PBN January 6, 2023

BUSINESS WOMEN

SURPLUS of question marks

Decisions on tax cuts, housing policies, education aid among matters in the balance

BY CHRISTOPHER ALLEN | Allen@PBN.com

one would blame the General Assembly leadership if it breathed a little easier in the 2023 legislative session. After all, the top Democratic leaders won reelection in the fall, the economic havoc touched off by the COVID-19 pandemic continues to fade and, for the second year in a row, state budget officials are projecting a massive surplus by the end of the fiscal year in June –estimated to be about $610 million right now.

But as state legislators took their seats on Jan. 3 to begin the new session, some challenges left over from the previous year awaited them, including housing instability and failing public schools. And with the prospect of rising energy costs and a potential recession creating economic uncertainty for 2023, state leaders are already mulling using some of the surplus for tax cuts. What type of cuts? There’s no consensus yet.

Firms fret about size of future power bills

BY NANCY LAVIN | Lavin@PBN.com

THE MASSIVE MILLING MACHINES and grinders used to make Hindley Manufacturing Co.’s signature wire hardware are power hungry, so it’s no surprise that President Charles Hindley is worried that his company’s hefty energy bills are going to grow much bigger soon. The manufacturer was temporarily spared from the hikes in winter electric rates that were approved for Rhode Island Energy customers in October. Hindley is locked into a different price through a contract with a third-party broker. But that contract runs out next year, and the company is bracing for the worst.

FOCUS: ECONOMIC FOREC AST

STANDING

ROOM ONLY: State representatives open the 2023 legislative session in the House chambers on Jan. 3. For the second year in a row, lawmakers begin their work as the state is projecting a massive surplus for the current fiscal year.

COVER STORY

SURPLUS OF QUESTION MARKS

Decisions on tax cuts, housing policies, education aid among matters in the balance 1

FOR STARTERS

Dining Out: Many meals on wheels 3

5Q: Tom Sperry 4

Trending: Most-read stories on PBN.com, Dec. 2022 5

Spotlight: In Your Ear Records Ltd. 6

Something New: Mother Earth Wellness Inc. 6

Hot Topic: A test for ‘Homeless Bill of Rights’ 7 Business Women: A tireless matchmaker in the temp job market 8 Brisson appointed PBN associate publisher 9

Another Look: New year brings new business laws 9 What’s Happening 10

Everybody’s Business: A display of fighting spirit to overcome obstacles 16

IT’S PERSONAL

People in the News

Mackay’s Moral 22

To Savor: Jessica Norris Granatiero 24 Editorials and Opinion 25

One Last Thing: Bryant C. Da Cruz 27

FOCUS: ECONOMIC FORECAST

Firms fret about size of future power bills

In its December forecast, the U.S. Energy Information Administration warned of rising and volatile electricity prices in 2023 due to war in Eastern Europe and increasing demand. 1

Stabilized rents won’t be of much assistance

While the rental market has showed some signs of cooling at the upper level, observers say, renters most in need of affordable housing will likely continue to struggle in 2023. 17 Lists

Rhode Island Co-Working Spaces

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Providence Business News is published every two weeks by Providence Business News, 400 Westminster Street, Providence, RI 02903 (USPS 002-254) (ISSN 0887-8226)

Periodical postage paid at Providence, R.I.

POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to 400 Westminster Street, Providence, RI 02903.

FOR STARTERS

MEALS ON WHEELS OF RI INC., doing business as Meals on Wheels of Rhode Island, is in its 54th year of providing food service to homebound seniors.

In 2022, the organization delivered its 20 millionth meal. That is a long way and many meals from the oneperson operation that started in 1969 to serve 17 people on the East Side of Providence.

“This year [2022], we are on track to serve 2,500 older adults,” said Meghan Grady, executive director of Meals on Wheels of Rhode Island.

2022 marked the 50th anniversary of the Older Americans Act Nutrition Program, the federal legislation that provided funding for nutrition services for seniors and helps support programs such as Meals on Wheels.

The daily delivered meal meets one-third of a senior’s dietary requirements. The meals are prepared in a commercial kitchen operated by a third-party catering company known as Trio Community Meals. The meals are chilled for transport and delivered under strict conditions to ensure proper food service handling techniques.

In addition to logistics, Grady said Trio provides menu development and

Many meals on wheels

production so that the prepared meals are ready to be delivered by local volunteer drivers.

“The guidance [Trio] provides a team of registered dietitians who develop a menu that provides the local flavor,” Grady said.

Each year, the March for Meals celebration commemorates the historic day in March of 1972 when President Richard Nixon signed into law a measure that amended the Older Americans Act of 1965 to include a national nutrition program for seniors 60 years and older. This legislation supported the rapid growth of the nationwide network of senior nutrition programs – commonly referred to as Meals on Wheels – that collectively served over 223 million meals to more than 2.4 million seniors prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The Older Americans Act Nutri-

tion Program is the only federally supported program designed to address both senior hunger and isolation,” said Ellie Hollander, CEO and president of Meals on Wheels America.

With increased demand due to the pandemic atop the rapid increase in the senior population, 8 out of 10 local Meals on Wheels programs are still serving more home-delivered meals than they were prior to the pandemic. The national organization expects the demand is here to stay.

At more and more of the thousands of daily stops, as doors opened to welcome knocks from volunteer drivers delivering meals to seniors, it became apparent that people were in need of more than just nutrition – there was a vital need for interpersonal relations, for companionship, for someone to talk to. Although the realization that what was happening was more than

just a simple act of providing a meal for an older individual who lived alone dawned on Meals on Wheels providers before the pandemic, it has been magnified many times over in the past two years.

Everyone has heard stories during the pandemic of people whose only contact with the outside world was the once a day when the Meals on Wheels driver knocked on the door. The organization spotlighted some of their people who had poignant stories to tell on a recent media campaign and some have become local celebrities.

In 2022, Meals on Wheels of Rhode Island launched an Asian menu and a Latin menu, both of which have proven very popular. Additionally, Grady said the first medically tailored menu was launched this past October. There is already talk of expanding that menu in the new year. n

“Dining Out With Bruce Newbury” is broadcast locally on WADK 101.1 FM and 1540 AM and on WWRI 105.5 FM and 1450 AM. The show is also broadcast on radio stations in Vermont and Indiana. Contact Bruce at bruce@ brucenewbury.com.

‘This year [2022], we are on track to ser ve 2,500 older adults.’

MEGHAN GRADY, Meals on Wheels RI Inc. executive director

5Q: Tom Sperry

Co-founder and managing director, Rogue Venture Partners

BY JACQUELYN VOGHEL | Voghel@PBN.com

1Why did you launch Rogue Venture Partners, and what type of startups does it focus on?

I started Rogue over 10 years ago with the thesis of investing in great entrepreneurs in under-capitalized regions. I believed … if I put together a fund that only looked at opportunities in tier-two and tier-three cities, we could get early access to great companies and CEOs, as well as be a driver for economic growth because these companies could blossom and not have to move.

a University of Rhode Island graduate but is now in Portland. We are close partners with RIHub and others and are happy to share deal flow with everyone.

4Do you see local funding sources as a gap in Rhode Island’s innovation ecosystem, and if so, how do you hope Rogue will influence this gap?

2

After launching Rogue in Portland, Ore., what prompted you to move to Rhode Island? How will this move influence Rogue’s work?

I grew up in Connecticut and summered in Jamestown, so Rhode Island was my second home growing up. My wife and I made the decision to move to Jamestown to raise our family. Rogue now has offices in Portland, Austin, Texas, and Rhode Island. We look at deals all over the country, but our thesis of looking at deals in smaller, under-capitalized cities remains the same.

We believe Rhode Island needs a local venture capital fund that is focused on writing the first checks into startups. We want to partner with everyone, as we feel Rhode Island’s ecosystem is still so nascent that it’s critical we work together to drive success for all in the public and private sector.

5

What does Rogue’s partnership with URI entail?

3

How many ventures has Rogue funded in Rhode Island? Is Rogue working with other partners in the state?

We invested in Pointz – Waze for micromobility – and they now are in the Roux Institute Techstars Accelerator, which is amazing. We are investing in Five!, whose CEO lives in Rhode Island with a distributed team, and Megh Computing, whose founder is an ex-Intel executive and

We are lucky to count the University of Rhode Island Research Foundation as [a limited partner] in our current fund. We now also focus on nurturing and encouraging students and faculty at URI, and at all universities in Rhode Island, to enable their entrepreneurial journey and growth. The relationship has blossomed to include teaching courses in entrepreneurship and innovation, business pitch events with funding opportunities, and mentoring URI students one-on-one to create businesses. n

PBN PHOTO/ELIZABETH GRAHAM

We are … happy to share deal flow with everyone.

3‘Disappointed’ Paolino looks to sell St. Joseph’s building after education leaders nix school plan

POSTED ONLINE: DEC. 20

Joseph R. Paolino Jr., managing partner for Paolino Properties LP, says he will have to explore other options for the former St. Joseph’s Hospital building on Peace Street in Providence after the Providence Public School District and the R.I. Department of Education chose to nix plans to convert the hospital property into two new schools. bit.ly/3Iji6K2

1Wickford Gourmet owners retiring: ‘We can’t do it anymore’

POSTED ONLINE: DEC. 28

Joe and Donna Dubé, owners of Wickford Gourmet Factory Outlet in North Kingstown, have decided to retire after operating their kitchen factory outlet at 21 West Main St. for 41 years. The Dubés are looking for someone to take over the business and are in talks with at least one prospective buyer. bit.ly/3vzE2ZS

2Providence Journal’s top editor among Gannett layoffs

POSTED ONLINE: DEC. 7

The Providence Journal’s top editor, David Ng, was among the layoffs in Gannett Co.’s latest round of nationwide job cuts. Gannett spokeswoman Lark-Marie Anton confirmed Ng, the Journal’s executive editor, is part of the latest round of cuts as the chain targets a 6% reduction of its news staff. bit.

ly/3QaC4bS

4Massage therapist’s license suspended after having sex with patient

POSTED ONLINE: DEC. 5

Anthony Conti, a local massage therapist, had his license suspended for three months by the R.I. Department of Health due to having inappropriate relations with a patient. According to the consent order signed by RIDOH Center for Professional Boards and Licensing Chief Bruce Todesco, Conti had sexual intercourse with a patient while providing massage services on July 28.

bit.ly/3vBeDyU

5

Providence Mayor-elect Smiley begins building his administration

POSTED ONLINE: DEC. 12

Providence Mayor-elect Brett Smiley announced 12 new appointments to his administration who will begin working when he takes office in January. Among them are Courtney Hawkins as chief operating officer, Emily Ward Crowell as chief of staff and Matthew Shumate as deputy chief of staff. bit.ly/3Za1URB

Former office manager, son charged in scheme to defraud Pawtucket dermatologist

POSTED ONLINE: DEC. 15 bit.ly/3Z0FLFf 7

8

New design submitted for the Fane tower POSTED ONLINE: DEC. 5 bit.ly/3Z5Whnc

New behavioral health center opens in Pawtucket

POSTED ONLINE: DEC. 16 bit.ly/3X5Jtvv

9

Ex-Newport Grand site awaits new proposal

PUBLISHED IN PRINT: DEC. 9 bit.ly/3jMFupg

10

Enormous turnover among Providence leaders is uncharted territory

POSTED ONLINE: DEC. 16 bit.ly/3GAkMli

PBN

FILE PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

COURTESY NORTH KINGSTOWN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

PBN FILE PHOTO/ARTISTIC IMAGES

SOMETHING NEW SPOTLIGHT

Cannabis careers in demand

BY CHRISTOPHER ALLEN | Allen@PBN.com

WHEN PAWTUCKET-BASED

Mother Earth Wellness Inc. announced it would be expanding into the retail sphere, the interest from prospective employees was enormous, said co-owner Joseph Pakuris.

