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35 YEARS: 1986-2021

HEALTH MATTERS

AUG. 20-SEPT. 2, 2021

FOCUS: TECHNOLOGY

Initiative to examine racial biases in pediatrics | 8

URI researchers are brains behind ‘smart bandage’ | 28

YOUR SOURCE FOR BUSINESS NEWS IN SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND | VOL. 36, NO. 8 | $5

Questions loom for R.I.’s injection center law

BY NANCY LAVIN | Lavin@PBN.com

COMBATING THE OPIOID overdose crisis is a cause with broad support.

But a new Rhode Island law establishing a two-year pilot program for safe injection sites has raised concerns, including whether the program can withstand a legal challenge.

Recently passed state legislation allows privately funded operators to set up safe injection sites – subject to municipal approval – where people can use illegal drugs under medical supervision, while also accessing resources such as health screenings, counseling referrals and recovery or addictiontreatment programs.

FOCUS: LAW REVIEW

SEE INJECTIONS

UNCLEAR CARNAGE Just how badly has pandemic hurt R.I.’s small businesses?

PAGE 20

BY NANCY LAVIN | Lavin@PBN.com

HEATHER

ONE LAST THING

Rachel Best Count on core values | 38

WALL STILL GETS EMOTIONAL WHEN she drives past the empty storefront on Frenchtown Road in North Kingstown.

The darkened space in Hunt River Commons used to be home to Kidzone LLC, an indoor playground business Wall launched eight years ago. By March 2020, she had seven part-time workers and many loyal parents who brought their children to romp in the 4,500 square feet of toys, playhouses, slides and craft stations.

That was before COVID-19 arrived. Before pandemic safety protocols made it impossible for Wall to operate Kidzone. She tried to hold on, thinking government relief might help her keep the business afloat. It did not. By July 2020, Kidzone closed for good.

“I want to cry talking about it now,” she said recently. “It was my baby.”

EMPTY ­FEELING: Heather Wall outside the former location of her business, Kidzone LLC, in North Kingstown. The company closed four months into the COVID-19 pandemic.

PBN PHOTO/ ELIZABETH GRAHAM

SEE CARNAGE

PAGE 12

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CONTENTS

PBN

COVER STORY UNCLEAR CARNAGE Just how badly has pandemic hurt R.I.’s small businesses?....... 1

FOR STARTERS Business Bestsellers.................................................................... 3 5Q: Frank Picozzi.......................................................................... 4 Dining Out: Up-and-coming foodies............................................ 5 Spotlight: Fleming and Co...........................................................6 Something New: Joro Protein LLC..............................................6 Hot Topic: Tourists fuming over lack of rides............................. 7 Health Matters: Initiative to examine racial biases in pediatrics......................... 8 Another Look: Vacancies, optimism in Providence’s downtown........................9 What’s Happening....................................................................... 10 A Fresh Design: Lincoln School................................................. 15

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SOMETHING NEW | 6

ADVERTISING

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IT’S PERSONAL People in the News.....................................................................32 Mackay’s Moral...........................................................................33 Guest Column: Oliver Bennett...................................................34 Guest Column: Derek Lemoine..................................................35 Editorials and Opinion................................................................36 One Last Thing: Rachel Best.....................................................38

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

FOCUS: LAW REVIEW

Questions loom for R.I.’s injection center law A state law establishing a pilot program to allow illegal drug use in a supervised setting has raised concerns, including whether the program can withstand a legal challenge...............1

FOCUS: LAW REVIEW | 18

Under R.I. equity mandate, firms may need wage audit Changes to the state’s pay equity law that expand who it protects don’t go into effect until 2023, but labor lawyers say businesses should prepare now to avoid fines later................. 18

EDITORIAL Editor@PBN.com | Fax: 401-274-0670 Editor: Michael Mello, 680-4820 | Mello@PBN.com Managing Editor: William Hamilton 680-4826 | Hamilton@PBN.com

FOCUS: TECHNOLOGY

Broadband buildout at standstill in most of R.I.

Web Editor: Chris Bergenheim 680-4886 | Bergenheim@PBN.com

As New Shoreham expands its town-owned broadband network, similar efforts in mainland Rhode Island have stalled, mostly due to lack of funding for a broadband office.............. 24

URI researchers are brains behind ‘smart bandage’

Copy Editor: Matt Bower, 680-4824 | Bower@PBN.com

A University of Rhode Island assistant professor and former URI graduate student have designed a “smart bandage” that can detect early signs of wound infections...............................28

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

Lists

(EDUCATION, NONPROFITS)

Rhode Island Law Firms.............................................................22 Chief Security Officers................................................................25 Cybersecurity Companies..........................................................26 Rhode Island CIOs......................................................................30

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

FOCUS: TECHNOLOGY | 24

(HEALTH CARE, MANUFACTURING, REAL ESTATE/DEVELOPMENT)

Nancy Lavin, 680-4822 | Lavin@PBN.com (ENERGY/ENVIRONMENT, ENTREPRENEURSHIP, FINANCIAL SERVICES)

THIS WEEK’S FEATURED COMPANIES Bethany Home of Rhode Island

14

Lifespan Corp.

8

R.I. Commerce Corp.

24

Little City Coffee & Kitchen

9

R.I. Department of Administration

24

5

R.I. Department of Health

Brown Medicine

5

Brown University

28

Los Andes

Bryant University

14

National Grid

24

R.I. Department of Labor and Training

8

New England Institute of Technology

32

R.I. Department of State

12

5

Nixon Peabody LLP

18

R.I. Office of the Attorney General

20

OSHEAN Inc.

24

Steamship Historical Society of America

32

Care New England Health System Casa Azul Taqueria Chow Fun Inc.

14

Cornish Associates LP

9

Orange Cab

Crazy Burger

5

OZ Tacos & Tequila

Discover Newport

7

Paolino Properties LP

Fleming and Co.

6

Fortnight

9

Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau

Gilbane Building Co.

5

Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce

7

Hasbro Children’s Hospital

8

Johnson & Wales University

5

Joro Protein LLC

6

Lepizzera and Laprocina, Counselors at Law Ltd. 20

7 14 9 14

Revival Craft Kitchen and Bar

5

Rhode Island Bar Association

20

Rhode Island Hospitality Association

14

Rhode Island Small Business Coalition

12

Rhode Island Small Business Development Center

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

5

20 14, 18

Steele Realty Consultants LLC

5

Symposium Books

9

The Breachway Grill

5

The Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island The Financial Literacy Youth Initiative

14 5

The Nature Conservancy

5

Trailblaze Marketing Inc.

12

Tymark Restaurant Group

5

University of Rhode Island

28

Whalers Brewing Co. LLC

5

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2 | AUGUST 20-SEPTEMBER 2, 2021 | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | www.pbn.com

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

PRODUCTION

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ADMINISTRATION

Fax: 401-274-6580 Business Manager: Tammy D’Antuono 680-4840 | Dantuono@PBN.com ©2021 Providence Business News Inc.

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

FOR STARTERS BUSINESS BESTSELLERS A World Without Email: Reimagining Work in an Age of Communication Overload Cal Newport Newport provides readers a vision for liberating workers from the tyranny of the inbox and brings forth a new era of productivity.

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www.pbn.com | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | AUGUST 20-SEPTEMBER 2, 2021 | 3

FOR STARTERS 5Q: Frank Picozzi Mayor, city of Warwick

BY MARY MACDONALD | Contributing Writer

1

How has being a small-business owner prepared you for the role of mayor?

Being a former contractor, I’m very sensitive to the amount of bureaucracy and red tape that greatly delays projects, and therefore profits, and causes inconvenience to the customer or taxpayer. It is a goal of mine for this city to streamline the process of opening a small business. I’ve made it a goal to attract more small businesses. I’m in the process of creating an economic development department, which we have not had for many years. The mission of the department will be to attract new businesses to this city and then provide a concierge program that will guide owners through all of the necessary zoning and permitting processes.

The American Rescue funds can’t be used to cover extra expenses; they can only be used to recover lost revenue due to the pandemic, i.e., hotel and restaurant tax, etc. I have applied [federal] funds very conservatively in the current year.

4

The lack of affordable homes has become a statewide concern. Warwick has always had the reputation for being a good place for first-time homeowners. Is that ­changing?

I don’t think our reputation is changing, but homes are selling for remarkable prices. This is happening all over Rhode Island and not just unique to Warwick. Warwick will always be an attractive place to raise a family because it has so much to offer. There is room for improvement in many areas, but we’re working on it.

2

How are small businesses doing in Warwick since the pandemic?

Most have hung on, but unfortunately many have struggled, and it will take some time for them to become financially healthful again.

We’re optimistic that ... businesses will start to once again blossom, particularly here in Warwick where many restaurants and stores enjoy their greatest profits in the warm weather months.

5

T.F. Green Airport changed its name this year to include “Rhode Island.” Did you support that?

I’m kind of a traditionalist, so if I had the final say, I would [have left] it as is, but having said that, I [did not] oppose it. I would actually prefer it contained the name of the host city – Warwick – but I could be biased. n

3 PBN PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

BOOK OF

LISTS

You recently released a first budget. You said there will be no tax increases. Is Warwick overtaxed compared with other communities?

Warwick actually has a very low tax rate compared to comparable cities.

I’ve made it a goal to attract more small businesses.

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FOR STARTERS DINING OUT | BRUCE NEWBURY

Up-and-coming foodies YOU MIGHT BE A FOODIE if your go-to prop for a photo opportunity is a giant fork.

