism leaders said they were done with statewide marketing slogans.

A year later, a stealth unveiling of a new “Fun-Sized” promotion performed well enough in testing that tourism leaders were comfortable finally acknowledging it in the local media the following January. That campaign did so well that the state kept it going for several years.

In March, Anika Kimble-Huntley, the state’s chief tourism marketer, told PBN that R.I. Commerce Corp. was close to coming out with a new statewide tourism campaign and tagline “that everybody can rally behind.”

It’s now the height of the summer season and it’s still not clear if an overarching statewide campaign to help connect the various regional promotions is coming.

Commerce spokesman Matthew Touchette did tell PBN in this week’s cover story that the state is preparing a different type of campaign than what it has done in the past, touting “all the state has to offer.”

Sounds promising but as always, the devil is in the details.

The early word from local tourism leaders and related businesses is that the summer tourism season hasn’t been marked by record crowds. A late summer rush could change that. But even if that happens, local tourism councils will need all the help they can get from the state in the ultra-competitive, international battle for tourist dollars. n

POLL CENTRAL

EXECUTIVE POLL

Being social?

Do you encourage your employees to promote your company on their social media channels?

Yes: 67%

No: 33%

What do you often use social media for?

Employee recruiting: 33%

Marketing: 33%

Promoting company-related events: 33%

Other: 0%

Which social media platforms do you use most often? (Select multiple)

LinkedIn: 100%

Facebook: 67%

Instagram: 50%

YouTube: 33%

Twitter: 17%

TikTok: 17%

Does your company monitor employees’ activity on social media?

No: 83%

Yes: 17%

PBN.COM

Business owners have often grumbled about a lack of accessibility of state economic-development leaders. Rhode Island, however, is certainly not so small as to ensure that a call over to R.I. Commerce Corp. will be answered by a top decisionmaker.

The quasi-public agency during the pandemic did go a long way toward erasing perceptions of a disconnect with locally based businesses, shepherding tens of millions of dollars in federal pandemic aid to often-desperate employers.

And beginning this month, R.I. Commerce Secretary Elizabeth M. Tanner is making herself directly accessible to PBN readers in a Q&A-style feature.

In the first installment on Aug. 1, readers asked why the agency doesn’t focus on Providence to attract large employers to the Ocean State, and program-specific questions.

And one reader wondered why they were charged tax for bagels purchased at a local shop but not at a supermarket. The answer, food for thought for all bagel lovers, is that they are taxable if the retailer can provide utensils [even if they aren’t offered].

Who knew? n

Did state leaders place the right bet in making Rhode Island the seventh state to legalize internet gaming? JULY 14-20

Yes, but I’m still unclear how it will work here

THIS WEEK’S POLL: Does Rhode Island need a recognizable marketing tagline or slogan to help boost statewide tourism?

• Yes, if it wants to compete with other destinations

• No, that money would be better spent by local communities selling themselves

•I’m not sure To vote, go to PBN.com and follow the link on the home page

The problem with prescriptions

Past public ire over high drug prices has recently taken a back seat to a more insidious problem – no drugs at any price

Patients and their providers increasingly face limited or nonexistent supplies of drugs, many of which treat essential conditions. The American Society of Health System Pharmacists now lists over 300 active shortages, primarily of decades-old generic drugs.

The number of drugs in short supply has increased in recent years, and the average shortage is lasting longer.

What’s going on?

I believe the drug shortage problem illustrates a major shortcoming of capitalism. While costly brand-name drugs often yield high profits to manufacturers, there’s relatively little money to be made in supplying the market with lowcost generics.

The problem boils down to the nature of the pharmaceutical industry and how differently the markets for brand and generic drugs operate. Perhaps the clearest indication of this is the fact that prices of brand drugs in the U.S. are among the highest in the developed world, while generic drug prices are among the lowest.

When a drugmaker develops a new pill, cream or solution, the government grants the company an exclusive patent for up to 20 years, although most patents are filed before clinical testing, and thus the effective patent life is closer to eight to 12 years. Nonetheless, patents allow the drugmakers to cover the cost of research and development and earn a profit without the threat of competition.