“People wanted to work at this company. It was crazy,” he said. “We had people we didn’t give jobs to call us back constantly.”

The burgeoning recreational cannabis industry has introduced a wave of previously unheard-of job titles, such as preroll artist, budtender and edibles chef.

And the compensation can be generous. At Mother Earth, entry-level positions start at $800 weekly.

“The pay is good,” Pakuris said. “This isn’t a convenience store.”

Pakuris hired 70 employees in anticipation of the store’s grand opening, representing about 80% of his target, including a general manager, compliance director, head of security from the ranks of retired law enforcement, salespeople, packagers and a web designer.

“I expect to hire another 15 to 20 people to complete my staff,” he said.

The latest job posting is for a marketing director with a starting salary between $80,000 and $100,000. n

Vinyl sales going strong

Record store has two Warren locations

BY JACQUELYN VOGHEL | Voghel@PBN.com

OVER HIS 40 YEARS IN BUSINESS, Chris Zingg, owner of

In Your Ear Records Ltd., has weathered the highs and lows of the industry – the downward plunge in sales that record stores saw with the rise of music streaming in the early 2000s, and the resurgence of vinyl in recent years.

A mainstay in downtown Warren for more than 15 years, In Your Ear has moved across states and weathered various industry trends before making its home in the East Bay.

It started in Boston in 1982, with “three record collectors looking for a way to enjoy what they were already doing,” Zingg said.

The record store saw early success and eventually expanded to Providence’s College Hill neighborhood. But over the years, industrywide turbulence and rising rental costs in both cities made those locations unsustainable.

At one point, the record store closed its doors completely. Then Zingg saw a new opportunity at 462 Main St. in Warren in 2006.

While vinyl sales were still in a slump at the time, Warren offered more-affordable storefronts, and by the mid-2010s, Zingg began to notice a renewed interest in records, which he said has become even more pronounced in the past two years.

OWNER: Chris Zingg

TYPE OF BUSINESS: Record store

The growth in business was enough that in 2021, Zingg opened a second In Your Ear location in Warren at nearby 99 Water St.

While many businesses’ finances were hard-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, In Your Ear had a boom in business, Zingg said – between spring and fall of 2020 in particular, “our mail orders exploded,” he said, as customers realized they were going to be stuck at home for a while.

Curbing another COVID-19 era trend, the store also hasn’t struggled to hold onto its small team of employees.

“Most people are here for love of music and the environment,” Zingg said. “One of the most interesting parts of my job is being able to talk to someone one-on-one about what they like and what they’re looking for, and being able to send them in a new direction for music that they might not have found otherwise.”

Each storefront serves its own niche, with the Main Street location hosting many of In Your Ear’s

LOCATION: 462 Main St. and 99 Water St., Warren

EMPLOYEES: Three to four

discount purchases, while the Water Street storefront attracts customers looking for rarities and other high-end record finds.

Combined, the two locations include tens of thousands of records, Zingg said, with offerings ranging from releases by today’s top 40 artists to highly sought collector’s items. It’s the latter type of find that Zingg finds most rewarding, he said, recalling a recent standout – a 1967 pressing of “The Velvet Underground & Nico,” featuring Andy Warhol’s banana print – valued at around $2,000.

“I don’t see records slowing down anytime soon,” he noted, adding that he hopes to someday see a return of record stores such as In Your Ear hosting local and national music performances as this growth continues.

Shoppers from the business’s older days have stuck around as well, Zingg said, noting that he still gets customers who will tell him they started buying from In Your Ear when they were college students visiting the old Providence location.

“It’s hard to believe it’s been 40 years, but it’s been fun the whole time,” he said, adding, “it means a lot to know you’ve had a positive impact on someone’s life and that they appreciate what you’re doing.” n

YEAR FOUNDED: 1982

ANNUAL REVENUE: WND

RARE FIND: In Your Ear Records owner Chris Zingg holds a 1967 pressing of “The Velvet Underground & Nico” at the record store’s recently opened second location in Warren at 99 Water St., which specializes in rarities and high-end records.

PBN PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

OPENING DAY: Eddie Keegan, left, chief operating officer, and Joseph Pakuris, co-owner, are ready to welcome customers on opening day at Mother Earth Wellness in Pawtucket.

PBN PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

HOT TOPIC

A test for ‘Homeless Bill of Rights’

BY CHRISTOPHER ALLEN | Allen@PBN.com

RHODE ISLAND’S ADOPTION of a “Homeless Bill of Rights” may have won state leaders praise when it was passed in 2012, but the weakness of the law was exposed when an encampment of people without homes was removed from Statehouse grounds last month, advocates for the unhoused say.

The homeless bill of rights was seen as groundbreaking a decade ago when many communities nationwide prohibited actions such as loitering and panhandling. Instead, the Rhode Island law – the first of its kind in the U.S. – offered unhoused people the protections of privacy, use and movement in public spaces, and equal treatment from public agencies.

The law also says people whose rights have been violated can “seek remedies ranging from injunctive relief to monetary damages.”

While local advocates still praise the law, some maintain that it was violated when Gov. Daniel J. McKee’s administration issued an order to have the tents taken down in December. In response, a team of civil rights attorneys and the American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island Inc. filed a lawsuit to stop it.

R.I. Superior Court Judge R. David

Cruise sided with McKee, and the encampment was removed on Dec. 18.

In the lawsuit, the plaintiffs noted that the Statehouse was chosen as an act of protest “because [the people in the encampment] wish to convey a message that they are in need of and unable to access adequate shelter and they believe that the message is best conveyed by their continuing physical presence at the seat of Rhode Island government.”

But the McKee administration

asserted that the people staying at the Statehouse had created “unsafe and unhealthy conditions,” and cited a rule governing the regulation of events on Statehouse grounds.

McKee says he’s taken action to address the homeless problem, including allocating $6 million to increase shelter capacity and $1.6 million in outreach initiatives to connect the homeless population to services. The Cranston Street Armory in Providence also opened as a 24-hour warming station on Dec. 15.

“The administration is continuing to do the work to connect unhoused Rhode Islanders … with a warm place to stay,” McKee said.

The number of unsheltered increased by 37% in 2022. There are about 1,400 homeless in Rhode Island, according to figures compiled by the Rhode Island Center for Justice and

the Rhode Island Coalition to End Homelessness. The waiting list for a shelter bed is in the hundreds, said Jennifer Wood, executive director of the Center for Justice.

As the population of the unhoused rises, the question of civil rights – including the right to protest – becomes crucial, advocates say.

Margaux Morisseau, deputy director of the Coalition to End Homelessness, says the encampment removal was “a clear violation of the homeless bill of rights” and “a clear violation of the right to protest.”

Lynette Labinger, a cooperating attorney with the ACLU, says the bill of rights law needs to be strengthened. “There are a lot of lofty ideals, but we did not receive any protections for our case,” she said.

Labinger says the McKee administration’s citation of an event planning regulation was especially troublesome. “It had nothing to do with that,” she said, calling the judge’s ruling “chilling.”

LYNETTE LABINGER, cooperating attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union

“The government was uncomfortable with having people at the Statehouse during Christmas season,” she said. “They made people uncomfortable in a way that [other protests] do not. You bring that point home to the decision makers and look at what happens.” n

2023: THE CHALLENGES AHEAD

Inflation, recession fears, labor shortages... PBN’s 2023 Economic Trends Summit will feature a keynote address by Thomas Tzitouris, Head of Fixed Income Research, Strategas followed by a panel discussion with local business experts from various sectors providing thoughts on the Ocean State’s economic trends and forecasts for 2023, as well as industry-specific viewpoints.

PANELISTS TO DATE

WADENSTEN

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

KEVIN CASEY

JULIETTA GEORGAKIS Chief of Staff, RI Commerce

PETER R. PHILLIPS CFA®,

KARL

CEO and President, VIBCO Inc.

‘We did not receive any protections.’

A tireless matchmaker in the temp job market

BY SARAH FRANCIS | Contributing Writer

IFlife imitates art, Dawn Apajee can offer proof in something she read: think like an immigrant. “It resonates with me and sums up who I am and how I run my business,” she said.

“When you’re an immigrant, you have to think and behave differently. Be brave, bet on yourself, learn new skills, embrace new ideas, be humble and always work harder,” she added. “It applies to practically any profession.”

That wisdom is in her DNA. Apajee immigrated to Chicago from London in 1995, when her husband, Deven, got a job as a manager at a youth soccer academy. “[Soccer] has been responsible for a lot of our relationships,” she said. They moved to Rhode Island when his job relocated here. That gave Dawn Apajee the impetus to launch City Personnel Inc., a staff recruiting agency in Providence, with one other employee in 2006.

“I wanted to make my own hours because I had little kids. The reality is I’ve worked 24/7 since day one,” she said.

Apajee hadn’t envisioned a career in recruiting early on. Her parents migrated from Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in the Caribbean to England and worked in a factory. They instilled in their four children the importance of education and working hard. “We

were poor,” Apajee said, “but every one of us has done well because of that emphasis.”

She graduated from the London School of Economics, an elite institution whose alumni include George Soros and David Rockefeller. “I wanted to be a social worker,” she said in her South London accent. “But after the first semester, I realized no way. I liked being in front of people in more of a sales environment.”

She stumbled on an ad for a London staffing agency. “I fell in love with this industry,” Apajee said. “It’s a people business. Hearing their stories, finding them jobs. Building relationships is what kept me in this career.”

Today, City Personnel has a staff of nine with a client list of more than 500 companies in small and midsize industries, ranging from finance and marketing to legal and medical. Apajee sometimes starts her day as early as 5:30 a.m. doing bookkeeping and administrative work, or Zoom interviews with temporary and permanent job candidates. She says working in a small state where there are roughly three degrees of separation is a huge advantage. “You get to know everyone,” she said. “You have a relationship with staff who’ve moved

Building relationships

DAWN APAJEE, City Personnel Inc. owner

on. The disadvantage is you can’t fail to deliver. It could come back to haunt you.”

Like so many businesses, City Personnel was hit hard by the pandemic in March 2020, when companies laid off staff during the near economic shutdown and temps were let go. About half the business of City Personnel disappeared nearly overnight, but the rebound came quickly. Within six months, the orders for temporary workers were exceeding pre-pandemic levels.

If the economy is good and companies want to hire, they turn to staffing services. In a recession, it may be for temporary positions. “Having a good foundation and establishing yourself with companies is key,” she noted.

As the job market has become unpredictable, it’s affected how the company does business. Apajee says demand has been especially high in the medical field, the result of burnout and an unwillingness by some to comply with vaccine mandates.

And in a tight labor market with unemployment hovering just above 3%, finding the right person for the job takes creativity. Baby boomers are retiring, but younger workers don’t have the same skill sets, Apajee acknowledges. It’s a trend that COVID-19 accelerated.

There’s also fallout from the Big Quit, with reasons ranging from, “I want to go out on my own,” to “Do I want to work 50 hours a week for not much money?”

Focusing on the talent it’s recruiting sets City Personnel apart from other staffing agencies, Apajee says.

Cue Zach Gagnon, the marketing manager who was hired in 2020 to overhaul the website. Once updated every two to three weeks, the site is now updated daily.

Aiming squarely at digital natives, Gagnon blogs about subjects that range from serious (“The ultimate guide to sourcing candidates online”) to playful (“Can the color of your tie help you get a job?”). The company also prospects using LinkedIn, social networks and previous clients to get the word out.