That is a big indication that Providence Business News’ 2021 40 Under Forty is a great representation of the best our state has to offer. One of this year’s class, Sue AnderBois, program manager of The Nature Conservancy, was indeed photographed with a giant fork, a gift from her in-laws. It was an encouraging sign. This year, the 40 Under Forty honorees were asked to name their favorite Rhode Island food or drink. Perhaps due to pent-up demand everyone is experiencing, some answers were no less than a gourmet tour around the state’s restaurants and menus.

It was exciting and very impressive to read about specific dishes created by the chefs of Rhode Island’s eateries as outlined by this year’s honorees. This is a group that knows what it likes and zeroes in on specific locations where it can be found.

A great example is Danielle Crafford, the general superintendent for Gilbane Building Co. She singled out the burrata slate at the Revival Craft Kitchen and Bar in Warren, a charcuterie board that actually uses slate as its delivery system to hold Maplebrook Farm burrata, shaved prosciutto, fig marmalata, walnut pesto, balsamic reduction and grilled Tuscan bread. Similarly passionate and direct was Rita Danielle Steele, owner of Steele Realty Consultants LLC, who raved about the birria at Casa Azul Taqueria in Providence. Steele may get the award for being the first to discover the next big food find – birria tacos are enjoying a moment right now. A savory beef stew is the filling for a corn tortilla that is then dipped in the stew before being pan-fried.

There is a chef in this year’s 40 Under Forty.

Mark Lacz, founding partner of Tymark Restaurant Group, worked in the kitchen of David Burke’s steakhouse for two years before opening his first restaurant at the age of 25. His food favorite? A lobster roll from one of his restaurants – The Breachway Grill in Charlestown, paired with a Whaler’s Rise from nearby Whalers Brewing Co. LLC. The signature Rhode Island specialties were the choice of several of the honorees. The Awful Awful, Del’s Lemonade, Blount clam chowder, and Allie’s donuts were mentioned.

Mike Raia, vice president of strategic communications at Johnson & Wales University – otherwise known as America’s culinary university – said his Rhode Island favorite is Blount clam chowder.

Marcy Reyes, founder and CEO of The Financial Literacy Youth Initiative, was very specific and descriptive in her selection. Reyes singled out the ceviche as done by Los Andes restaurant paired with their Don’s margarita.

Some were more wide-reaching in their choice, perhaps recognizing that we live in a special place in that our signature foods and drinks can be enjoyed at numerous places and that there is really no such thing as a bad choice. A good example is Rhode Island calamari – the state’s official appetizer – which was the down-to-basics yet allencompassing choice of Jessica Savoca, manager of quality initiatives and project management at Brown Medicine.

And you have to love Josh Daly, the southern district director of the Rhode Island Small Business Development Center who started out washing dishes at Crazy Burger and loved the energy of the kitchen.

Seasoned diners can tell right away that this 40

This is a group that knows what it likes.

DIGGING IN: Sue AnderBois holds a giant fork for her 40 Under Forty photo.

Under Forty class is a new breed of up-and-coming restaurant experts. It all adds up to great news for the state’s dining scene at a time when such news is greatly needed. n Bruce Newbury’s radio show and podcast, “Dining Out with Bruce Newbury,” is broadcast on WADK 1540 AM and several radio stations throughout New England. Email him at Bruce@ BruceNewbury.com.

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www.pbn.com | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | AUGUST 20-SEPTEMBER 2, 2021 | 5

FOR STARTERS SOMETHING NEW

SPOTLIGHT

MUSCLE REPAIR: Rupert Whiteley, managing partner with Joro Protein LLC in Warren, holds a bag of the plant-based protein he created.

COURTESY JORO PROTEIN LLC

All-natural protein for workouts

BY CASSIUS SHUMAN | Shuman@PBN.com

TRAVEL COMPANION: Paul Fleming is the owner of marketing communications firm Fleming and Co. in Newport. The firm also designs and sells products, including the Flight Companion that Fleming is holding, which is a kit he designed for people who travel infrequently and don’t have an established packing routine for carry-on items.

PBN PHOTO/TRACY JENKINS

RUPERT WHITELEY WAS not feeling well one day after taking the whey-based protein powder supplements he had been consuming.

Whiteley, a workout enthusiast, needs protein for muscle repair and recovery, but his doctor suggested he lay off the products he was using, as they contained some unrecognizable ingredients and too much sugar.

Fed up and seeking a product that could satisfy his needs, he created Joro Protein, a vegan product that is allergen- and gluten-free, contains 18 vitamins and minerals, monk fruit for sweetener and 25 grams of plant protein.

Whiteley is now a managing partner with Joro Protein LLC, which operates out of the Hope & Main food incubator in Warren.

Creating the all-natural product was no easy task, as after some trial and error in his kitchen, Whiteley found he needed a food scientist. After a few rounds of prototyping, Joro Protein was born.

“Sometimes it’s hard to get the right protein, and enough of it, especially with busy lifestyles,” said Whiteley, who is also a freelance photographer for Providence Business News.

“Plant-based protein is ... better for the environment, it’s kinder to animals, it’s better for our diets and it is generally better for us.”

Joro Protein was launched in April and is now available for purchase in chocolate and vanilla at joroprotein.com. n

From sailing to sales Marketing firm designs products too

BY CASSIUS SHUMAN | Shuman@PBN.com

SALES AND SAILING HAVE always been a part of Paul Fleming’s life.

The son of an emigrant who moved from Ireland, Fleming learned to sail at the age of 1 in the Douglaston-Little Neck neighborhood of Queens, N.Y., on Long Island.

After graduating from Boston University with a marketing and management MBA, Fleming worked at men’s shaving product company Gillette, then at New York City advertising firms Benton and Bowles, and Jordan Case Taylor & McGrath, orchestrating product campaigns for Nestlé S.A., The Procter & Gamble Co., and Kraft General Foods Inc. Not wanting to raise his newborn son in New York City, Fleming consulted with his wife before deciding to set sail for Newport. It was a move that required starting over, while learning about a whole new world.

Shortly thereafter, he landed at the Providence-based advertising agency Duffy & Shanley Inc., where he became a partner and developed relationships while coordinating tourism efforts for the state.

Eight years later, Fleming changed course, navigating some uncharted waters by starting his own firm. That is when Fleming and Co. was born. What began as 18 employees is now down to three, as Fleming said ad agencies have transitioned into online marketing firms due to the influence of the internet.

“I’m sort of a one-man, threeperson band now,” he said. n

“My dad loved woodworking and he built a makeshift boathouse on our property with ways to launch wooden boats he built in the boathouse, when the tide was in,” Fleming said.

The tide has seemingly been in for Fleming in the marketing world.

Fleming owns Fleming and Co. in Newport, a full-service marketing communications firm that also designs and sells products. Two of those products are Z Blok sunscreen and Flight Companion, an all-in-one travel kit.

Fleming said Z Blok was born out of the need for a nonstinging sunscreen product, while Flight Companion was based on what was needed for traveling.

“The blueprint for Flight Companion began in 2019, well before the pandemic,” Fleming said. “I wanted to create a one-stop shop for the 85% of travelers who travel infrequently and don’t necessarily have an established packing routine for carry-on items to make trips more

comfortable.”

Flight Companion weighs 8 ounces, measures 8 inches by 5 inches by 2 inches, and includes a face mask, eye shade, inflatable neck pillow, ear plugs, ear buds, lip balm, a packet of tissues, and sanitizing wipes. The kit is comprised of a soft, leatherette zip-up case with an exterior outer zip-pocket to secure travel documents, keys, cell phones, chargers, or accessories.

Fleming said Flight Companion retails for $19.95 and has a registered trademark in the luggage category.

Fleming ships his products from his Newport office on Thames Street, which he has operated for more than 28 years. He fell in love with Newport while attending his sister’s graduation from Salve Regina College, now known as Salve Regina University.

Fleming thought Newport was the perfect setting for someone who loved sailing and had followed in his father’s footsteps as a salesman.

OWNER: Paul Fleming

LOCATION: 555 Thames St., Newport

YEAR FOUNDED: 1993

TYPE OF BUSINESS: Full-service marketing communications firm

EMPLOYEES: Three

ANNUAL REVENUE: WND

6 | AUGUST 20-SEPTEMBER 2, 2021 | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | www.pbn.com

FOR STARTERS HOT TOPIC

Tourists fuming over lack of rides

BY CASSIUS SHUMAN | Shuman@PBN.com

RIDE-SHARING SERVICES operating in Newport that decimated traditional taxi companies in recent years are now leaving tourists and residents waiting at the curb for long stretches because of a shortage of drivers.

Evan Smith, CEO and president of Discover Newport, said the tourism bureau’s visitor’s center is fielding five to 10 complaints daily from angry riders who are waiting up to an hour or longer for a driver to arrive to get to sightseeing spots.

Smith said there aren’t many options on Aquidneck Island. Beyond Uber Technologies Inc. and Lyft Inc., both of which offer vehicles for hire from their smartphone platforms, there is one traditional taxi service, Orange Cab, as well as a pedicab, a bike transportation service that’s only good for short distances.

“If you talk to a hotel concierge, they will tell you that it is crazy trying to find a ride for their guests. The wait time is ridiculous,” Smith said. “It’s become problematic this year because of the labor shortage – there just aren’t enough drivers.”