But once the patent expires, the drug becomes generic and any company is allowed to manufacture it. Since generic manufacturers are essentially producing the same product, profits are determined by their ability to make the drug at the lowest marginal cost. This often results in low profit margins and can lead to cost-cutting measures that can compromise quality and

threaten supply.

One of the consequences of generics’ meager margins is that drug companies outsource production to lower-cost countries.

As of mid-2019, 72% of the manufacturing facilities making active ingredients for drugs sold in the U.S. were located overseas

Outsourcing production raises a slew of issues that can hurt the supply. Foreign factories are more difficult for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to inspect and tend to have more production problems.

The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the country’s reliance on foreign suppliers – and the risks this poses to U.S. consumers.

India is the world’s largest producer of generic drugs but imports 70% of its raw materials from China. About one-third of factories in China shut down during the pandemic. To ensure domestic supplies, the Indian government restricted the export of medications. This led to shortages.

A company that sells a new, expensive, branded drug has a strong profit motive to keep quality and production high. That’s often not the case for generic drug manufacturers.

And while there may be multiple companies selling the same generic drug in the U.S., there may be only a single manufacturer supplying the basic ingredients. Thus, any hiccup in production or shutdown due to quality issues can affect the entire market.

It is hard to quantify the impact of drug shortages on population health. However, a recent survey of U.S. hospitals, pharmacists and other health care providers found that drug shortages led to increased medication errors, delayed administration of lifesaving therapies, inferior outcomes and patient deaths.

One option is to simply find ways to produce more generic drugs in the U.S. California passed a law in 2020 to do just that by allowing the state to contract with domestic manufacturers to produce its own generic prescription drugs. In March, California selected a Utah company to begin producing low-cost insulin for California patients.

Whether this approach is feasible on a broader scale is uncertain, but it’s a good first attempt to repatriate America’s drug supply. n

Geoffrey Joyce is director of health policy at the University of Southern California Schaeffer Center. Distributed by The Associated Press.

Avoiding the costliest strike in U.S. history

JASON

MILLER

GUEST COLUMN

Legislative action can influence biz ranking

To the Editor:

The recent CNBC report on the business friendliness of each of the 50 states clearly demonstrates that national analysts pay close attention to legislative policy shifts. The rankings carry weight. The factors that drive the rankings change every year. Rhode Island has made some progress on the metrics, but it’s a dynamic environment and every state is making adjustments to get ahead.

The message is obvious: lawmakers and regulators must be cognizant that every legislative amendment or regulatory rule factors into the national rankings’ calculus. We don’t want to be in the bottom tier of states. That’s why our pro-business lobbying team at the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce carefully scrutinizes bad bills and suggests improvements.

Case in point: The issue of employee misclassification/ independent contractor status was an especially contentious one in this year’s General Assembly. The final bill, which we worked on, addressed the pressing concerns of employees without making it harder to do business in Rhode Island. House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi took responsibility for surgically crafting a reasonable solution. We applaud his leadership and responsiveness and thank him for appreciating what it takes to be positioned as a leader, not a laggard.

Laurie White President, Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters union and UPS have agreed on a new five-year contract that boosts wages and guarantees more air conditioning in drivers’ trucks. The tentative deal, struck on July 25, came one week before an Aug. 1 deadline that the Teamsters had set for a threatened strike.

What does this deal say about the supply chain and labor?

This reinforces the strong bargaining position of unions representing workers in the logistics sector – not just in the U.S. but also in Canada, Europe and elsewhere.

My view is that UPS was more willing to accept the Teamsters’ demands because current economic conditions favor labor. In addition, the company realized that a

strike could have cost it substantial market share, up to 30% of volume by one estimate Combined with the company’s recent high profits, it was not in UPS management’s interest to let a strike proceed.

Roughly 57.3% of the packages UPS delivers are shipped straight to consumers. The rest of the deliveries go to retailers and other businesses.

Based on my years of researching transportation operations and supply chain disruptions, the impact of a UPS strike would have stretched far beyond delayed delivery of everything from pet food to tennis rackets that U.S. consumers buy online.

A UPS strike could have disrupted the availability of spare parts for cars and wholesale medical supplies, just to name a

few essentials. Consumers would also have found it harder to get clothing and shoes in stores, as retail locations are typically replenished by parcel carriers.