“We’ve gone from 100 monthly views to 100 a day,” he said. “We’re probably ahead of the pack in our candidate-driven approach. Sourcing is a big thing, and staying in contact once we start a relationship.”

Apajee says she’s had a couple of clients who’ve recently left jobs because the office culture made them uncomfortable. As a woman of color, she emphasizes the importance of an inclusive and diverse workplace, a goal she sets for her own company.

Has she experienced pushback herself as a woman of color in business? The answer’s nuanced. “I’m in a privileged situation,” she said. “There haven’t been times where I’m told you’re Black or female, so I’m not going to give you a job,” she said.

“I’m from London. There may be instances, but I think people look past that because of my accent, and they should. I’m providing a good service, I’m good at what I do.

There are others who don’t have that advantage.” n

RECRUITING ASSISTANCE: Dawn Apajee, right, owner of staff recruiting agency City Personnel Inc., works with senior recruiter Megan Atkins at her office in Providence. PBN PHOTO/ELIZABETH GRAHAM

‘

is what kept me in this career.’

STARTERS

Brisson appointed PBN associate publisher

BY PBN STAFF

PROVIDENCE BUSINESS

NEWS President and Publisher Roger Bergenheim has promoted Director of Sales and Marketing Annemarie Brisson to the position of associate publisher overseeing the advertising, circulation and production departments.

Brisson started at PBN as the director of sales and marketing in 2015.

“In addition to leading marketing and sales, Annemarie has been instrumental in growing our print and online audience,” Bergenheim said. “This promotion is a recognition of Annemarie’s success over the years in helping PBN to thrive.”

Before joining PBN, Brisson previously worked in sales for several regional news media companies. She served as sales manager for The Pawtucket Times, sales manager for The

ANOTHER LOOK

Independent Newspaper Group in South Kingstown and director of sales and marketing for Sherman Publishing in Newport.

“I have seen PBN grow, pivot and innovate through the years, and I’m proud to be part of a dedicated and hardworking team,” Brisson said. “As associate publisher, my door will always be open to hear feedback, new ideas and how best we can continue to serve the community that we cover.”

Brisson has served on the boards of the North Kingstown Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Newport Chamber of Commerce. For the last six years, she has been a member of the American Heart Association of Southern New England Go Red for Women Executive Leadership Team.

She lives in North Kingstown with her husband, Tom Geiger. n

New year brings new business laws

BY CHRISTOPHER ALLEN | Allen@PBN.com

(Editor’s note: A version of this story was first published on PBN.com on Dec. 29)

PROVIDENCE – Several businessrelated laws previously passed by state legislators took effect on Jan. 1.

Among them is a 75-cent raise in the state’s minimum hourly wage, which moved from $12.25 to $13.

Employers will be legally required to pay employees $13 an hour throughout 2023, with the minimum wage increasing $1 in 2024 to $14 an hour. The following year, the minimum wage will jump another dollar to $15 an hour, according to legislation approved by lawmakers and signed by Gov. Daniel J. McKee in 2021.

Massachusetts also increased its minimum wage in the new year, which moved from $14.25 to $15 on Jan. 1.

However, Rhode Island and Massachusetts are not among the 19 states whose minimum wage is indexed to inflation, meaning the bottom wage is automatically adjusted to reflect an increase in prices.

The latest consumer price index shows prices have risen by 7.1% in the previous 12 months, according to the most recent data published in November by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Other laws that took effect Jan. 1:

n The Equal Pay Law, expanded in 2021, requires equal compensation for “comparable work” regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion,

nationality, age or disability. According to the legislation, comparable work is defined as that which requires “substantially similar skill, effort, and responsibility, and is performed under similar working conditions.” Other requirements include employers providing wage information to certain job applicants and employees seeking a job transfer and prohibiting employers from asking applicants about their salary history and/or relying on that wage history in the hiring decision.

n An increase to the state’s temporary caregiver insurance benefits provided to employees from a maximum of five weeks to six weeks. According to the legislation, “an employee shall be eligible for temporary caregiver benefits for any week in which he or she is unable to perform his or her regular and customary work because he or she is bonding with a newborn child or a child newly placed for adoption or foster care with the employee or domestic partner” or “caring for a child, parent, parent-in-law, grandparent, spouse, or domestic partner, who has a serious health condition.”

n Health insurers are prohibited from so-called “gender rating,” the discriminatory practice of charging women higher rates than men for individual insurance. Studies have shown that women are often charged between 10% to 50% more than men for insurance providing identical coverage. n

Long-term

investment products are: not deposits; not FDIC insured; not insured by any federal government agency; not guaranteed by the Bank; may go down in value.

Brisson

hold annual awards dinner

Bonding together

THE EAST BAY Chamber of Commerce will hold a meeting titled “What to Expect when you hire an Artist” as part of the Chamber’s WEBOND Women’s meeting series. Attendees will learn when to call for an artist’s services, what an artist can do to enhance their business and how to source the right artist for a project. There will be a discussion with Lynn M. Sevigny of Moontide Designs LLC.

TUESDAY, JAN. 10, 9 A.M. $5 East Bay Chamber of Commerce, 16 Cutler St., Warren.

INFO AND REGISTRATION: bit.ly/3Bwqyl0

Tips after certification

THE CENTER FOR WOMEN & Enterprise will hold a webinar titled “I’m Certified. Now What?” The webinar will offer a review of the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council network, share certification reminders, opportunities open to certified businesses, and ways to engage in the WBENC community.

TUESDAY, JAN. 10, NOON TO 1 P.M.

Speaker talks next session

THE NORTHERN RHODE ISLAND Chamber of Commerce will hold its monthly Eggs & Issues Breakfast event, hosted by Kirkbrae Country Club. The event will feature House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi, DWarwick, who will share his thoughts on the upcoming General Assembly session. There will also be a Q&A opportunity at the end of the discussion.

THURSDAY, JAN. 12, 8:15-9:15 A.M. $30/members; $50/nonmembers Kirkbrae Country Club, 197 Old River Road, Lincoln.

INFO AND REGISTRATION: bit.ly/3gDVHvJ

Meeting challenges

POLARIS MEP will hold a virtual workshop titled “Digital Innovation and R&D Tax Credits for Today’s Manufacturing Challenges.” Experts from CliftonLarsonAllen LLP will share client success stories that

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

INFO AND REGISTRATION:

CELEBRATING MANUFACTURING: The Rhode Island Manufacturers Association will hold its annual awards dinner on Feb. 7 at the Graduate Providence.

PBN FILE PHOTO/MARY MACDONALD

demonstrate the value of driving operational efficiency through software integration, data modernization and automation. CLA representatives will also share their proven collaborative methodology, which ensures that manufacturing businesses realize high return on their digital transformation investments. CEOs, presidents, chief financial officers, product managers and chief technology officers are encouraged to attend.

TUESDAY, JAN. 17, 10-11 A.M. Free Online.

INFO AND REGISTRATION: bit.ly/3Potm9y

Building new relationships

THE TRI-TOWN CHAMBER of Commerce will hold its monthly young professional forum. The forum provides an environment for building quality business relationships with like-minded professionals. It also enables young professionals to leverage their expertise, as well as the expertise of other members of the group, to solve common business problems and build new partnerships.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 18, 9-10:30 A.M. Free Tri-Town Chamber of Commerce, 280 School St., Suite L100, Mansfield.

INFO AND REGISTRATION: bit.ly/3WgUXM4

Establishing connections

THE SOUTHERN RHODE ISLAND Chamber of Commerce will hold a Business After Hours networking event, hosted by Mews Tavern. Network with the best of southern Rhode Island’s local business community. A cash bar and light appetizers will be offered. Walk-ins will be accepted but registration is encouraged.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 18, 5-7 P.M. $5/members; $10/nonmembers Mews Tavern, 456 Main St., South Kingstown.

INFO AND REGISTRATION: bit.ly/3FOeCOd

Getting started

PROVIDENCE PUBLIC LIBRARY will offer a workshop to English-language learners who are interested in starting a business. This program will introduce the language and computer skills for developing your plans to establish a small business in Rhode Island. Topics to be discussed include customer communication, marketing, finances and business planning.

MONDAY, JAN. 23, 5-7 P.M. Free Providence Public Library, 150 Empire St., Providence.

INFO AND REGISTRATION: bit.ly/3BSSjog

Popping up

THE NORTHERN RHODE ISLAND Chamber of Commerce’s Women’s Business Council & Emerging Leaders will hold a pop-up networking event, hosted by Narragansett Brewing Co. The event will help connect local business professionals and entrepreneurs in a casual setting. Attendees will have the opportunity to build relationships and generate new customers and clients.

THURSDAY, JAN. 26, 5-7 P.M. $20/members; $30/nonmembers Narragansett Brewing Co., 271 Tockwotton St., Providence.

INFO AND REGISTRATION: bit.ly/3BwCrrl

Legislative discussion

THE GREATER PROVIDENCE Chamber of Commerce will hold its 2023 Rhode Island Legislative Luncheon. The Chamber will hold a conversation with leaders of the R.I. House of Representatives and R.I. Senate. Members expected to attend are House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi, D-Warwick; Senate President Dominick J. Ruggerio, D-North Providence; Reps. Christopher R. Blazejewski, D-Providence, and Michael W. Chippendale, R-Foster; and Sens. Ryan W. Pearson, D-Cumberland, and Jessica de la Cruz, R-North Smithfield. Reservations are due Feb. 10.

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 15, NOON TO 1:30 P.M. $85/person; $950/corporate table of eight R.I. Convention Center, 1 Sabin St., Providence.

INFO AND REGISTRATION: bit.ly/3VWvaZO

Grow your business

GOLDMAN SACHS 10,000 Small Businesses at the Community College of Rhode Island invites local small-business owners to apply for its Summer 2023 cohort. With a curriculum designed by Babson College, small-business owners can gain skills and develop a growth plan for their business. Applications are due Feb. 1.

TUESDAY, MAY 2, THROUGH WEDNESDAY, AUG. 2. Free Community College of Rhode Island, 400 East Ave., Warwick.

INFO AND REGISTRATION: ccri.edu/10ksb

UPCOMING PBN EVENT: The 2023 Book of Lists Premier Event will be held from 5:30-8 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 19, at The Graduate hotel in Providence. For more information, visit PBN.com. For sponsorship opportunities, contact Advertising@PBN.com.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SESSION

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Already, the top legislators in both chambers have staked out priorities for the coming months, and it’s clear that divisions are forming.

House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi, beginning his third year in the legislature’s most powerful position, is backing the idea of creating a new quasipublic agency to cultivate a thriving life science and biotechnology hub similar to what already exists in Massachusetts.

Meanwhile, the focus of Senate President Dominick J. Ruggerio is squarely on changing the formula that the state uses to provide education aid to cities and towns, in hopes that modifications can help prop up struggling schools.

And while everyone agrees the scarcity of affordable housing in Rhode Island is a problem, not everyone agrees on how to solve it.

Shekarchi says to expect a host of new housing bills this session, ranging from easing local zoning restrictions so more homes can be built to purchasing defunct school buildings to be developed into places for people to live.

The Senate leadership, however, says lawmakers first should be scrutinizing how the state is using $250 million in American Rescue Plan Act money that already has been allotted for affordable housing. Ruggerio says he’s been displeased with the slow disbursement so far.

As usual, high on the General Assembly’s to-do list is approving a state budget for the 2024 fiscal year, which begins July 1. Gov. Daniel J. McKee is scheduled to submit his budget proposal later in January, a massive document that sets the administration’s priorities for the next 12 months.

Now that McKee has a fresh four-year term after an election victory in November, it’s unclear how the multibillion-dollar plan will be received by legislators.

Relations among McKee, Skekarchi and Ruggerio – all Democrats – have remained amicable. But how long will the good feelings last?