The problem is part of a larger issue in a national job market that’s been altered by the COVID-19 pan-

demic with many job openings going unfilled either because of the availability of federal relief funds for the unemployed or because many people have altered their career paths.

In Rhode Island, the shortage of ride-sharing drivers is being felt more acutely this summer in busier, more tourist-centric areas such as Newport.

Officials in other parts of the state, including Providence, are reporting few complaints.

Laurie White, president of the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce, said the driver shortage is part

of a labor shortage hitting many industries. “We expect the situation will loosen up by mid-fall here in Rhode Island,” she said.

Hayley Prim, a policy manager at Uber, said the company responded to its national shortage by investing $250 million to incentivize its driver workforce in April. For Uber, Prim said, that meant increasing its driver wage from $23 to $30 an hour.

“As cities have started opening up and seen their economies bounce back, more riders are taking trips,” Prim said. “Drivers are also returning to Uber to take advantage of higher earnings opportunities from our driver stimulus while they are still available.”

Since May, she said, about 300,000 drivers have returned to the mobile platform as Uber attempts to address

‘We are going to need to dig deeper to solve this.’

EVAN SMITH, Discover Newport CEO and president

the increased demand.

Eric Smith, a spokesman for Lyft, said that the ride-sharing service recognized the increase in rider demand in the early spring.

“We’ve added thousands of drivers in the past few weeks and it’s already leading to a better rider experience with wait times down more than 15% nationwide, and down 35% in some major markets,” he said. “It continues to be a great time to drive, with drivers in top markets earning significantly more than they were prepandemic.”

Uber driver Kevin Murray, who operates in Newport, said a solution for riders is to use the Uber reservation function in the app, which allows a rider to book a ride up to 30 days in advance. The problem with this option, he said, is a rider needs to be ready to travel as much as 20 minutes early for a ride.

Orange Cab could not be reached for comment.

Evan Smith is hoping to talk with Uber and Lyft to develop ideas on how to improve the service on Aquidneck Island. “For every problem, there is a solution,” he said. “We are going to need to dig deeper to solve this.” n

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www.pbn.com | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | AUGUST 20-SEPTEMBER 2, 2021 | 7

FOR STARTERS | HEALTH MATTERS

Initiative to examine racial biases in pediatrics

BY MARC LAROCQUE | Larocque@PBN.com

PEDIATRIC

health care isn’t immune from racial inequities.

That’s the starting point for a new grant-funded program at Hasbro Children’s Hospital in Providence and 11 other pediatric facilities across the country, aiming to transform children’s health care by adopting “antiracist practices” and partnering with parents to develop strategies for a more family-centered approach.

The pediatrician behind Hasbro’s involvement with the initiative said it’s time for health care organizations to take action to eliminate implicit bias and disparate health care outcomes.

“Realistically, we have known about racial disparities in health care for years,” said board-certified general pediatrician Dr. Olutosin Ojugbele.

“It has been documented in research.

Communities and community organizers have been working toward health equity for a long time. It just has finally gotten a national platform that it hasn’t had before.”

Hasbro Children’s Hospital, operated

by Lifespan Corp., was one of 12 com-

petitively selected pediatric facilities that committed to refining their efforts, working together to advance familycentered pediatrics and contributing to the accelerated adoption of anti-racist strategies. It’s part of a national effort called “Accelerating Child Health Transformation,” led by the nonprofit Center for Health Care Strategies and supported by grant funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Over nine months, program leaders will enlist community participants to collaborate in discussions on health disparities, identify health-related social needs, forge equitable partnerships between families and providers, and they will discuss what can be done to support better health and well-being for children.

The Center for Health Care Strategies said it aims to share findings and distill lessons from Hasbro and the other participating pediatric health settings – including hospitals in New Jersey, Colorado and California. The organization said it also expects to publish a “pediatric transformation tool kit” as a resource for pediatric hospitals.

Ojugbele said for hundreds of years,

TAKING ACTION: Dr. Olutosin Ojugbele, a pediatrician at Hasbro Children’s Hospital, led the hospital’s application process for the “Accelerating Child Health Care Transformation” initiative.

PBN PHOTO/ELIZABETH GRAHAM

‘It just has finally gotten a national platform that it hasn’t had before.’

DR. OLUTOSIN OJUGBELE, Hasbro Children’s Hospital pediatrician 8 | AUGUST 20-SEPTEMBER 2, 2021 | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | www.pbn.com

health care disparities in the U.S. have afflicted Black people. She referred to studies showing higher rates of pregnancy-related deaths for Black women. And a 2016 study at the University of Virginia found that almost half of first- and second-year medical students thought Black people had thicker skin and perceived less pain than white people. Also, a 2019 study published by the American Journal of Emergency Medicine dissected data from studies on pain management, finding that Black patients were 40% less likely to receive medication for acute pain compared with white ­patients.

Still, there’s been limited research into the topic in the field of pediatrics, Ojugbele said.

“In that population, it tends to be under-researched,” Ojugbele said.

“However, we have plenty of research in adult populations about the negative effects.”

Ojugbele said there are many reasons why health disparities exist among persons of color.

“This is based on societal structures that propagate our education system, the way we are socialized as children and other factors,” Ojugbele said. “It’s challenging to unlearn this.

That’s why this field of thinking of anti-racist practice is so important.

It’s not simply about saying that we’re not racist, but actively employing measures to make sure we are antiracist.”

Efforts to promote racial equity in hospitals are also taking place in the Care New England Health System hospitals, where Dionne Wright Poulton was appointed the company’s chief diversity officer more than a year ago.

Poulton said confronting racial bias in the workplace, including unintended or unconscious bias, can be a “difficult topic,” especially in health care where most people have good intentions.

“I really firmly believe that no one goes to work in this profession to hurt anyone intentionally. I refuse to believe that,” Poulton said. “But we all have biases and make associations and categorize others to make sense of the world and our experiences. I try to approach it in a nonthreatening way and say, ‘We’re all on the same boat.’

But sometimes, if we don’t practice self-reflection and don’t associate with people who are not like us, the more likely we are to have biases.”

Ojugbele, a New York native and daughter of Nigerian immigrants, who was the first in her family to become a doctor, said she expects the Accelerating Child Health Transformation initiative to not only benefit Black and other minority patients, but it will also have a “trickle down” effect to advance the cause of all pediatric patients.

“Health equity is not about giving advantages to certain populations,” Ojugbele said. “It’s recognizing the historical impact of racism on the health of Black and brown people.

And doing everything we can to correct that is simply human decency and does not marginalize any other population. If anything, it uplifts our society as a whole.” n

PBN.COM | ANOTHER LOOK Vacancies, optimism in city’s downtown

BY MARC LAROCQUE | Larocque@PBN.com

(Editor’s note: A version of this story was first published on PBN.com on Aug. 13) PROVIDENCE – Sign, sign, everywhere a sign: “Retail opportunity,” says one. “Prime retail space for lease,” another. “Available now.”

There’s plenty of prime storefront space available for restaurants and retail in downtown Providence. And there’s also plenty of optimism among investors about the potential for downtown development.

But there are also worries about the impact of the delta variant of COVID-19 and lingering concerns about quality-of-life issues for downtown dwellers and real estate investors.

“We’re cautious in our optimism,” said Joanna Levitt, director of commercial leasing and marketing for 15 years at the downtown Providencebased property developer Cornish Associates LP. “We’ve just been through a long year. The sales activity and the amount of leasing calls [are] healthy right now. Maybe when all of these other activities come back on, we’ll see a boom that we haven’t ... yet.”

Taking a walk down Westminster, Weybosset and Dorrance streets, visitors will be greeted by a series of storefront vacancies, including former restaurants and stores that mostly closed before the pandemic.

The emptiness of some of the properties has been prolonged by the pandemic, which led to work stoppages and shutdowns. And it doesn’t help that foot traffic has been down this season, compared with those prepandemic summers.

“It’s not wrong to say the volume of people on the street is down,” Levitt said. “We’ll see what happens in September. I’d imagine things will continue to get busier if everything is stable with COVID.” Scott McCullough, who has operated Symposium Books at 240 Westminster St. for 18 years, said he appreciates the active property owners such as Cornish, but some others are sitting on properties.

“I think for the most part they understand the urban dynamics of having a healthy city center,” said McCullough, who was able to remain open despite the pandemic. “They’re looking to build that up. And then there are other landlords who I don’t know what they’re doing. They sit on properties and then eventually they’ll rent it to a bank or something. It doesn’t help out. We don’t need more banks. We need more lively stuff.”

Downtown vacancies include the former location of the Fortnight wine bar at the corner of Dorrance and Weybosset streets. The business moved to Mathewson Street. The storefront property has been available for lease for about a year now, owned by real estate company Paolino Properties LP, led by former Providence

Mayor Joseph R. Paolino Jr. In addition to the threat currently posed by the delta variant, Paolino said a longstanding problem with quality-of-life issues, namely panhandling, graffiti, open drug use and public urination by vagrants, has been making it more difficult for downtown property owners to thrive.

“That’s a serious problem and Providence has to tackle that if they want to become a world-class city,” Paolino said.

Mayor Jorge O. Elorza said “we take quality-of-life issues very seriously and regularly engage with residents, business owners and stakeholders” to address their issues and concerns. Elorza also said he’s confident in the future of the downtown business district.

“After the hardships associated with the pandemic, downtown Providence is open for business and dozens of new locations continue to spring up,” Elorza said.