Even a 10-day strike could have cost the U.S. economy an estimated $7.1 billion, according to research firm Anderson Economic Group. That would have made it potentially the costliest strike in U.S. history.

The tentative agreement now must be ratified by Teamsters employed by UPS. Voting is expected to conclude on Aug. 22. My expectation is that the union’s rank-and-file members will approve this contract. n

Jason Miller is an associate professor of supply chain management at Michigan State University. Distributed by The Associated Press.

There’s relatively little money to be made in … low-cost generics.

Engage with your community

LEADING

one of the most densely populated cities in America on a small operating budget, I’ve quickly learned to appreciate the importance of fostering new partnerships. I believe there are always new, untapped opportunities around the corner for organizations to further engage and make a difference in their own communities.

Public-private partnerships undoubtedly help advance a municipality’s needs, build pride in neighborhoods and deepen an organization’s impact. In Central Falls, public-private partnerships bring so much vibrancy to our city – from building a much-needed community center to a beautiful, new community garden on a once-vacant, foreclosed lot.

As a business or organization leader, you have a wealth of new ideas and perspective. Have a new program idea? Have supplies to donate or a team of volunteers? Want to fund a small project that could lead to big progress?

It starts with your engagement. My advice is to reach out directly to a municipality. We always have new initiatives and projects that need investment!

In our small city, we’ve used our size to our advantage – often demonstrating that small, dense, diverse municipalities can be amazing locations to test or invest in pilot programs before scaling them. We’ve even found ways to better support our community beyond our residents, such as our small businesses, helping them overcome language or technology barriers.

Seek out partnerships, and consider offering your expertise, resources or support. It starts with simple outreach to a municipality, and you are well on your way to making an impact. n

Maria Rivera

Central Falls mayor

Maria Rivera is the first woman mayor in Central Falls’ history, and Rhode Island’s first Latina mayor. Prior to her swearing in as mayor in January 2021, she served as City Council president.

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CONGRATULATIONS to the Winners

KIM BELENGER

Lead System Systems Engineer (LSE) for the Surveillance Towed Array Sensor System-Expeditionary (SURTASS-E)

NUWC Division Newport

JEFFREY CASCIONE

SVP Director of Commercial Banking

Navigant Credit Union

STEPHEN COLELLA

Director, Job Club RI

STACIE COLLIER

Partner/Chief Talent Officer, Nixon Peabody

CHRISTIAN COWAN

Executive Director, URI Research Foundation

MARCELINO DE SANTIAGO

President & COO, Hope Global

DEAN de TONNANCOURT

Broker Owner, CEO

HomeSmart Professionals Real Estate

SARAH DINKLAGE

Chief Executive Officer

Rhode Island Student Assistance

Services/Coastline EAP

CRISTA DURAND

President/Chief Executive Officer Newport Hospital

DEBORAH FAULKNER

President, Faulkner Consulting Group

CHRISTINE GADBOIS

CEO, CareLink

CHRISTOPHER GRAHAM

Providence Co-Office Managing Partner Locke Lord LLP

JEAN HARRINGTON

Partner/Chair of Corp. Dept.

Duffy & Sweeney, LTD

JONATHAN HOUSTON

Founder/CEO, Justice Assistance

JAMES M. LEHANE, III

President/CEO, Newport Mental Health

CAROL MALYSZ

Executive Director, RI Bio

JAMES MCASSEY

President, Brave River Solutions, Inc.

MARGUERITE MCLAUGHLIN

Director of Education & Transformation Healthcentric Advisors

LELAND MERRILL

EVP/Chief Lending Officer Centreville Bank

ROSS NELSON Market Vice President

Cox Communications

MARY O’SULLIVAN

Owner Encore Executive Coaching

ANTHONY PELLEGRINO

Head of Hotels, Ash - The Dean Hotel

JOSEPH PERRONI

President and Chief Executive Officer

Delta Dental of Rhode Island

MARIANNE RAIMONDO

Dean, School of Business Rhode Island College

VIRGINIA ROBERTS

Senior Managing Director and Deputy Chief Credit Officer Webster Bank

BARBARA WOLFE

Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs

The University of Rhode Island

KARINA WOOD

Executive Director

Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses at CCRI

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