“There does seem to be a cooperative vibe in the air between the two branches of the [state] government,” said Wendy Schiller, Brown University political science professor and director of the Taubman Center for American Politics and Policy. “But state legislators and their leaders have to seek reelection sooner than McKee, so one should expect a few differences in opinion to emerge before the next reelection cycle.”

The McKee administration has indicated that the budget proposal will include tax relief measures. He has previously said he’d like to lower the state’s 7% sales tax rate so it’s in line with the 6.25% rate in neighboring Massachusetts.

The administration also says the proposal will call for enhanced support for education, incentives for increasing housing construction and the replenishment of the state’s “rainy day” fund.

Shekarchi expects points of conflict among the leaders, even though the state’s financial picture looks bright right now.

“It’s not personal,” he said. “[It’s just that] their priorities may not match up with our priorities and vice versa.”

One point of agreement: Shekarchi and Ruggerio say 2024 is not the year for tax increases, a clear signal that they won’t be supporting the annual call by a union-backed coalition to raise the income tax rate for Rhode Island’s highest earners.

In fact, in a December interview with Providence Business News, Ruggerio and new Senate Majority Leader Ryan W. Pearson floated the idea of eliminating tangible property taxes, which are levied on businesses by municipalities for items such as equipment, furniture and fixtures.

Former Gov. Gina M. Raimondo made a similar proposal in 2020 – a plan that would have increased state aid to cities and towns to cover their lost tax revenue – but it was abandoned when the COVID-19 pandemic struck.

What matters are likely to draw legislative attention over the next six months? Here are a few likely candidates:

BUDGET SURPLUS

Buoying talk of tax reductions is the projected $610 million budget surplus, the second year in a row that the state is expected to end the year in the black after several years of structural deficits.

The latest estimates show revenues running ahead by 5%, which state fiscal advisers attribute to better-than-expected tax receipts, dollars remaining from last year’s budget surplus and significant job vacancies.

Still, Shekarchi is looking to temper expectations.

“That doesn’t mean we are going to have a surplus in May,” Shekarchi said in December. “And I’m sure there will be other issues that will pop up during the session. It’s all based on revenue. At any given moment we may run ahead with revenue, but we also may run behind.”

Pearson, too, notes that part of the surplus is due to more than 1,000 job openings in government. “As we fill those vacancies, you can expect a lot of that money is going to get eaten up,” he said.

Advocates working to shore up residents who are struggling financially have urged lawmakers to use some of the surplus for child care, health care and cash-assistance programs.

“We urge policymakers to deploy these once-in-a-generation funds toward systemic change, rather than dispersing

the funds to a multitude of small projects, however valuable they may be,” said Weayonnoh NelsonDavies, executive director of the Economic Progress Institute. “We need to think big.”

Brenda Clement, director of HousingWorksRI at Roger Williams University, says state leaders can learn from the temporary programs instituted during the pandemic, such as Rent Relief RI, which provided financial assistance to renters.

“These are programs that we started on a temporary basis and should continue because they work,” she said.

Michael DiBiase, CEO and president of the Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council, says lawmakers should be careful to avoid creating liabilities that will need to be funded with tax dollars in the future.

“That [surplus] money is one-time money. The budget is fairly tight from this year to next year,” he said. “[Programs] run on continuing revenues and most need continuing money, which becomes difficult if the economy weakens.”

If the surplus ends up being as big as projected, Shekarchi says he would rather return some money directly to the public.

“If we have some extra money, giving a strategic, targeted tax cut is not out of the question,” he said without naming potential cuts. “That is certainly on the table.”

ENERGY COSTS

The prospect of bigger energy bills is weighing heavy on the minds of many business and residential utility customers.

In October, customers saw a spike in electricity rates charged by Rhode Island Energy, the new name for the state’s primary gas and electric company. About half the respondents to a recent Providence Business New online poll said state lawmakers should provide relief from energy prices this session.

So far, the R.I. Public Utilities Commission has approved a six-month suspension of the $6 monthly charge for residential customers. And there was a $60, one-time credit on gas and electric charges for ratepayers, distributed on Nov. 1, using $32.5 million from the state’s settlement with PPL Corp., Rhode Island Energy’s parent company. Lowincome ratepayers are getting additional rate relief through $3.8 million from the state’s Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, a move proposed by McKee.

governor is also promising to introduce

The

‘The needs of students have changed, and the costs of things have changed.’

RYAN W. PEARSON, Senate majority leader

RETURN TO THE ROSTRUM: Senate President Dominick J. Ruggerio takes his place at the front of the Senate chambers on Jan. 3, the first day of the 2023 General Assembly session. It’s a position Ruggerio has held since 2017. PBN PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

legislation to suspend the state’s 4% gross receipt tax on electricity bills through April, an action that Shekarchi and Ruggerio say they’re open to supporting.

At the same time, the two legislative leaders have said they “will be exploring other additional legislative options,” but they have yet to publicly identify other relief plans.

As for more progressive relief directly to ratepayers, DiBiase warns against using one-time money, whether from the budget surplus or federal dollars, to pay down customers’ utility bills.

How prices rise and fall in the short term is unknown. Energy costs will “continue to be an issue that everyone is feeling,” DiBiase said. “We haven’t had a complete conversation about these things. The cost issue has not been addressed.”

Meanwhile, assistance programs such as the Good Neighbor Energy Fund – subsidized by energy companies and private donations – have seen an increase in applications this winter.

The rising costs in housing and energy have been a “devastating combination,” said Cortney Nicolato, CEO and president of the United Way of Rhode Island Inc., which oversees the fund.

“And when you add the cold … it’s driving a rise in calls from households seeking energy assistance,” she said.

HOUSING DEVELOPMENT

In the previous legislative session, the General Assembly agreed to devote $250 million in ARPA money toward the construction of affordable housing, plus another $50 million for homeowner assistance.

What’s happened since then?

Advocates for the poor say the shortage of homes has not subsided, and rent and house prices remain far beyond the means of many people.

And that has Ruggerio openly criticizing the McKee administration’s handling of the $250 million allocation and questioning the performance of Josh Saal, who the governor appointed as the state’s first “housing czar” a year ago.

“I don’t think they did a good job getting the money out in a timely manner,” Ruggerio said.

For Clement, $250 million is only a down payment in rectifying the housing crisis.

“We are not investing enough state dollars. It’s simply not enough to keep up with existing demand, never mind growth,” Clement said. “We need to be producing X number of units each year just to keep up.”

To that end, Shekarchi says he’ll throw his support behind legislation that will make it easier to build homes, such as expanding the areas where multifamily and accessory dwellings can be constructed and allowing homes to be built in commercial and industrial zoning districts.

He also wants to investigate having the state purchase unused buildings such as schools for reuse as either temporary or permanent housing.

“It’s about production. The only way you solve the affordable housing crisis is to create more supply,” he said. “And the only way you build more supply is to create and convert [existing buildings into] housing.”

But Ruggerio and Pearson say allocating more money isn’t the answer, at least not until they see results from the $250 million set aside months ago.

“At this point [the questions are], ‘How are you doing? Are you making progress? And how can we help?’ ” Pearson said.

EDUCATION FUNDING

Leaders in the two chambers are clearly at odds over the state’s education funding formula.

Pearson, who has served as chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, characterized the formula as outdated and “arbitrary,” last amended in 2010.

“The needs of students have changed, and the costs of things have changed,” Pearson said.

Pearson says additional funding should be directed partly toward multilingual learners, a group

whose numbers have continued to rise. And many students – approximately 10,000, according to Pearson – are left out of the current funding regime due to misclassification.

“We need to make sure [the formula] captures all of these students across the state,” he said.

targeted tax cut

Senate leaders plan to scrutinize the overall share the state pays to local municipalities and will look at instituting recurring increases, rather than a one-time allocation as was done during the pandemic, in which local districts were given between $40 million to $50 million.

Shekarchi argues that change isn’t needed right now.

“People say to change the formula. But what that means is to take money from one community and give extra money to someone else,” he said. “It’s a very dangerous thing to do.”

Instead, he would like to see better accounting for the federal money awarded to school districts.

“The local communities are flush with education money,” he said. “Before they come asking for new and more money, I want to see an accountability of what they had last year.”

DiBiase agrees the funding formula needs to be changed to divert more education aid to disadvantaged communities and to provide more financial support for charter schools.

“The reliance on property taxes is problematic because the communities that have the lowest wealth also [have the] most disadvantaged children,” he said.

Many parents are “voting with their feet” by moving to districts with better-performing schools and charter schools, he said.

“Public charter schools are some of the few bright spots for these kids,” DiBiase said.

LIFE SCIENCE HUB

Shekarchi has vowed to “lead the charge” for creating a new quasi-public agency to strengthen the state’s life sciences and biotech sector.

His support comes after a report from the Rhode Island Foundation in October outlined a plan to build a biotech sector to rival Massachusetts.

The plan: spend $50 million over two years, in part to forge state, private and academic partnerships that could give the sector a jump-start. At the

same time, a quasi-public agency with a $1.5 million budget would use existing tax incentive programs offered by R.I. Commerce Corp. to woo biotech companies.

“It’s a unique opportunity,” Shekarchi said. “The timing is right because we have infrastructure money. If we can create a bioscience hub, we can create great therapies that will help people and hopefully create a good industry for private sector jobs.”

Carol Malysz, executive director of life sciences trade group RI Bio, says momentum is already building now that the state has broken ground on a new health lab and a wet lab is expected to be constructed nearby in the Jewelry District.

“Several companies have already expressed an interest in starting up, relocating or establishing a satellite office at these facilities,” she said of the Providence labs.

Shekarchi says he plans on reaching out to research and nonprofit institutions, as well as legislators, to gauge the support.

“The only way that process works is if you get buy-in and partnership not only from my other partners in government like the Senate and governor but with Brown University and other educational [institutions],” he said.

So far, Ruggerio hasn’t exactly embraced the idea.

He says he hasn’t talked with Shekarchi about the biotech initiative, but he is willing to listen. “If [Shekarchi] can bring in some companies, I think that would be helpful,” Ruggerio said.

What the Senate president would support, he says, is an expansion of workforce training and apprentice programs. “We have to get into the training business right now,” he said. “The economy is going to change. And those are the types of programs we need to move into the future.”

DiBiase remains on the fence while details are being formulated. But using tax dollars to “chase companies” to the state is rarely the best course of action, he said.

“We would be more supportive of investments to higher education for research or workforce training or for infrastructure such as lab space and would be less supportive of direct subsidies or tax incentives to individual biotech companies,” he said. n

‘Giving a strategic,

is not out of the question.’

K. JOSEPH SHEKARCHI, House speaker

ON WATCH: Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council CEO and President Michael DiBiase, right, and Manager of Research Justine Oliva will be keeping a close eye on numerous fiscal issues during the 2023 legislative session.

PBN PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

Johnson & Wales University is Training the Cybersecurity Leaders of Tomorrow

Did you know that phishing attacks make up over 80% of reported cybersecurity breaches? More than $17,700 is lost every 60 seconds because of a phishing attack. It’s been reported that ransomware transactions amounted to $102.3 million every month in 2021. Despite another record year of breaches in 2022, nearly half of U.S. businesses still have not put a cybersecurity risk plan in place.*

Who’s alarmed?

Enter Douglas Tondreau, Anthony Chavis and the students that participate in Johnson & Wales’ Cybersecurity Center undergraduate and graduate courses. The Center, recently designated as a National Security Agency/Department of Homeland Security (NSA/DHS) Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education (CAE-CDE), provides an

Johnson & Wales University has always been closely tied to industry—whether through internships, industry-experienced faculty, community engagement, or creating academic programing to address emerging industry needs—the university is committed to the success of its graduates and the business sectors they are employed by. Today, industry is demanding well trained cybersecurity professionals. Johnson & Wales is answering the call.