New businesses include the Rory’s Market and Kitchen that was announced recently for the bottom floor commercial space of the Nightingale Apartments building at 113 Washington St. And there’s also a new coffee shop, Little City Coffee & Kitchen, which moved this summer into an area of downtown known for chronic vacancies at 158 Mathewson St., a 922-square-foot ground floor unit in the rear of the Lapham Building that’s gone mostly unused since the 1990s.

Given that it’s off the main corridor of foot traffic, the developer, Cornish, and other stakeholders said they look at this as a positive sign for future downtown development.

“The long-term vacancy of that space wasn’t something that concerned us because of the amazing job Cornish Associates did on the renovation of the entire building,” said co-owner Kelsey Garvin. “Mathewson Street has a great amount of foot traffic and everybody in the neighborhood was so incredibly welcoming during our first week of business.” n

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www.pbn.com | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | AUGUST 20-SEPTEMBER 2, 2021 | 9

FOR STARTERS | WHAT’S HAPPENING Building biz relationships

Learn about social media

ON THE LINKS: One SouthCoast Chamber of Commerce will host its annual Invitational Golf Tournament Sept. 7 at Acushnet River Valley in Acushnet.

COURTESY ONE SOUTHCOAST CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

One SouthCoast Chamber to host annual golf tournament ONE SOUTHCOAST CHAMBER of Commerce will host its annual Chamber Invitational Golf Tournament. The event will be a scramble format, with prizes awarded to the top three teams. The event includes lunch, a golf cart, 18 holes of golf, a gift bag, raffle tickets and a grand prize ticket.

Proceeds will support the Chamber’s operations.

TUESDAY, SEPT. 7, 7:30 A.M. TO 1:30 P.M. $175 INFO AND REGISTRATION: bit.ly/3rW4jih

THE TRI-TOWN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE will hold its networking group in a forum setting in which business owners and entrepreneurs can build business relationships with one another. Four one-hour group sessions will be held over two days.

MONDAY, AUG. 23, 8 A.M. TO 1 P.M., TUESDAY, AUG. 24, 8:30-9:30 A.M. Free

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Women leaders

EDITOR’S CHOICE

Acushnet River Valley, 1047 Main St., Acushnet.

THE TRI-TOWN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE will hold a workshop titled “Using Facebook and Instagram Stories.” The event will help attendees better understand the social media tools to help increase the visibility of one’s business to people who like their business pages. Business owners, entrepreneurs, marketing managers, marketing directors, social media managers, marketing specialists, recruiters and executive directors are encouraged to attend.

FRIDAY, AUG. 20, 8:30-10 A.M. Free/members; $10/nonmembers

ONE SOUTHCOAST CHAMBER of Commerce will hold a Women in Leadership Power Lunch event, hosted by Tipsy Toboggan. The event will invite fellow business professionals to meet and build relationships with one another over lunch.

FRIDAY, AUG. 20, NOON TO 1:30 P.M. Free Tipsy Toboggan, 75 Ferry St., Fall River.

INFO AND REGISTRATION: bit.ly/3A7T2hS

Online.

INFO AND REGISTRATION: bit.ly/3rRwUFH

SCORE RHODE ISLAND will hold a workshop titled “To Incorporate or Not to Incorporate Your Business?

That is the Question.” Intellectual property attorney Kelley Keller will lead a discussion about the essential aspects of incorporation so business owners can eliminate uncertainty and make the right decisions for themselves and their emerging business.

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

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE AWARDEES WHO WERE HONORED AT THE AUGUST 5 EVENT

Karen Kuhn from Brightview Senior Living with their 2021 Healthiest Employers award.

Members of Rhode Island Medical Imaging’s HR team with their 2021 Healthiest Employers award, from left, Cheyenne Spacco, Sarah Beaulieu, Josh Varone, Jennifer Voyer and Susan Logan.

Lifespan team members with their 2021 Healthiest Employers award: from left, Margaret Wingate, Director of Benefits; Greg Salgueiro, Director of Well-being; and Kathleen Mullally, Vice President, Compensation and Benefits.

10 | AUGUST 20-SEPTEMBER 2, 2021 | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | www.pbn.com

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meet and build business connections in a relaxed setting.

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 25, 5:30-7:30 P.M. Free/members; $10/nonmembers

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Liberty & Union Alehouse, 16 Trescott St., Taunton.

Exploring startups

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THE CENTER FOR WOMEN & Enterprise will hold a workshop titled “Exploring Entrepreneurship & Steps to Start a Business.” The workshop will help attendees outline various steps if people are considering starting a business or in the early stages of launching one. Among the topics to be discussed are how to develop your business idea and planning, legal structures, determining financing needs and understanding employer responsibilities. Attendees will also learn about available resources and training.

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 25, NOON TO 1:30 P.M. Free Online.

INFO AND REGISTRATION: bit.ly/3xqLYuS

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Making new connections THE GREATER PROVIDENCE Chamber of Commerce will hold a virtual Chamber Café event. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet and mingle with other Chamber members in a relaxed setting. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own coffee and breakfast.

THURSDAY, AUG. 26, 8:30-9:30 A.M. Free Online.

THE TAUNTON AREA Chamber of Commerce will hold a Young Professionals Social networking event, hosted by Liberty & Union Alehouse. The event will bring together local young professionals, with the opportunity to

Business plan basics THE CENTER FOR WOMEN & Enterprise will hold a workshop titled “Business Plan Basics.” The workshop will provide an overview of writing a business plan. Attendees will also learn about resources for help and support.

THURSDAY, AUG. 26, NOON TO 1:30 P.M. Free

Online.

INFO AND REGISTRATION: bit.ly/2TX6o16

THE SOUTHERN RHODE ISLAND Young Professionals will hold a networking event, hosted by George’s of Galilee. The event will welcome attendees to fun relationship-building events at Southern Rhode Island Chamber of Commerce businesses.

Light food, a cash bar and door prizes will be part of the event, which is for individuals ages 21 and older.

THURSDAY, SEPT. 9, 6-8 P.M. $5 George’s of Galilee, 250 Sand Hill Cove Road, Narragansett.

INFO AND REGISTRATION: bit.ly/3Crc3Oq

THE RHODE ISLAND Small Business Development Center will hold a workshop titled “Drive More Local Leads with Local SEO.” Local consumers have several options while searching online, but local business owners want the advantage to have their busi-

ment tool that identifies strategies to implement key areas of improvement, developing concrete action steps and prioritizing them.

TUESDAY, AUG. 31, 1 P.M. Free

Meeting young professionals

Online.

INFO AND REGISTRATION: bit.ly/3lx0AXi

Drive more local leads

Being social

ness come up first in a search engine.

The workshop will help local business owners reach their audiences online.

Amanda Basse, RISBDC marketing counselor, will lead the discussion.

THURSDAY, AUG. 26, 11 A.M. TO NOON. Free

INFO AND REGISTRATION: bit.ly/3lx1UcI

Developing action steps SCORE RHODE ISLAND will hold a workshop titled “The Business Model Canvas PLUS – Develop Action Plans for Key Elements of Your Business Model Canvas.” The business model canvas is a unique business manage-

UPCOMING PBN EVENT: The 2021 Leaders & Achievers Awards Program will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 26, at the Aldrich Mansion in Warwick.

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Summit for Health Care Professionals

SELF-CARE STRATEGIES FOR ENDURING THE PANDEMIC THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 9 7:30-9 A.M.

KATHLEEN BOYD, MSW, LICSW Physician Health Program Director Rhode Island Medical Society

DONNA STETSON, MS, LMHC Clinical Associate Rhode Island Medical Society

Register for this complimentary event by hovering over the QR code with your phone camera or visit PBN.com/events Presented by:

About the Summit:

As health care professionals endure the pandemic, there is a critical need to prioritize self-care. The toll of the pandemic has surpassed physical exhaustion and eaten away at the emotional core of the health-care workforce.

To provide support, presenters from the Rhode Island Medical Society will use an interactive format to share specific strategies to prioritize personal physical and emotional health, to garner support through peers, and to work collaboratively within the workplace. This presentation will include real life examples of health care professionals who have met this challenge and have been successful.

SELF-CARE STRATEGIES FOR ENDURING THE PANDEMIC

www.pbn.com | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | AUGUST 20-SEPTEMBER 2, 2021 | 11

PANDEMIC PAIN CARNAGE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

It’s no secret that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating effect on many small businesses such as Kidzone. Lockdowns designed to slow the spread of the virus forced many into survival mode. Some small businesses have pulled through.

Others haven’t.

But no one’s sure how many Rhode Island businesses that were operating in March 2020 have closed.

In the public health arena, there have been daily updates on confirmed cases, hospitalizations and deaths that quantify the toll of the pandemic on the general population. There is no such recordkeeping for the business community.

In fact, according to the state’s business registry, Kidzone is still alive and well, one of 97,000 businesses recorded as operational as of June 2021.

It’s unclear how many other businesses still on the books also have been lost to the COVID-19 crisis.

Some say that’s a problem, particularly when that path forward could be paved with $1.1 billion in federal stimulus funds that the state has yet to dish out and could use guidance on how best to direct that money.

“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to invest these federal funds,” said Secretary of State Nellie M. Gorbea, who is mounting a run for the governor’s office in 2022. “To do so properly, we should have as clear a data picture as possible.”

OBSCURE NUMBERS There have been attempts to document the carnage.

News headlines paint a bleak picture, decrying an estimated 100,000 small businesses “gone forever,” according to one story in the Washington Post in May 2020, or sharing the now-ubiquitous 40% business closure rate that originated with a Harvard University-affiliated pandemic tracker.

But rather than hard numbers, what’s offered

OUT OF BUSINESS IN THE PANDEMIC

(FROM MARCH 1, 2020, TO JUNE 4, 2021)

REASON FOR CLOSURE

NUMBER

Filed to dissolve, cancel or withdraw its registration certificate

3,087

Converted to a different kind of business entity

280

Expired

140

Merged with another entity

31

Bankruptcy

2

Receivership

1

TOTAL VOLUNTARY CLOSURES

3,541

Revoked *

3,735

Not yet reported

23

TOTAL INVOLUNTARY CLOSURES

3,758

TOTAL CLOSURES

7,299

■■■■■■■ Voluntary closures ■■■■■■■ Involuntary closures *Considered “inactive” but not necessarily permanently closed due to failing to file a required document, pay a fee or pay taxes on time.

SOURCE: R.I. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

COVID CASUALTY: Stephanie lgoe stands in front of the former Hallworth House building in Providence, a nonprofit nursing home where she served as administrator before it closed in the summer of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

PBN PHOTO/MIKE SKORSKI

are educated guesses and projections based on limited and, at times, questionable sources: taxes, credit card transactions, surveys, or even what’s written on a business’s Yelp page.

The R.I. Department of State, through its business services division, has perhaps the most comprehensive state-level data, but its viewpoint is still fuzzy, at best.

The state’s business registry shows that about 7,300 businesses of all sizes closed between March 1, 2020, and June 4, 2021, according to data provided to PBN. However, more than half of those are designated by the state as “involuntary closures” – businesses that did not pay taxes or fees, or failed to refile registration paperwork on time.

Unpaid taxes or delayed paperwork have long been common occurrences in business, even before the pandemic. In 2019, a strong year by many economic indicators, 7,000 Rhode Island businesses were at one point listed as inactive. Often a business is reactivated in state records after taxes and paperwork are submitted.

What may be more telling are businesses that file paperwork to withdraw or revoke their registration status, designated as “voluntary closures.”

In 2020, voluntary closures jumped to more than 2,300, an increase of 600 from the year before. Data for 2021 suggests that the number of businesses filing closing paperwork will remain elevated. About 1,110 businesses had formally closed as of June 4, less than halfway through 2021.

But even those figures don’t tell the whole story.

Certain business types, such as sole proprietors and general partnerships, aren’t required to register with the state at all. Instead, their paperwork trails lie within the municipalities in which they operate.

That’s a significant hole when trying to calculate business failures, given the popularity of sole proprietorships, says Thomas M. Sullivan, senior vice president of small-business policy for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

“When you lack that data, you’re X’ing out a ton of small businesses,” Sullivan said.

Many of the business categories in which sole proprietorships are most common – such as barbershops and nail salons – saw the highest rates of closures during the pandemic, according to a

Federal Reserve Board study published in April.

In 2019, Gorbea introduced legislation to make her office the central database for all business filings regardless of type. The measure didn’t pass, and it wasn’t among the bills she introduced this session due to other priorities, she said.

However, it has become easier for businesses to register and dissolve with her office. Company owners once were required to show up at an office on West River Street in Providence and hand over paperwork to open or close their business, but now they can do it online.

While Gorbea didn’t want to speculate on why recent years have been marked by an increase in business closures, particularly since the onset of the pandemic, she said the ease of the administrative process was likely a reason.

Another problem with relying on the state’s business registry to gauge the pandemic’s toll: Closure numbers rely on business owners submitting the paperwork – and paying fees between $10 and $50 – to register that they’ve closed.

Sometimes owners of shuttered businesses purposely don’t submit the paperwork – flying under the radar as long as possible, potentially to avoid payment, according to Christopher Parisi, co-founder of the Rhode Island Small Business Coalition and owner of Trailblaze Marketing Inc. in Providence. More often, they don’t document the closure because they don’t know they have to.

That was the case for Wall, the owner of Kidzone who only learned that she needed to fill out the paperwork to dissolve her business when filing her tax returns this year – a full nine months after her business closed.

The decision to shut down Kidzone was hard enough – laying off her employees, saying goodbye to longtime customers, peeling up the colorful squares of foam flooring she and her children had laid down by hand when she opened eight years ago.

Ultimately, the pandemic restrictions on child care facilities and inside gatherings were a blow her business could not recover from, and the money she received in federal payroll relief through the Paycheck Protection Program was so small, it failed to cover costs such as overhead and CONTINUES ON PAGE 14

‘I don’t need statistics to figure out what I need to do.’

MARK S. HAYWARD, U.S. Small Business Administration Rhode Island district director 12 | AUGUST 20-SEPTEMBER 2, 2021 | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | www.pbn.com

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PANDEMIC PAIN STARTS AND STOPS

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12

­equipment. She gave it back.

When told by her accountant that she needed to submit dissolution forms – and pay a fee alongside quarterly taxes – she was indignant.

“How would I have known to do this?” Wall said.

“No one sent us anything.”

Gorbea said she’s trying to improve communication between businesses and the state through online notices and mailings to businesses. She also introduced legislation this session that would have waived the closing fee or outstanding taxes for businesses that failed during the pandemic. The measure died in committee.

“These are extraordinary time periods,” Gorbea said. “To have to close your business and then figure out how to pay all these fees ... is absolutely unfair.”

Wall agreed with the need for more accurate data about business closings, particularly to help those companies still trying to recover as a new COVID-19 surge hits.

While the number of closed or inactive Rhode Island businesses spiked in 2019 and fell back to typical levels in 2020, the annual number of newly registered Rhode Island businesses has continued to climb for a decade, including during the COVID-19 pandemic.

12,000 10,000

6,000 4,000 2,000 0

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021*

*First five months of 2021.

SOURCE: R.I. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

director, dismisses the need for better data, at least when it comes to deciding how to spend the state’s chunk of American Rescue Plan Act funds.

“I don’t need statistics to figure out what I need to do in order to help small businesses,” Hayward said. “I talk to small businesses every day. I hear what their needs are.”

While Hayward declined to weigh in on whether initial forecasts of business closures were overblown, he was quick to point out that the crisis has also ushered in a wave of new companies and entrepreneurial ventures, much like the 2008 recession and even the 1991 credit union crisis.

Indeed, the 10,500 Rhode Island companies registered with the state in 2020 is the highest annual number in the last decade.

Edinaldo Tebaldi, an economics professor at Bryant University, is not surprised.

“Times of crisis also are times of opportunity,” he said. “Innovators, entrepreneurs, they look ahead and see an opening.”

It was during those early months of lockdown, for example, that Providence restaurateur John Elkhay, owner of Chow Fun Inc., assembled the menu for his newest restaurant. OZ Tacos & Tequila, the latest addition to Chow Fun’s half a dozen local restaurants, opened in Lincoln in April, and the staff numbers about 25.

However, the new beginning also came after a loss; the year prior, Chow Fun closed its longtime downtown burger joint, Luxe Burger Bar. Natasha Nichols, Chow Fun vice president, said the pandemic was the final blow for the 15-year burger restaurant. With the lease ending, closing “just made the most sense,” Nichols said.

Nichols recalled bursting into tears the day she had to close and lay off the 15 employees.

“I just couldn’t really control my emotions,” she said.

FLAWED DATA

LATEST EDITION: Natasha Nichols, standing, is the vice president for restaurant group Chow Fun Inc. in Providence, which opened OZ Tacos & Tequila in Lincoln in April. Nichols speaks with diners Michelle Armes, left, and Ariana Beliveau of Lincoln.

PBN PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

To

8,000

IS IT NEEDED? Not everyone, however, believes a clearer picture of the casualties is necessary.

Restaurants open and close so frequently it almost seems inconsequential to track, says Kristen Adamo, CEO and president of the Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau. Indeed, the 30 restaurants that the Rhode Island Hospitality Association estimates have closed during the pandemic is a minuscule percentage of the more than 3,000 eateries in the state.

Even before the delta variant became a serious threat, Sarah Bratko, lobbyist for the hospitality association, anticipated a new wave of restaurant closures once the summer season ends, as labor shortages and the lack of federal grants through the Restaurant Revitalization Fund program push them over the brink.

Her assessment of how many restaurants had closed and how many were nearing closure was an educated guess. There’s no single database – through the state, city and town liquor licenses, even the U.S. Small Business Administration – to rely on.

Bratko isn’t opposed to better data, but she is against implementing a tracking system that would create more work for employers.

Mark S. Hayward, SBA Rhode Island district

To

■■■■■■■ Total businesses closed or inactive ■■■■■■■ Total businesses newly registered

Tebaldi cautions that the influx of new businesses may not all be true employers.

“To me, that’s the biggest weakness of the data we have,” he said. “You can register a business but never buy or sell anything, never employ people, just have that registration.”

Tebaldi prefers to examine data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, which tracks quarterly business openings and closings and their impact on employment. “The number of businesses is a good metric, but what is important is to link that to a number of jobs,” he said.

Historical context matters, too.

Tebaldi suggests comparing the coronavirus crisis to the 2008 recession, which left Rhode Island grappling with high unemployment rates for years afterward. The number of in-state establishments – how BLS defines companies that actually produce goods or services – that closed annually jumped

14 | AUGUST 20-SEPTEMBER 2, 2021 | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | www.pbn.com

4.8% from 2007 to 2009, according to BLS data.