010101 ››››

Undergraduate degrees at Johnson & Wales include Cyber Threat Intelligence & Defense and Computer Science. The university also offers graduate degrees in Cybersecurity, Information Technology, Instructional Design & Technology and Information Security/Assurance. Can you folks share a bit about JWU’s Cybersecurity Center and its programming?

Anthony: The department, which is housed in the Johnson & Wales’ College of Engineering and Design, was created to meet a growing need for trained cyber professionals. In its seventh year, the department has really developed into a comprehensive and toptier defense education center. I can still remember that first year, there were about 40 students, and an ambitious goal of becoming a nationally recognized NSA program and one of the top programs in the northeast. It’s fantastic to see what that first cohort is doing now in the workplace— true

cyber professionals. Their impressive work was an important component to giving our cyber program the legitimacy it needed to become an NSA Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education

Johnson & Wales developed the cybersecurity curriculum to match the NSA (CAECDE) standards. This means the curriculum was primarily designed using the Workforce Framework for Cybersecurity (NICE Framework), training students on how to help organizations operate and maintain systems performance and security while protecting and defending their environment. We’re outcome-focused at the university, so courses are designed to help students feel confident and prepare to enter the workforce.

020202 ››››

As you both mentioned, the Center recently was designated as a National Security Agency/ Department of Homeland Security (NSA/DHS) Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education (CAE-CDE)— not an easy feat! Can you share what kind of doors this opens to students in your programming?

Doug: This designation means a lot to Johnson & Wales. It signifies that the university is a premier cybersecurity academic and research institution. This certification demonstrates that Johnson &

PARTICIPANTS

Anthony: Our Center of Academic Excellence designation also signifies to potential students that our curriculum meets and exceeds traditional cyber security standards. It means that theory is blended with a high-impact, hands-on approach— preparing students for the professional world. It also opens the door for NSA partnerships, competitive internships, and grant funding in some cases. We are currently seeing a trend where students are receiving full time job offers months before graduation.

030303 ››››

Johnson & Wales is known for its hands-on learning approach. Can you share how this real-world educational model creates well trained cybersecurity graduates?

Doug: At Johnson & Wales we pride ourselves on providing high-impact learning opportunities, many of which include experiential educational approaches. Real-world learning in cybersecurity gives students the experience and exposure to academic tools they will need to explore, research, and apply their course work in real-world contexts. We teach our students how to build and secure environments using various cloud-services and network equipment, mirroring realworld industry. Students then use these frameworks to build, test and learn how to properly secure various environments.

Anthony: For a lot of my classes, I look to build up student confidence and familiarity—through book and lab work— prior to intensive platform exploration. This solid foundation allows students to tackle more challenging labs in time, providing confidence in exploration. It allows me as the instructor to give them greater and more lifelike problems and scenarios.

Irene: As a current student, Johnson & Wales has helped to equip me with confidence and knowledge to grow as a future cybersecurity professional. The university has taught me from the very beginning to prioritize the safe use of technology. As president of the university’s National Cyber Students of America (NCSA) chapter, I bring this mindset and experience to

other peer chapters. Communicating the importance of cybersecurity practices has also been a priority— our class created short videos across social media to help people avoid falling victim to cybercrimes. The department also prioritizes promoting diverse networking, research, and job opportunities through organizations like Women in Cybersecurity (WiCYS). The department is striving to help diversify the cyber industry— we have a range of staff and faculty who are dedicated to supporting students from all backgrounds and experiences.

040404 ››››

That’s a great transition into discussing what graduate placements and outcomes look like for Johnson & Wales Cybersecurity or Computer Science graduates.

Anthony: We’re thrilled to see the success of our graduates! Former students are getting excellent jobs at organizations like MITRE, Hasbro, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), General Dynamics, American Solutions, Hilton, and Citizens Bank. Some grads are doing independent contracting for large technology and media organizations like Facebook and Twitch. As I mentioned before, it is not uncommon for students to receive job offers months prior to graduation.

050505 ››››

The Center works closely with a few notable

community safety organizations like the Providence City Police Department and the Rhode Island State Police to help better resource and train their staff. Can you share a bit more about these partnerships and how the university is playing its part to help keep the state safe from cybersecurity threats?

Doug: Our relationship with law enforcement at the state and local level has allowed us to partner on creating a safer Rhode Island. We’re in discussions with Lieutenant Colonel Robert A. Creamer of the state police and Terrence Green, Detective Supervisor of the Providence Police, to plan the creation of a Faraday room, an enclosure used to block electromagnetic fields, which will provide the state with the necessary tools and resources needed to collect, analyze, and store evidence in a secure environment. The Faraday room will also serve as a cybersecurity training facility for local and state police officials.

The university is also currently partnering with the Rhode Island State Police to strengthen our telecommunications infrastructure and provide training to new recruits. These partnerships allow a transfer of knowledge from experts in the cybersecurity field, to experts in the public safety field—a very rewarding partnership for the department and university.

To learn more about Johnson & Wales’ College of Engineering & Design visit jwu.edu.

Anthony Chavis M.S. Assistant Professor, Network Security and Cyber Intelligence, Johnson & Wales University

Douglas Tondreau M.S. Assistant Professor, Cyber Threat Intelligence and Defense, Johnson & Wales University

Irene Murzyn ’23 Johnson & Wales Cyber Threat Intelligence and Defense Major, president of the university’s National Cyber Students of America (NCSA) chapter

A display of fighting spirit to overcome obstacles

1Do you believe racism is keeping minorities from starting businesses in the Ocean State or succeeding when they do?

I think for certain minorities in certain businesses, 100% yes. I see it all the time. Some white-owned businesses do great right way, while the [Latino], Asian and Black communities have to struggle a little bit more.

Nic Cortes

Cortes BJJ LLC

BY CHRISTOPHER ALLEN | Allen@PBN.com

(Editor’s note: This is the 29th installment in a monthly series speaking with minority business owners and leaders. Each will be asked their views on minoritybusiness conditions in the state and for ways to improve those businesses’ chances for success.)

AS A MIXED-RACE YOUNGSTER raised in a tough section of Fall River, Nic Cortes saw two distinct paths he could take in life, neither of which he was willing to pursue.

He looked at his working-class mother laboring for years as a certified nursing assistant, undervalued by her employers. And he witnessed his two older brothers lured into a violent street culture plaguing their neighborhood, which led both to state prison. One of his brothers remains incarcerated.

“She never made enough money,” Cortes said of his mother. “I always understood I had to make my own money to become my own boss.”

Cortes has been working for as long as he can remember. His first job was on a farm when he was 8.

The city presented challenges at first. And then an escape. Street fights were a common occurrence. By the time he was 10, he had been in multiple fights, which motivated him to study martial arts.

“I first got into it as a kid to protect myself. I wanted to learn to defend myself,” he said.

As he perfected his craft, the street fights ended. Neighborhood kids suddenly weren’t so quick to challenge him. He eventually started competing in sanctioned competitions.

“Jiu-jitsu saved my life,” he said. “It may sound cliché, but it did. [Otherwise] I would have probably joined a gang and would be in prison or dead by now.”

With dreams of opening his own academy, Cortes knew he would first need capital. He continued to work while enrolled in community college but dropped out soon after.

“I had a hard time doing general studies,” he said. “Because I always believed that to succeed in business, you have to just go out and do it and learn from your mistakes.”

The gamble paid off. He opened Cortes BJJ LLC in Warwick in 2017, offering self-defense programs for children, teens and adults in a range of disciplines, in addition to jiu-jitsu, such as boxing, fitness and strength conditioning.

He’s got about 90 students, and they call him “professor,” the title in Brazilian jiu-jitsu traditionally given to expert-level practitioners.

Cortes credits his success with a philosophy that combines business with friendship, allowing him to recruit new students that in turn grow his academy. Numerous online reviews from former and current students of all ages and demographics credit his academy for helping them with physical and mental transformations.

“In my teachings, we talk about how to hit your goals in life, how not to let the little things bother you and how to appreciate each moment,” he said. “I developed a personal system that also helps me run my school.”

3

But it depends on where you are. In a place such as Warwick, it can be harder for a Hispanic business to grow as opposed to cities such as Providence. Either way, you are at the mercy of everyone and everything. As a minority, you must spend your own money to make your small business grow. I wish it wasn’t that way, but it’s true.

2How dependent is your business on the support of other minority groups? Is that a sustainable business model?

Maybe because of my last name, we do have a lot of [Latino customers] who call us. Sometimes I feel like it’s harder to break out of that, but I really can’t complain because I’m doing what I love. But it would be nice to have more whites, Blacks and Asians wanting to take classes.

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

I think we need to have better grant programs for minority-owned businesses. But you must have a plan. Those two things go hand in hand. I know of non-minority-owned businesses that have grown in one year to the same size it took me five years to get to.

For example, during the [COVID-19] shutdowns, much of the funding did not trickle down enough for many to survive. Just in the four months we were closed, we lost close to $50,000 and we only got $10,000 [in forgivable loans]. It barely helped us because it had to go toward our expansion [to comply with public health regulations]. So it was not helping my business directly.

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?

4

I don’t work with any bank directly. I’ve always been bootstrapped. When we moved to our new space, I tried to work with the local branches, and they wouldn’t give me a loan. It’s crazy because I had proof of paying for my business for over four years. When I tried to get a loan for my business through Capital One [Financial Corp.], they said you can’t because you don’t have any credit. But how can I build any credit if no one accepts me?

And still to this day, I have no credit [line] for my business, even though I pay all my bills on time.

5If another minority entrepreneur asked you where they could turn to for support for their business, where would you direct them?

I would say to ask other successful business owners what they have done. Or go to local DEI [diversity equity inclusion] groups. Or find free networking or food truck events and just start talking to people. n

‘As a minority, you must spend your own money to make your small business grow.’

HITTING HIS GOAL: Nic Cortes, owner of Cortes BJJ LLC, leads one of the classes at his jiu-jitsu studio in Warwick, which offers self-defense programs, fitness and strength conditioning. Cortes realized his dream of starting his own academy when he opened his studio in 2017.

PBN PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

ECONOMIC FORECAST

“It’s the higher-end stuff, the $2,100 bedroom or the $3,000 two-bedroom [apartment] where we’re seeing things go down quite a bit,” he said.

For those higher-end apartments, some landlords are offering incentives, such as halting rent for the first couple months after a lease signing or waiving security deposits, to fully rent their buildings, said Residential Properties CEO and President Sally Lapides.

The current higher vacancy rates arise from affordability issues, Lapides said, rather than a lack of demand for housing.

Part of that slowdown falls in line with regular, seasonal trends, Lapides said, as less people tend to move during the winter, with the market peaking around June through September.

Looking to 2023, Lapides doesn’t see significant relief for renters.

“Prices probably will not come down,” she said. “I think that prices will appreciate at normal appreciation, and that with the workforce making more money per hour nationally, we will see prices not going down but just stabilizing.”

That will pose a serious problem for many, she said, calling current rental rates “unaffordable for most working families” in Rhode Island.

Stabilized rents won’t be of much assistance

BY JACQUELYN VOGHEL | Voghel@PBN.com

three years into a rental market characterized by a steep decline followed by surging increases, the market has showed some signs of starting to cool at the upper level, observers say, though renters most in need of affordable housing will likely continue to struggle in 2023.

It’s a trend that Scott Veloso, a real estate agent with Providence-based Residential Properties Ltd., has noted among the approximately 1,000 units his team represents statewide.