In that period, the increase in business “deaths,” as the BLS calls them, was accompanied by an increase in business “births.” The numbers of births and deaths during the pandemic have not yet been compiled by the BLS. R.I. Department of Labor and Training data offers a more up-to-date assessment, at least in terms of employment. As of June this year, there were 471,000 nonfarm jobs in the state, the highest number since March 2020. At the same time, unemployment rates, which surged to 17.4% in April 2020, have declined to about 6% for the last three months.

But there are still about 10,000 more Rhode Island workers collecting unemployment benefits now compared with the months immediately before the pandemic. How many workers lost jobs due to companies closing is unclear.

At least a dozen are former workers at Hallworth House. The Providence nursing home closed in July 2020, laying off its nearly 50 employees. The building, which is owned by The Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island, is empty, but it’s still registered with the state, and still receiving bills for unemployment insurance for former workers, said Stephanie Igoe, the former administrator.

Igoe is not one of those collecting unemployment; in March, she took a new job as an administrator at Bethany Home of Rhode Island in Providence. The decision to remain in the field of nursing home administration was not one she took lightly.

“The difference here is I get to watch people get better and go home,” she said of her new job.

It’s a marked contrast to her last few months at Hallworth House, where 12 patients died due to COVID-19 in the first two months of the pandemic.

Igoe spent every day riddled with anxiety for her patients, staff and her own family. When she broke the news of the closure to the employees and families of residents, she cried.

“It was like somebody kicked me in the stomach,” she said.

Whether more money would have saved Hallworth House, Igoe doesn’t know. Low insurance reimbursement rates combined with a shortage of nursing home workers spelled trouble even before the pandemic began.

But funneling funds to businesses directly may not be the best solution, either.

“We cannot just pump money into businesses and expect that will be enough,” Tebaldi said. “We should be spending our funds on infrastructure, training, workforce development.”

Gorbea sees it differently.

“Rhode Island is a small-business state,” she said. “We need to make sure we understand what the small-business people in Rhode Island are facing ... and do what we can to support them.” n

A FRESH DESIGN Lincoln School 301 Butler Ave., Providence Building owner and tenant: Lincoln School

Architect: studioMLA Architects Developer/General contractor: Deslandes Construction Inc. Cost: $5 million Use: Lincoln School underwent a 4,700-square-

ENERGY EFFICIENT: The new classrooms inside the expanded Little School at Lincoln School have an abundance of natural light. The school does not have gas or oil systems, meaning it will not be producing any onsite combustion and carbon emissions.

foot expansion of its Little School that cost $5 million. The project broke ground in December 2019 and was completed in July 2020. The state-of-theart facility was designed by studioMLA Architects of Brookline, Mass., and constructed by Deslandes Construction Inc. of Warwick. The addition features two classrooms, a dedicated outdoor play area and a Reggio Emilia-inspired studio. The Reggio Emilia approach consists of a student-centered, self-guided curriculum. The project is registered with the U.S. Green Building Council and has a pending LEED Silver Certification, which means construction included a highly insulated building envelope; an air exchange ventilation system; use of sustainable and recycled materials; energy efficient fixtures; appliances and heating, ventilation and air conditioning equipment; renewable energy systems such as photovoltaic systems; and natural landscaping. Lincoln School’s Little School will not have gas or oil systems, meaning it will not be producing any on-site combustion and carbon emissions.

PHOTOS COURTESY LINCOLN SCHOOL

BEFORE

READY TO DIG: Helmets sit on top of ceremonial shovels for the groundbreaking of Lincoln School’s Little School expansion project in December 2019.

PLAY TIME: Among the features in Lincoln School’s Little School expansion project is a new outdoor play area for students. www.pbn.com | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | AUGUST 20-SEPTEMBER 2, 2021 | 15

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FOCUS | LAW REVIEW

Under R.I. equity mandate, firms may need wage audit

BY CASSIUS SHUMAN | Shuman@PBN.com

RHODE

Island’s new pay equity law is still more than a year away from taking effect, but Ocean State businesses should be taking steps to ensure they can meet the requirements, or they may face lawsuits, penalties and fines, local labor lawyers say.

Legislation passed by the General Assembly and signed by Gov. Daniel J. McKee on Aug. 4 amends the existing equal pay law so that all businesses must pay equal wages in most cases for “comparable work,” regardless of an employee’s gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation or other potentially discriminatory factors.

Violators could face fines from the R.I. Department of Labor and Training of up to $5,000 for each violation, and they could be liable for damages such as unpaid wages.

The new law doesn’t go into effect until Jan. 1, 2023, and there’s an additional two-year grace period in which no civil penalties will be accessed against violators, but Jessica Schachter Jewell, a labor and employ-

ment attorney at Nixon Peabody LLP in Providence, said employers should familiarize themselves with the new requirements now.

“It’s important that all businesses take this law seriously, as it applies to all businesses in the state of Rhode Island,” she said.

Jewell said employers should start planning to conduct a wage audit – it’s referred to as a “self-evaluation” in the law – to identify and fix any pay practices that are prohibited by the new law. While companies may use their own audit methods, the DLT is expected to issue a self-evaluation form for employers, she said.

According to the new law, employers accused of illegal pay inequities could be absolved from liability against legal action if they can prove that they conducted a “good faith” self-evaluation before action was taken against them.

By approving the new pay equity law, Rhode Island joins a growing number of states that have enacted measures to combat wage discrimination.

GET READY: ­Jessica Schachter Jewell, a labor and employment attorney in Nixon Peabody LLP’s Providence office, says all Rhode Island businesses should prepare for the new pay equity law before it goes into ­effect.

PBN PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

‘It’s important that all businesses take this law seriously.’

JESSICA SCHACHTER JEWELL, Nixon Peabody LLP attorney 18 | AUGUST 20-SEPTEMBER 2, 2021 | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | www.pbn.com

Indeed, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 42 states have equal-pay laws, while eight of those states have an exemption for small businesses.

The NCSL said the subject of wage inequality remains a contentious topic, even though it’s been more than 50 years since the federal Equal Pay Act and the Civil Rights Act were passed. The Equal Pay Act provides a cause of action for an employee to sue for damages, while the Civil Rights Act prohibits discrimination in the workplace based on sex and is used in wage discrimination claims.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in the first quarter of 2020, full-time female employees earned only 80% of what full-time male employees earned. The bureau said that the gender wage gap has narrowed since 1979, when women’s earnings were only 62% of men’s earnings.

The disparity is even greater for Black and Hispanic women. Black women earn 64 cents and Hispanic women earn 56 cents for every $1 earned by white, non-Hispanic men.

Some legal observers say many of the states with pay equity laws prohibit wage differentials based on sex only, but the changes in Rhode Island’s law expand the classes of people it protects.

The Rhode Island law offers protections to employees based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, country of ancestral origin, or those age 40 and older.

Pay differences for comparable work are allowed if there’s a seniority or merit system, a system of measuring earnings by quantity or quality of production, locations with different costs of living, reasonable shift differentials, education, training, experience, or travel.

Jewell said Rhode Island’s definition of “comparable work” is like the one in Massachusetts – “work that requires substantially similar skill, effort and responsibility, and is performed under similar working conditions,” the law says.

As for how employers will handle the new law, Jewell said there is a lot of activity with businesses trying to get educated to prepare for performing self-evaluations. A concern, she said, is that some of the smaller businesses might not be aware of the law and its requirements and could be cited for noncompliance.

The passage of the amended law marked a victory for state Rep. Susan R. Donovan, D-Bristol, and former Sen. Gayle L. Goldin, D-Providence, both of whom have been pushing improved pay equity legislation for several years.

“I have experienced firsthand what it’s like to be paid unequally when you are doing comparable work,” Donovan said when McKee signed the legislation into law on Aug. 4. “It’s a devastating blow, both emotionally and financially, for so many women and people of color across Rhode Island. Women work just as hard as our counterparts to advance our careers and support our families, and we deserve to be compensated equally.” n

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FOCUS | LAW REVIEW INJECTIONS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

The pilot program, which would run for two years starting in March 2022, makes Rhode Island the first state to allow illegal drug use in a supervised setting.

Other states and cities have considered similar “harm reduction centers” as a means to combat the skyrocketing rates of drug overdose deaths.

But none of the controversial proposals passed in part due to legal objections. Rhode Island’s measure specifies that no one involved in these sites – operators, employers, participants, volunteers, state or municipal employees – can be arrested or charged for violating state laws around possession of controlled substances.

But that also relies on the will of law enforcement to comply, said John L. Calcagni III, a criminal defense attorney in Providence.

“Laws exist on the books, but whether they get enforced or applied is a matter of who’s in charge,” Calcagni said.

The new measure calls for an advisory committee, with members including the state attorney general and a current or former law enforcement official, to advise the R.I. Department of Health on developing more-specific rules around the pilot program, including how it interacts with federal, state and local laws, as well as criminal and civil liability protections for employees or participants at the sites.

Calcagni, however, noted several scenarios in which state or even federal authorities could crack down, using their “prosecutorial discretion” to charge the people running or working at these sites with aiding and abetting or conspiracy to violate drug possession laws.

The greatest conflict arises not with state law, but federal law under the U.S. Controlled Substances Act, which bans so-called “crack houses.”

A federal appeals court in January cited this law in rejecting plans for a supervised drug injection site in Philadelphia.

That opinion, though divided, sets a precedent that could spell trouble for Rhode Island, said Michael J. Lepizzera Jr., an attorney and principal with Lepizzera and Laprocina, Counselors at Law Ltd. in Warwick.

“If there is a conflict between state and federal law, federal law trumps state law,” Lepizzera said.

But again, the consequences depend in part on political appetite. The lawsuit heard by the federal appeals court was filed by William McSwain when he was U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. McSwain was a Trump appointee who was a vocal opponent to these kinds of supervised injection sites.

Now the Biden administration’s U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland has named combating the opioid overdose crisis a priority, though he stopped short of voicing support for safe injection sites.

WAIT AND SEE: Attorney John L. Calcagni III says there are some gray legal areas when it comes to a new Rhode Island law that creates a pilot program for safe injection sites, or “harm reduction centers,” to counteract the opioid overdose crisis.

PBN PHOTO/ELIZABETH GRAHAM

State Sen. Joshua Miller, D-Cranston, who sponsored the R.I. Senate legislation, hoped the changing of the guard in Washington, combined with data showing spikes in drug overdoses during the pandemic, would deter federal law enforcement from cracking down on Rhode Island’s program.

“To leave behind the effectiveness of this model by having a legal hurdle on the federal level would be leaving behind a way to save lives,” Miller said.

Not only was Miller unworried by the prospect of lawsuits, but he was also hopeful that the success of Rhode Island’s test program could spur changes in federal law itself. Much like Colorado’s legalization of recreational marijuana prompted former U.S. Deputy Attorney General William Cole to advise against using federal funds on prosecuting or enforcing marijuana laws in states that legalized it, Miller envisioned the U.S. Department of Justice issuing a similar “Cole memo” on safe injection sites.

“We know where and how the law should be changed and how it could allow for exceptions,”

Miller said.

From a legal standpoint, Lepizzera worried about the precedent set by federal law that offers exemptions on a case-by-case basis.

“We’re becoming the Wild West,” he said. “You can’t just pass laws for individual states. You have to apply the law uniformly.”

While both Lepizzera and Calcagni named the owners and employees of safe injection sites as those most at risk for federal lawsuits, the state itself could face consequences too, through some sort of federal civil action. It wouldn’t necessarily end in fines or arrests, but rather a declaratory relief action, which would force the pilot program to end, Lepizzera said.

Many of these scenarios are just that – hypothetical situations that are difficult to pin down with certainty until there are more details about how the state program will work.

Half a dozen attorneys and legal organizations, including the Rhode Island Bar Association and the R.I. Office of the Attorney General, declined to comment, with some citing the undefined nature of the proposal as a reason. n

‘To leave behind the effectiveness of this model ... would be leaving behind a way to save lives.’

JOSHUA MILLER, state senator, D-Cranston

20 | AUGUST 20-SEPTEMBER 2, 2021 | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | www.pbn.com

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| FOCUS RHODEISLAND ISLANDLAWLAWFIRMS FIRMS(ranked(ranked by number of local lawyers) FOCUS | RHODE by number of local lawyers) No. of local lawyers

CLOSER LOOK

No. of local partners/ associates/ counsel

Areas of practice Construction, corporate, litigation, real estate, trusts and estates

Law firm | Website Managing partner(s)

Address Phone

Hinckley Allen & Snyder LLP 1 | hinckleyallen.com David Rubin

100 Westminster St., Suite 1500 Providence, R.I. 02903 (401) 274-2000

53

33 14 5

2020: 1

Adler Pollock & Sheehan PC | apslaw.com Robert Brooks

1 Citizens Plaza, 8th Floor Providence, R.I. 02903 (401) 274-7200

49

38 11 0

Commercial litigation, corporate, government, health care, labor and employment

3 2020: 4

Locke Lord LLP | lockelord.com Christopher Graham, Providence office managing partner

2800 Financial Plaza Providence, R.I. 02903 (401) 274-9200

34

16 12 6

Corporate, litigation, private equity, public finance, real estate

4 2020: 3

Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick Ltd. | ccklaw.com J. Scott Kilpatrick and Robert V. Chisholm, founders and managing partners

321 South Main St. Providence, R.I. 02903 (401) 331-6300

33

5 28 0

Bequest management, Employee Retirement Income Security Act and long-term disability insurance litigation, veterans law

4 2020: 5

Pannone Lopes Devereaux & O'Gara LLC | pldolaw.com Gary Pannone, managing principal

1301 Atwood Ave., Suite 215N Johnston, R.I. 02919 (401) 824-5100

33

20 7 6

Corporate and business law, administrative law, employment law, criminal defense-white collar, estate and trust planning/administration/litigation

2020: 6

Partridge Snow & Hahn LLP | psh.com Howard Merten

40 Westminster St. Providence, R.I. 02903 (401) 861-8200

31

16 5 10

Business law, commercial finance, commercial real estate, employment and labor, litigation

7 2020: 7

Barton Gilman LLP | bglaw.com Francis Connor III, Co-managing Partner

1 Financial Plaza, 18th Floor Providence, R.I. 02903 (401) 273-7171

21

11 7 3

Business and civil litigation, education law, employment law, health care and medicalmalpractice defense

8 2020: 8

Cameron & Mittleman LLP | cm-law.com John Wolfe, managing partner; Robert Migliaccio and Karen DelPonte, co-managing partners

301 Promenade St. Providence, R.I. 02908 (401) 331-5700

20

15 3 2

Bank lending, business and corporate, health care, litigation, public finance, trust and estates

9 2020: 11

Roberts, Carroll, Feldstein & Peirce Inc. | rcfp.com Edward Avila, managing shareholder and president Morrison Mahoney LLP | morrisonmahoney.com Mark Nugent, managing partner, Providence office

10 Weybosset St., Suite 800 Providence, R.I. 02903 (401) 521-7000

19

10 4 5

Business and corporate, commercial real estate, finance, government relations, labor law, medical malpractice

10 Weybosset St., Suite 900 Providence, R.I. 02903 (401) 331-4660

17

8 8 1

Insurance defense, professional liability, workers' compensation, product liability and medical malpractice.

Higgins, Cavanagh & Cooney LLP | hcc-law.com James Ruggieri

10 Dorrance St., Suite 400 Providence, R.I. 02903 (401) 272-3500

16

5 7 4

Business law, employment law, insurance law, litigation, workers' compensation defense

Duffy & Sweeney Ltd. | duffysweeney.com Michael Sweeney and Robert Duffy, cofounders and managing partners

321 South Main St., Suite 400 Providence, R.I. 02903 (401) 455.0700

15

5 3 7

Business law, litigation

Nixon Peabody LLP | nixonpeabody.com Stephen Zubiago, CEO and managing partner; Armando Batastini, Providence office managing partner

1 Citizens Plaza Providence, R.I. 02903 (401) 454-1000

15

8 5 2

Complex litigation, health care, labor and employment, middle-market mergers and acquisitions, white-collar defense

Marasco & Nesselbush LLP | m-n-law.com Joseph Marasco and Donna Nesselbush, managing partners

685 Westminster St. Providence, R.I. 02903 (401) 274-7400

14

2 12 2

Medical malpractice, motor vehicle accidents, personal injury, Social Security disabilities, workers' compensation

2020: 15

Robinson & Cole LLP | rc.com Roger A. Peters II, partner-in-charge, Providence office

1 Financial Plaza Providence, R.I. 02903 (401) 709-3300

14

8 2 4

Business transactions and finance, data privacy and cybersecurity, environmental, insurance coverage and real estate

16 2020: NL

Savage Law Partners LLP | savagelawpartners.com Jeremy B. Savage

564 South Water St. Providence, R.I. 02903 (401) 238-8500

13

9 3 1

Banking and finance, business and civil litigation, commercial lending, construction law, family law, land use and zoning, receiverships and business insolvency

2020: 15

Chace Ruttenberg & Freedman LLP | crfllp.com Carl Freedman and Richard Land, partners

1 Park Row, Suite 300 Providence, R.I. 02903 (401) 453-6400

13

11 2 0

Affordable housing, bankruptcy/insolvency, commercial real estate, elder, environmental, estate planning, litigation, health care.

18

Burns & Levinson LLP | burnslev.com Sean Coffey, partner-in-charge, Providence

1 Citizens Plaza, Suite 1100 Providence, R.I. 02903 (401) 831-8330

11

5 6 0

Business litigation, real estate, environmental, infrastructure and public-private partnerships, private client

2020: NL

19

Day Pitney LLP | Daypitney.com Renee Evangelista

1 Financial Plaza, Suite 2200 Providence, R.I. 02903 (401) 283-1234

9

3 4 2

Estate administration, planning and settlement, trusteeship

19 2020: 21

McLaughlinQuinn LLC | mclaughlinquinn.com Thomas Quinn

148 West River St. Providence, R.I. 02904 (401) 421-5115

9

3 3 3

Bankruptcy, business and corporate, estate planning, intellectual property, IRS/state tax resolution, tax planning, white-collar criminal defense

Salter McGowan Sylvia & Leonard Inc. | smsllaw.com Mark Sylvia, managing principal

56 Exchange Terrace, 5th Floor Providence, R.I. 02903 (401) 274-0300

9

3 2 4

Estate planning and administration; tax and business law planning; bankruptcy, receivership and insolvency law

2020: 18

19

Olenn & Penza LLP | olenn-penza.com Joseph Penza Jr.

530 Greenwich Ave. Warwick, R.I. 02886 (401) 737-3700

9

7 1 1

Admiralty/marine, insurance defense, labor and employment, municipal and business, professional liability

23

Blish & Cavanagh LLP | blishcavlaw.com Joseph Cavanagh Jr.