“The amenity-heavy, or luxury market, is where we’re seeing pushback,” he said. “The more affordable apartments are still very high in demand.”

Renters nationwide, particularly in Providence, saw some sharp rate decreases during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, only for prices to surge the following year as people returned to inperson, pre-pandemic activities.

A report released in December by QuoteWizard supports the idea that these hikes are slowing, with the insurance comparison website reporting that rental rates for an average one-bedroom apart-

ment in Rhode Island, which QuoteWizard places at $1,121, have decreased by 7% since June. However, rents remain 20% higher than they were in 2020.

Veloso doesn’t expect these rates will climb in 2023.

“We believe we’ve seen the peak of rental prices at this point for a while,” Veloso said, with landlords facing more pushback from tenants when they try to raise the rent during lease renewals, and more turnover compared with the earlier days of the pandemic.

“We were having 10% turnover, and now we’re getting back to the industry standard of maybe [30%], 35%,” Veloso said. “And then [in 2023], we think we’ll see the same. There’s a lot more inventory coming on the market right now and people have more choices, so they’re moving from an older apartment into one of the newer options.”

But this trend has mostly stayed among tenants with a higher budget, Veloso said. The lower-priced apartments his team rents, such as a $1,200 one-bedroom or $1,600 two-bedroom apartment, are still in high demand, he noted, and “don’t sit on the market for more than a few days at this point.

Wages haven’t risen to match housing costs in Rhode Island, said Brenda Clement, executive director of HousingWorksRI at Roger Williams University. The nonprofit’s 2022 Housing Fact Book report found that 70% of jobs identified as “high growth occupations” in Rhode Island do not pay at least $24.32 an hour, the wage needed to afford an average two-bedroom rental in the Ocean State. And Burrillville is the only community in the state that offers affordable rentals.

In Providence, the availability of more and newer apartment units, such as the 500 South Water St. and 125 Wickenden St. complexes, is giving some renters more options and negotiating power, Veloso said.

But this new housing production pales in comparison to Rhode Island’s peak building era in the mid-1980s, Clement said, when the state was issuing around 7,500 new building permits per year at all income levels. For more than a decade, housing and production levels throughout Rhode Island have hovered around just over 1,000 new units per year.

Funding is just a part of it, Clement noted, and this problem will remain in place until the state and individual communities make reforms to municipal-level land use and zoning laws that bar many new developments – particularly those deemed affordable.

“We just have not been producing enough housing for workers at all income levels,” Clement said, “and unfortunately, it’s starting to catch up with us.”

Veloso has expected for some time that rents would eventually hit a ceiling.

SCOTT VELOSO, Residential Properties Ltd. real estate agent

“I do think there could be some price correction,” he noted. “I don’t think it’s going to be a very large amount, but I do think these landlords are going to have to adjust their prices to keep vacancy rates low.” n

ON TOUR: Brett Bessette, left, a real estate agent with Residential Properties Ltd., shows an apartment in a newly constructed building at 500 South Water St., Providence, to a prospective tenant, John Pereira, of East Providence.

PBN PHOTO/ MICHAEL SALERNO

‘Landlords are going to have to adjust their prices.’

“We’re already paying $40,000 a year in electric bills, and it might be going up 400%,” Hindley said. “That’s just insane. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Hindley’s predictions are based on current market prices. Industry forecasts indicate he might be underestimating just how bad it could get.

In its December forecast, the U.S. Energy Information Administration warned of rising and volatile electricity prices in 2023 due to war in Eastern Europe and increasing demand. The outlook looks particularly bad for New England, where a limited capacity to pipe in natural gas requires electricity providers to import liquified natural gas or oil, often competing against “the entire world” for LNG, according to Chris Higginbotham, an EIA spokesman.

After a 9.3% spike in New England electricity prices in the first quarter of 2023 compared with the prior quarter, the EIA expects to see prices tick up again in the last quarter of the year, although not as sharply, according to agency forecasts.

The federal agency does not forecast prices for Rhode Island, but preliminary predictions from Rhode Island Energy suggest similar price hikes are coming. The utility company declined to comment for the story, but filings submitted to the R.I. Public Utilities Commission show the state’s primary electric and gas operator expects rates may exceed 21 cents per kilowatt-hour in the fall of 2023 for both residential and commercial customers – a 20% hike over the rates in place for this winter.

The forecast is based on current prices and is by no means final, says Thomas Kogut, an associate administrator for the R.I. Division of Public Utilities and Carriers

Higginbotham also stresses that the EIA’s forecasts are also subject to change based on weather, market demand and other “huge wrenches” such as international conflicts.

“When you look at our December 2021 forecasts, we had no idea Russia was going to invade Ukraine,” he said.

steep as first proposed due to bill credits and fee suspensions. The money for the discounts included a portion of the settlement reached when Rhode Island Energy parent company PPL Corp. bought the gas and electric business from National Grid. The state also used some of its gas capand-trade revenue to help low-income customers with their bills.

annual ... pricing challenge for several

Even in a bestcase scenario in which the war in Ukraine ends, Ronald Gerwatowski, chairman of the R.I. Public Utilities Commission, believes price hikes are on the horizon.

RONALD GERWATOWSKI, R.I. Public Utilities Commission chairman

“Unfortunately, high winter prices are not a one-time temporary effect,” Gerwatowski said in an email message. “It is likely to be an annual summer-to-winter pricing challenge for several years to come.”

And temporary discounts can only go so far. The rate hikes approved this fall were not as

Gov. Daniel J. McKee also says he plans to introduce legislation to suspend the 4% gross tax receipt on electric bills.

Several of these discounts were given to low-income residents only. Businesses, particularly manufacturers, saw little to no relief on their monthly energy bills.

David M. Chenevert, executive director for the Rhode Island Manufacturers Association, feared the state’s manufacturing sector, which is performing well right now, could be weakened by energy price increases.

“A major concern is to make sure we keep our manufacturers alive and well,” Chenevert said. “Some of these companies are going to start considering, ‘Why are we staying here with these outrageous electricity rates?’ when they could go

somewhere else like North Carolina.”

Chenevert was still mulling options for how to keep manufacturers in the state. One idea: partner with offshore wind developer Orsted A/S to set aside electricity from wind farms for manufacturers. He also suggested getting rid of the energy efficiency cost that Rhode Island Energy charges to pay for its energy savings programs because he doesn’t think the program really helps manufacturers.

One silver lining of the ominous forecast for rising power costs is the motivation it might give residents and companies to switch to renewable energy sources, according to Peter Kaczmarek, president of Mearthane Products Corp. Indeed, the Cranston manufacturer of polyurethane components will add rooftop solar panels to its three buildings this year.

At $1.5 million, the investment is not cheap but with standard electricity prices on the rise, Kaczmarek expects to recoup the cost in three to four years, based on savings from generating his own electricity.

Of the rising electricity prices, he said, “it definitely spurs us to do more on the energy conservation side, too.”

Hindley is less enthusiastic about going solar. A few rooftop panels would hardly power the 600watt machines that fill the factory floor. Moving is also out of the question since he couldn’t afford to lose his 60 workers by uprooting his Cumberland operation.

Instead, Hindley says he’d be forced to pass at least some of the cost increases to customers, which he says would make his company less competitive.

“It also takes away money we’d rather spend on wages,” he said. “The whole thing is really unfortunate.” n

POWERS THAT BE: Peter Kaczmarek, president of Mearthane Products Corp. in Cranston, has decided to add rooftop solar panels to his facility in part because of concerns about increasing electricity rates in the region.

PBN PHOTO/TRACY JENKINS

‘It is likely to be an

years to come.’

166 Valley St., Building 6M Providence, R.I.02909 (401) 536-9336 12,000 Individuals, nonprofits, local companies, and businesses currently from 26 states and five countries 2016

CLOSER LOOK

Total square footage: 439,720

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

Jan. 20: Business Development Resources, High-Tech Funding Resources, Rhode Island Distilleries, Breweries & Vineyards; Feb. 3: College Technology Programs, Health Care Educators, Physician Group Practices.

WANT TO JOIN?

2022: 5 Westwey Club | westweyclub.com

1 Turks Head Place Providence, R.I.02903 (410) 244-7093 10,000 Consultants, creative economy, freelancers, professional services, software, state associations, startups 2020

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

Social

Enterprise Greenhouse | segreenhouse.org 10 Davol Square, Suite 100 Providence, R.I.02903 (401) 272-2558 6,720

2014

2022: 8 Regus Providence | regus.com 10 Dorrance St., 7th Floor Providence, R.I.02903 (401) 519-3600 5,000 Varies NA

2022: 9 Sprout CoWorking Warren | sproutcoworking.com 489 Main St. Warren, R.I.02885 (401) 247-2000 4,000 Individuals, nonprofits, local companies, and businesses currently from 26 states and five countries 2018

2022:

2022: 2

Rhode Island Association of Realtors | rirealtors.org PhilipTedesco, CEO

Bignall St. Warwick, R.I.02888 (401) 785-3650

188 Valley St., Building 3L, Suite 131 Providence, R.I.02909 (401) 273-1574

2022: 7

2022: 5

Rhode Island Society of Certified Public Accountants | riscpa.org MelissaTravis, president

Greater Providence Board of Realtors | gpbor.realtor Suzanne M.Silva, CEO

2022: 6

40 Sharpe Drive, Unit 5 Cranston, R.I.02920 (401) 331-5720

12 Breakneck Hill Road, Suite 100 Lincoln, R.I.02865 (401) 274-8383

2,898 Varies

2,500 $125 to $375

(ranked by number of members)

2,500 $215

Engages and connects people through shared experiences that positively transform individuals, organizations and communities

To enhance the image of the CPA profession and the success of members

Serving its members in Rhode Island and beyond with tools and resources to inspire success, cultivate real estate leaders and promote homeownership

CLOSER LOOK

Total number of members: 30,210

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

Jan. 20: Business Development Resources, High-Tech Funding Resources, Rhode Island Distilleries, Breweries & Vineyards; Feb. 3: College Technology Programs, Health Care Educators, Physician Group Practices.

2022: 8

Kent Washington Association of Realtors | kwaor.realtor Linda J.Arcouette, CEO

Rhode Island Builders Association | ribuilders.org JohnMarcantonio

2022: 10

2022: 12

Rhode Island Black Business Association | ri-bba.org LisaRanglin, president

Rhode Island Hospitality Association | rihospitality.org Dale J.Venturini, CEO and president

2022: 11

2022: 14

National Association of Social Workers Rhode Island chapter | naswri.socialworkers.org RebekahGewirtz, executive director

Northern Rhode Island Board of Realtors | nribr.realtor

Suzanne M.Silva, CAE, RCE, CEO

13

Newport County Board of Realtors | newportrealtor.com HannahHodgson, association representative and board administrator

National Federation of Independent Business/ Rhode Island | nfib.com/ri Christopher R.Carlozzi, state director

Rhode Island Trucking Association | ritrucking.org

J.Maxwell,

2240 South County Trail East Greenwich, R.I.02818 (401) 885-9300

450 Veterans Memorial Parkway East Providence, R.I.02914 (401) 438-7400

3 Regency Plaza, Suite 3E Providence, R.I.02903 (401) 383-1179

94 Sabra St. Cranston, R.I.02910 (401) 223-1120

260 West Exchange St. Providence, R.I.02903 (401) 274-4940

2,160 Varies

Provides resources and support that enable our members to maintain high standards of integrity, knowledge and professionalism 7

1,000 $400 to $450

967 $150 to $10,000

900 $495 and up

773 $236

12 Breakneck Hill Road, Suite 100 Lincoln, R.I.02865 (401) 333-6343 700 $215

To support the building industry's effort to enhance the economic growth and quality of life in Rhode Island

Dedicated to enhancing the growth and economic empowerment of Black-owned businesses

To lead Rhode Island's hospitality industry through advocacy, communication and education

Promotes, develops and protects the social work practice, and seeks to enhance the wellbeing of all individuals

To provide our members with tools and resources to support their success

26 Valley Road Middletown, R.I.02842 (401) 849-5936 680 Varies Enhance the ability and opportunity of its members to conduct business successfully and ethically

1800 Mineral Spring Ave., Suite 271 North Providence, R.I.02904 (877) 262-7662 500 $365

To promote and protect the right of members to own, operate and grow their businesses

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

NL = Not listed last year.

FOOTNOTE

j The Independent Insurance Agents of Rhode Island and The National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors - Rhode Island are both managed by the Rhode Island Association of Insurance Agents.

Leadership Rhode Island | leadershipri.org MichelleCarr

Brewster receives Murray Prize

KATE BREWSTER, executive director for South Kingstown-based nonprofit Jonnycake Center for Hope, recently received the 2022 Murray Family Prize for Community Enrichment from the Rhode Island Foundation. Brewster, who has worked at the Jonnycake Center since 2015, was recognized for her commitment to serving disadvantaged communities. As part of the prize, she received $50,000 from the foundation to use however she sees fit.

What does winning the Murray Prize mean to you? It was a very unexpected and humbling honor to be presented with this award. Having worked in social services for 30 years, I know how many amazing leaders there are in Rhode Island doing outstanding work. To have the Murray family celebrate the work I have helped lead in Washington County and across the state during my career is very special. This award also validates the work of our amazing team at the Jonnycake Center. Clearly, they make me look good!

What do you plan on doing with the $50,000 you received with the prize?

I plan to give thanks to my colleagues, to invest in our upcoming work focused on youths and to honor the Murray family’s wishes by treating myself and my family, who are partners in everything I do, to some special quality time for my upcoming 50th birthday.

In 2021, the Jonnycake Center helped low-income Rhode Islanders obtain $290,000 in income tax refunds; provided $87,000 in emergency financial assistance for food, utilities and housing; had 6,200 visits to its food pantry; and helped 30 households find permanent housing. How did the organization keep up with the demand as people were slowly getting out of the COVID-19 pandemic? The pandemic taught so many nonprofits how to pivot.

We turned our entire operation on its head during the initial lockdown and first few months. The next year we focused on helping people navigate pandemic benefits such as rent relief, while we delivered food and other necessities to those quarantining or suffering from COVID-19.

Today, we face new challenges. One unanticipated outcome of the pandemic has been the increased demand for housing, as property owners cash in on the red-hot real estate market, displacing countless renters. We now spend considerable time helping local families search for affordable housing. We are fortunate to work in a generous community where donor support allows us to be flexible and respond to changing needs.

What initiatives is the center looking to introduce to help serve the community?

The pandemic left in its wake an even more severe housing shortage in South County and a crisis among youths, whose education and mental health has suffered. In response, the Jonnycake Center has doubled down on our commitment to our community, adding affordable housing and youth enrichment to our services. In fact, we recently closed our thrift store after close to 50 years to make way for a youth enrichment center, which is a move that is much more aligned with our mission and our community’s needs. n

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

The

• printed in PBN.

ARCHITECTURE

Alexander Silva joins DBVW Architects as the marketing and communications manager, where he works closely with the principals on proposal development, strategic planning, and external communications. Alex is the point person for public contacts and project proposals to the firm.

ONE SUNDAY AFTERNOON, a cranky grandfather was visiting his family. As he lay down to take a nap, his mischievous grandson decided to have a little fun by putting Limburger cheese on Grandpa’s mustache. Soon, Grandpa awoke with a snort and charged out of the bedroom saying, “This room stinks.” Through the house he went, finding every room smelling the same. Desperately he made his way outside only to exclaim, “The whole world stinks!”

So it is when we fill our minds with negativity. Everything we experience and everyone we encounter will carry the scent we hold in our mind. Maya Angelou, one of my favorite poets and authors, said: “I am convinced that the negative has power, and if you allow it to perch in your house, in your mind, in your life, it can take you over.”

We all have negative thoughts from time to time. But studies show constant negativity can lead to depression, anxiety, personality disorders and even mental illness.

That’s why I don’t recommend hanging around with negative people, because they bring you down. A negative person sees the difficulty in every opportunity, while a positive

person sees the opportunity in every difficulty.

According to the website Power of Positivity, there are three leading causes of negative thoughts.

Fear of the future: People often fear the unknown and are unsure what the future might bring. This often leads to predicting failure and disaster. Worrying about the future is a waste of time and energy. Accept that there is a limit to what you can change in the future and strive to focus on the present instead.

Anxiety about the present: Anxiety about the present is understandable. Many of us worry about what people think of us, whether we’re doing a good job at work and what the traffic will be like on the way home. Negative thinkers often come up with the worst-case scenario. Organization and routine can help with banishing negative thoughts.

Shame about the past: Have you ever stayed awake worrying about

something you did last week, or even last year? Everyone does and says things they feel embarrassed about, but negative thinkers tend to dwell on past mistakes and failures more than others. Just accept that the event happened and consider how you can prevent it from happening again in the future.

Author Emma-Marie Smith suggests asking yourself these five questions when you feel negative thoughts creeping in:

n Is the thought true? Is there a basis for this negative belief?

n Is the thought giving you power, or is it taking your power away?

n Can you put a positive spin on this thought or learn from it?

n What would your life look like if you didn’t have these negative beliefs?

n Is the thought glossing over an issue that needs addressing?

The famous inventor Thomas Edison used to say his deafness was his greatest blessing – a blessing because

it saved him from having to listen to reasons why things couldn’t be done.

I love that thought. In fact, I would suggest that practicing “selective hearing” is a positive step toward filtering the negativity that discourages you from trying new things. It’s OK to let folks share their opinions, but you are not obligated to let them make decisions for you.

Think about the famous story of David and Goliath. A small boy with only a slingshot and a few stones was facing a fierce giant who could crush him with one hand. David could have looked at his formidable foe and thought, “He’s really big. And mean. And scary. And I am none of those things. I’m outta here.”

But he turned his thoughts toward what he could do. Looking at the giant towering over him, he instead said, “That guy is so big. There’s no way I can miss him.”

Mackay’s Moral: Negative thinking will not produce positive results. 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.

JANUARY

FEBRUARY

1/612/29

1/20 1/11 Small Business Innovation/Startups RI Distilleries, Breweries & Vineyards High Tech Funding Sources; Business Development Resources

2/3

MARCH

APRIL

MAY

JUNE

JULY

AUGUST

SEPTEMBER

Health Care Educators; College Technology Programs Physician Groups

Book of Lists Book of Lists Premier, 1/19

Economic Summit Recap; Notable Women in Health Care; Presidents’ Forecast

Economic Summit, 1/26

2/17 2/8 Law Review Tax Rates, RI; Public Companies in RI Book of Lists Recap Workforce Development Summit, 2/16

3/3

Workforce Development Summit Recap

3/173/8 Construction & Design General Contractors; Property Management Firms Notable Women in Architecture, Construction & Engineering; Cannabis Summit Recap

3/313/22Insurance Marketing/Social Media in Business

4/144/5Education

4/284/19 Health Care Technology

5/12 5/3 Small Business

5/265/17 Law Review Veterans In the Workplace

6/95/31 Banking & Finance Accounting/Business Valuation & Succession

6/236/14 Workforce Development

Independent Insurance Agencies Advertising & PR Firms

Adult/Executive Education Programs; Online Degrees/Programs

Hospitals; Diagnostic Imaging Centers Biotech & Life Sciences Companies

SBA Loans; SBA Lenders

IP Lawyers Veteran Employers

Credit Unions, Regional Banks Chief Financial Officers

Staffing Firms; Executive Recruiters Providence Restaurants

Notable Leaders in Education; Health Care Summit Recap

Cannabis Summit, 3/9

Health Care Summit/ Health Care Heroes, 4/6

C-Suite Awards; SBA Small Business Week C-Suite Awards, 4/20

Notable Leaders in HR

Business Women Awards; Salute to Veterans Business Women Awards, 5/25

Best Places to Work Awards; Notable Women in Banking & Accounting

Best Places to Work Awards, 6/7

Notable Women in Manufacturing & Tech 7/217/12Education Engineering Colleges & Universities Engineering Firms Forty Under 40 Awards Forty Under 40 Awards, 7/20

7/7 6/28 Commercial Real Estate Commercial RE Leases: Office, Retail & Industrial Manufacturers

8/4 7/26 Construction & Design Highway Projects Meeting Facilities

8/188/9 Law Review Technology Estate Planners CIOs; Software Dev. Companies

Healthiest Employer Awards Healthiest Employer Awards, TBD

Leaders & Achievers Awards, 8/24

9/18/23Insurance

Property & Casualty Insurers; Employee Benefit Administrators

Leaders & Achievers Awards; Notable Women in Insurance 9/159/6 Banking & Finance Education (Secondary Schools) RI Banks Private Secondary Schools 9/299/20 Health Care RI Health & Dental Insurers; MA Health & Dental Insurers Comm RE Sales: Office, Retail & Industrial

Rhode to Work; Fastest Growing & Most Innovative Companies Awards

Fastest Growing & Most Innovative Companies Awards, 9/20 OCTOBER 10/13 10/4 Law Review Law Firms Cyber Security Companies

Notable Women in Law Cybersecurity Summit, 10/12 10/2710/18 Construction & Design Education (MBAs) Architectural Firms MBA Programs

Manufacturing Awards; Health Care Summit Recap; Notable Wealth Managers; Salute to Veterans

Awards, 11/8

Giving Guide; Cybersecurity Summit Recap Health Care Summit, 10/25 NOVEMBER 11/1011/1Accounting

Diversity Equity & Inclusion Summit & Awards

Diversity Equity & Inclusion Summit & Awards, 12/7 12/2212/13 Health Care Urgent Care Centers; Addiction Treatment Centers Energy Companies

Diversity Equity & Inclusion Summit Recap

EACH YEAR MANY OF US put forth our resolutions for a new year. They often include “eat better, exercise more, drink less,” helping us to make different decisions by doing less or more of something in the new year. In my industry, I see people put away the wine glass and opt for something else for the month of January, and beyond. “Dry January” has become synonymous with the start of a new year. Yet, we do not have to give up the fun activities of pairing our favorite food with wine or pretending to be a master cocktail mixologist. Today, there are a plethora of available nonalcoholic options that can carry us through our time of restraint.

Try pairing your favorite meal or creating a mocktail with one of these nonalcoholic wine and spirit options.

Luminara Alcohol-Removed Red Blend, Napa Valley, Calif.

From the renowned Napa Valley, this red blend provides us with a fullbodied, rich mouthfeel. Deep, luscious notes of black cherry and plum jump from the glass and coat the palate. The end finish is smooth with just a hint of spice and vanilla from its time aging in oak barrels. It is a marriage of pinot noir and zinfandel. Pairs best with red meat dishes such as prime rib,

TO SAVOR | JESSICA NORRIS GRANATIERO

Sipping without guilt

burgers with blue cheese and caramelized onions, meatloaf and vegetarian dishes with weight, such as tofu chili.

Leitz Eins Zwei Zero Sparkling Rose, Germany

I have never met a bubbly I did not like, including this nonalcoholic sparkling rose from Germany. Made from the pinot noir grape, it gives an off-dry palate full of fine bubbles and Bing cherry, raspberry and strawberry notes. Stainless steel fermented, it is vivacious with present-yet-rounded acidity, making it an easy sipper on its own, as well as a match for food. Pairs best with salads – shaved Brussels sprout Caesar salad, risotto with grilled asparagus, vegetarian pizza and roasted turkey atop fresh cranberry sauce. Also, it would work well as a spritz – sparkling rose over ice and topped with club soda in a wine glass.

Seedlip Garden 108 Non-Alcoholic Spirit

Seedlip came to market early with its premium line of nonalcoholic spirits and is one of the companies that changed how the industry views nonalcoholic drinks. Seedlip provides high-quality, hand-crafted options made from botanicals and spices, such as lemon, spearmint, blood orange and ginger, and other natural ingre-

dients that the company gets from its own farm and other farmers. The options are without calories and sugar, two things that we often try to cut back on in the new year.

Blended and bottled in England, Seedlip produces three assorted flavors – Garden 108, Grove 42 and Spice 94. My favorite is Garden 108, which incorporates peas, spearmint, hops,

rosemary and thyme. Enjoy over ice topped with light tonic water or club soda, and a fresh mint sprig. Pairs best with spaghetti with green peas, roasted chicken with rosemary and oysters.

Clean Co. Non-Alcoholic Tequila Alternative

Through its nonalcoholic spirit choices, Clean Co. shows us that we do not have to compromise taste when enjoying a nonalcoholic beverage. Based in the United Kingdom, Clean Co. produces nonalcoholic alternatives for gin, rum, tequila, vodka and whiskey, all made without sugar. I’ve sampled the entire Clean Co. line and the one that stood out was the Clean T tequila alternative. Made in a blanco (white) style, it is bright with fresh flavors of agave nectar, white pepper and cantaloupe melon. Enjoy it on its own, neat or as a margarita mixed with fresh lime juice and agave syrup. Pairs best with Mexican-style dishes –chicken fajitas, guacamole and chips, or shrimp tacos. n

Jessica 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.

GOING DRY: Nonalcoholic choices allow people to maintain their new year’s resolution.

COURTESY JESSICA NORRIS GRANATIERO

Will GA step in to help ease rising energy costs? City is a leader on diversity, inclusion

State lawmakers are back with another massive state revenue surplus, now projected at $610 million, likely at their disposal. But having lots of money to spend, while better than starting the year eyeing deep cuts, does not equate to easy decisions or agreement over how.

That’s because no matter how much is available, it is always dwarfed by spending requests. Last year, lawmakers by March had received about $7 billion in spending requests for $1.1 billion in long-term federal pandemic aid.

The work awaiting Providence’s newly elected mayor and city councilors as the city emerges from a multiyear pandemic is daunting.

HEATING UP?

What will Gov. Daniel J. McKee and state lawmakers do about the rising costs for heat and electricity? The issue could kick off a host of contentious debates in the new legislative session.

PBN FILE PHOTO/ CASSIUS SHUMAN

This year, Gov. Daniel J. McKee and Democratic legislative leaders are in general agreement over the ongoing need to create more affordable housing, reverse declining test scores in public schools and curb rising energy costs. But as this week’s cover story reports, few details have been agreed to.

In a few weeks, McKee’s fiscal 2024 budget plan will give an early indication where he stands, with final housing and education funding plans not likely to emerge for several months.

What more state leaders do to address rising winter energy costs could be one of the first broad debates of the new legislative session.

Regulators and state leaders have proposed or approved nearly $40 million in credits benefiting mostly those with low incomes. But the rising cost for heat and electricity is hurting residents and businesses at all income levels and the state has the money to help.

Legislative leaders promised to explore additional help but have offered few details. Gov. McKee, meanwhile, has suggested suspension of the state’s 4% tax on electricity bills through April. Stay tuned. n

But they and the city can take pride in starting the new year as shining examples of how to put national calls for more diversity and inclusion in government into action.

Providence’s City Council it more diverse than it has ever been. It has a majority of people of color and a majority of women. A queer woman, Rachel Miller, is council president.

Brett Smiley is not Providence’s first gay mayor. But his husband, Jim DeRentis, is the city’s inaugural first gentleman.

Together, they indeed reflect the broader community they serve.

Diversity in government is not an end but a means to a potentially better end for more people.

Providence’s new leaders, like their predecessors, will be ultimately judged by their work.

But the city today is a shining example of the possible in the fight for diversity and inclusion in government. n

Our company is not expecting growth this year: 14% Other: 0%

$1.7T bill delivers for New England

JAMES T. BRETT GUEST COLUMN

In the final days of the 117th Congress just a few weeks ago, Congress passed a $1.7 trillion Omnibus Appropriations Bill for fiscal year 2023, and President Joe Biden signed it into law on Dec. 23. Included in this sweeping legislation are landmark investments in education, health care, environmental protection, support for working families, and investments in research and innovation. The New England Council – the nation’s oldest regional business association – was pleased to see many of our longtime priorities included, and we believe this legislation will help drive our region’s continued economic growth.

Here are a few of the biggest wins for New England in the bill: Increased Pell Grant. The Pell Grant is a key tool for expanding access to higher education, providing support for low-income students to attend college. The council has long supported increasing the maximum Pell Grant amount – in fact, we have advocated for doubling the maximum grant. While the omnibus bill did not go so far as to double Pell, it did increase the maximum award by $500 to $7,395 for the 2023-2024 school year, marking the largest increase since the 2009-2010 school year.

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economic growth

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Federal research funding. New England is home to some of the top research institutions, including world-class universities and hospitals. These facilities conduct research on some of the most pressing medical and scientific challenges facing our nation. As such, the council has long supported federal investments in research, and so we were pleased that the omnibus bill included $47.5 billion for the National Institutes of Health – a 5.6% increase – as well as a historic 12% increase for the National Science Foundation to $9.9 billion.

Mental health and substance abuse prevention support. The need for increased mental health and substance abuse services is one of the biggest health challenges facing our region and the nation at large.

The demand for services has only surged in recent years as the pandemic has presented new challenges for those who struggle with mental health and addiction. Fortunately, the spending bill included billions of dollars for new and increased services, including $1 billion for mental health block grants, $385 million for certified community behavioral health clinics, and $1.6 billion to states to address the opioid misuse epidemic through the State Opioid Response Grant.

Energy efficiency and renewable energy. The New England region is a leader in efforts to decrease carbon emissions and develop renewable energy resources. The spending bill included a number of measures that will support these efforts and help create new jobs in the clean energy sector. The $3.46 billion appropriated in the bill for energy efficiency and renewable energy – a $260 million increase over the previous fiscal year – will allow for investments in vehicle technologies, hydrogen research and development, weatherization assistance programs and renewable grid integration, as well as marine, wind and solar energy.

Retirement savings provisions. Finally, the spending bill also includes a number of provisions aimed at bolstering retirement savings and ensuring a secure financial future for millions of American workers. The bill included a legislative package known as SECURE 2.0. Specifically, the bill will expand access to retirement savings plan enrollment, allow emergency withdrawal from plans, increase the opportunity to make catch-up contributions and support workers paying off student loan debt, just to name a few.

Beyond these provisions, the spending bill also includes investments to bolster working families, expand access to affordable housing, and support our law enforcement, military and veterans. The New England Council is grateful to our region’s congressional delegation for their efforts to advocate for our region’s priorities in this important piece of legislation. We have no doubt that our region’s economy will benefit from the investments this bill makes in the year ahead. n

James T. Brett is the CEO and president of The New England Council, a regional alliance of businesses, nonprofit organizations, and health and educational institutions supporting economic growth and quality of life in New England.

Twitter decision a risk to public health

ANJANA SUSARLA GUEST COLUMN

Twitter’s decision to no longer enforce its COVID-19 misinformation policy, quietly posted on the site’s rules page and listed in November, has researchers and experts in public health concerned about the possible repercussions.

I believe that reducing content moderation is a significant step in the wrong direction, especially in light of the uphill battle social media platforms face in combating misinformation and disinformation. And the stakes are especially high in combating medical misinformation.

First, social media enables misinformation to spread at a much greater scale, speed and scope. Second, content that is sensational and

likely to trigger emotions is more likely to go viral on social media, making falsehoods easier to spread than the truth.

Third, digital platforms such as Twitter play a gatekeeping role in the way they aggregate, curate and amplify content. This means that misinformation on emotionally triggering topics can readily gain attention.

The spread of misinformation during the pandemic has been dubbed an infodemic by the World Health Organization. Public health experts have cautioned that misinformation on social media seriously hampers progress toward herd immunity, weakening society’s ability to deal with new COVID-19 variants.

The social media platforms’ content mod-

LETTERS

Wind farm risks far outweigh compensation

To the Editor:

Thank you for reporting on the settlement between Rhode Island’s fishermen and the developers of Revolution Wind LLC. We support fair and adequate compensation to our fishermen; however, the settled compensation package does not adequately offset the long-term damage to our fishery, destruction of the fishing fleet and the challenge to our economy resulting from the project.

Studies from Europe, where wind farms have existed for decades, prove that wind farms decrease both terrestrial and marine biodiversity. Loss of biodiversity leads to diminished fish stocks and contaminated food webs –both of which pose a substantial threat to both marine and human health. In fact, the World Health Organization states that biodiversity loss threatens human health even more than climate change.

The justification for risking the health of our fishery, our environment and the economy rests on the project’s ability to help Rhode Island meet the required quota for renewable energy. However, it is doubtful that Revolution Wind will positively impact climate change. Revolution Wind’s modest projected net carbon dioxide savings do not support the “compelling need” requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act. In fact, Revolution Wind will only begin to counteract Rhode Island’s carbon dioxide emissions in 2030, and this calculation overestimates any carbon dioxide savings because it does not consider indirect sources of carbon dioxide such as cement production, plankton destruction, increased biofouling of artificial reefs and whale mortality.

David Osborn Director, Green Oceans, Little Compton

eration policies and stances toward misinformation are crucial for combating misinformation. In the absence of strong content moderation policies on Twitter, algorithmic content curation and recommendation are likely to boost the spread of misinformation by increasing echo chamber effects

The danger then is that not only will there be greater anti-vaccine discourse on Twitter, but that such toxic speech can spill over into other online platforms that may be investing in combating medical misinformation. n

Anjana Susarla is a professor of information systems at Michigan State University. Distributed by The Associated Press.

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will help drive our region’s continued

ONE LAST THING

Passion drives results

Bryant C. Da Cruz

Rhode Island Association of Realtors president Century 21 Guardian Realty broker associate Bryant C. Da Cruz in December became president of the 6,500-member Rhode Island Association of Realtors. He’s also a real estate agent at Century 21 Guardian Realty in South Kingstown.

IT’S

pretty clear that the uncertainty of our economy is presenting some challenges. For those of us who are self-employed, times like this can be especially worrisome. Rising costs and perilous streams of income can be daunting. But in my years as an entrepreneur, I’ve come to learn some key philosophies that can take the edge off and help to weather any storm.

n First, passion drives results. Even in some of the toughest times, I’ve never regretted what I do for a living. Running a business that helps people find a home to call their own, and guides them through the process involved with one of, if not THE, most important financial decisions they’ll ever make, never grows old. No matter what path you choose, if you find value in what you get out of your work that goes beyond the bottom line, you won’t mind working hard, and hard work breeds success.

n Second, to run a successful business, you don’t have to know it all, but you do have to know people who do. I’m a firm believer that those who have achieved success understand that those in charge can set policies, goals and objectives, but true leaders find smart people who can take the ball and run with it and turn those goals into reality. When you work with the right people, your best results happen when trust outweighs micromanagement.

n And third, it’s not how hard you fall, it’s how you pick yourself up. Don’t be afraid to fail because every failure is a learning opportunity. Some of the most successful entrepreneurs I know have failed many times. Handled well, failure can bring knowledge, resilience and, ultimately, success. n