30 Exchange Terrace Providence, R.I. 02903 (401) 831-8900

8

6 2 0

Civil litigation, corporate and business law, personal injury, real estate and land development, trust and estates.

2020: NL

Sayer Regan & Thayer LLP | srt-law.com Mark Thayer, Peter Regan and Richard Sayer, partners

130 Bellevue Ave. Newport, R.I. 02840 (401) 849-3040

8

3 3 2

Administrative, admiralty/maritime, business law, commercial/civil litigation, elder and Medicaid, employment, estate planning, family, real estate

25

McIntyre Tate LLP | mtlesq.com Jerry McIntyre

50 Park Row West, Suite 109 Providence, R.I. 02903 (401) 351-7700

7

7 0 0

Family law, general litigation, personal injury, probate and estate planning

Barlow Josephs & Holmes Ltd. | barjos.com Stephen Holmes, managing partner; David Josephs, partner

40 Westminster St., 3rd Floor Providence, R.I. 02903 (401) 273-4446

4

3 1 0

Intellectual property enforcement and related litigation, U.S. and foreign patent/trademark prosecution

McInnes & McLane LLP | mcmcip.com John McInnes, partner and head of litigation; Jodi-Ann McLane, partner and head of intellectual property procurement

128 Dorrance St., Suite 220 Providence, R.I. 02903 (401) 223-5853

4

2 1 1

Copyrights, intellectual property, licensing agreements, patents, trademarks

Reavis Law LLC | reavis-law.com James Reavis

245 Waterman St., Suite 109 Providence, R.I. 02906 (401) 272-5520

2

1 0 1

Business and corporate law, debt and equity finance, intellectual property, mergers and acquisitions, real estate, receivership/insolvency

2021 rank

1 2020: 2 2

6

10

2020: 11

11

2020: 8

12

2020: 14

12

2020: 10

14

2020: NL

14

16

2020: NL

19

2020: 21

2020: 19

23

2020: 23

26

2020: 24

26 2020: 24 28

2020: 27

1 Also known as Hinckley Allen.

22 | AUGUST 20-SEPTEMBER 2, 2021 | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | www.pbn.com

Re-ranked by number of local partners:

1

Adler Pollock & Sheehan PC No. of local partners: 38

2

Hinckley Allen & Snyder LLP No. of local partners: 33

3

Pannone Lopes Devereaux & O’Gara LLC No. of local partners: 20

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NL = Not listed last year.

FOOTNOTE j Also known as Hinckley Allen.

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www.pbn.com | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | AUGUST 20-SEPTEMBER 2, 2021 | 23

FOCUS | TECHNOLOGY

Broadband buildout at standstill in most of R.I.

BY CASSIUS SHUMAN | Shuman@PBN.com

WHEN

Kristin Monje began working at the Block Island School 32 years ago, the most advanced technology in the building was an overhead projector.

Monje remembers having to run a telephone line across a room to connect to the internet through a dial-up system.

Now, with installation of a broadband network, the school provides laptop computers to students, giving them access to online instructional programs so they can do things they couldn’t do before.

“Having broadband in the school was as transformative as having actual internet,” said Monje, who has served as principal for nine years, while also sitting on the town of New Shoreham’s Broadband Committee.

Block Island received broadband for its anchor institutions in 2019 via optical fibers embedded in a 20-mile-long subsea cable that connects the Block Island Wind Farm to the electrical grid on the mainland.

But while New Shoreham has now moved on to expanding its town-owned broadband network to its residents,

similar efforts in mainland Rhode Island are dormant.

Officials say Rhode Island’s broadband aspirations were quashed in 2015 when federal funds to maintain a broadband office dried up. The state used a Broadband Technology Opportunities Program grant in 2010 to fund office personnel as a center of coordination at the R.I. Department of Administration.

Now there’s been a renewed push to get broadband on the state’s radar, particularly because the $1 trillion federal infrastructure bill passed by the U.S. Senate on Aug. 10 sets aside billions for extending broadband networks. It still needs House approval.

Broadband offers high-speed, highcapacity networks that are growing more vital as many aspects of daily life are being influenced by digital transformation, according to David Marble, CEO and president of OSHEAN Inc., a North Kingstown nonprofit advocating for the creation of a broadband network that’s affordable to the state’s residents and businesses.

“Technology continues its breakneck pace of innovation, which will drive

IN DISCUSSIONS: David Marble, left, CEO and president of OSHEAN Inc., a nonprofit whose objective is the creation of a broadband network in Rhode Island, talks with Mark Montalto, OSHEAN vice president of business development.

PBN PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

‘The speeds needed to reach the end user are increasing every day.’

DAVID MARBLE, OSHEAN Inc. CEO and president 24 | AUGUST 20-SEPTEMBER 2, 2021 | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | www.pbn.com

further development of the infrastructure of our networks,” Marble said.

“The speeds needed to reach the end user are increasing every day.”

Marble said the state lacks a coordinated effort to build a sustainable broadband network, and it may be a primary hurdle to receiving federal funding.

Marble said the state needs to reconstitute its broadband office to achieve the goal of installing a statewide network.

Marble said that in 2010 OSHEAN built the state’s community anchor institution broadband network utilizing $32 million of federal funding from the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program. As part of that project, fiber optic cables were connected to hospitals, public safety buildings, schools and libraries.

With that “middle mile” in place, the next step is to bring optic fibers to people’s homes and to businesses.

In the most recent General Assembly session, Rep. Deborah L. Ruggiero, D-Jamestown, chair of the House Innovation, Internet, and Technology Committee, sponsored legislation that would have created a broadband council and established a broadband coordinator within the R.I. Commerce Corp. The measure passed the House but died in the Senate.

Ruggiero was scheduled to meet with Gov. Daniel J. McKee this month to discuss the future of broadband.

Rhode Island is one of only two states that does not have a broadband coordinator or any governance around broadband technology, she said.

Meanwhile, Block Island moves ahead with broadband expansion.

When National Grid’s subsea cable landed on Block Island on June 24, 2016, it contained eight strands of fiber optic cables, the key to the island’s quest for much-needed broadband service. Block Island is well known by its residents and visitors for having spotty cellphone and internet service.

When National Grid was planning to install the subsea cable in 2016, the plan to include optical fibers for broadband communications appealed to New Shoreham officials. They only requested a $350,000 fee for the easement at the beach where it was installed.

In July 2020, the town voters authorized borrowing $8 million to fund the work to provide its citizens with broadband access. The town is constructing a publicly owned fiberto-the-home broadband network.

Amy Land, New Shoreham’s finance director, said lack of a coordinated statewide broadband effort has been a hurdle. The town has had to navigate on its own, relying on consultants, advisers and the town’s Broadband Committee.

The cable that provides broadband to Block Island was connected to OSHEAN’s “middle mile” network.

“Later this year, residents and businesses will officially subscribe for internet service,” Land said.

The town-run network will offer three levels of service: basic, moderate, or heavy, with the cost to subscribe ranging from $57.95 to $71.95 per month. n

FOCUS | CHIEF SECURITY OFFICERS (ranked by number of local IT staff) FOCUS | CHIEF SECURITY OFFICERS (ranked by number of local IT staff) 2021 rank

1

2020: 1

2 2020: NL 2

2020: 3

4

2020: 4

5

2020: NL

6 2020: 8 7

2020: 10

Company | Website Chief security officer

Address Phone

No. of local IT staff No. of local employees

CVS Health Corp. | cvshealth.com Claus Torp Jensen, chief technology officer

1 CVS Drive Woonsocket, R.I. 02895 (401) 765-1500

1,400 8,600

Retail Customer management, HR/accounting, marketing/sales, staff communications

Fidelity Investments Inc. | fidelity.com Craig Magaw

900 Salem St. Smithfield, R.I. 02917 (401) 292-5000

750 3,200

Financial services Customer management, HR/accounting, marketing/sales, staff communications

Citizens Financial Group Inc. | citizensbank.com Holly Ridgeway

1 Citizens Plaza Providence, R.I. 02903 (401) 456-7000

750 4,698

Banking Customer management, HR/accounting, marketing/sales, staff communications

Lifespan Corp. 1 | lifespan.org Anthony Siravo, chief information security officer

167 Point St. Providence, R.I. 02903 (401) 444-4000

316 13,184

Hospital and health care Customer management, marketing/sales, research/development, staff communications

Industry Primary uses of IT

Ocean State Job Lot | oceanstatejoblot.com Hisham Aharon, chief information officer; Robert McGrath, director, asset protection

375 Commerce Park Road North Kingstown, R.I. 02852 (401) 295-2672

78 3,894

Retail Customer management, HR/accounting, marketing, research/development, sales transactions and reporting, staff communications

University of Rhode Island | uri.edu Michael Khalfayan, associate director of information security

35 Campus Ave. South Kingstown, R.I. 02881 (401) 874-2116

73 2,765

Higher education Customer management, HR/accounting, marketing/sales, research/development, staff communications

Gilbane Buildling Co. | gilbaneco.com Christian Schleipfer, director of information security

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

68 3,240

Construction Customer management, HR/accounting, marketing/sales, staff communications

CLOSER LOOK

Total number of IT staff:

3,867 Re-ranked by number of local employees:

1

Lifespan Corp.

No. of local employees: 13,184

2

CVS Health Corp.

No. of local employees: 8,600

3

Citizens Financial Group Inc. No. of local employees: 4,698

LIST RESEARCHED BY James Bessette

8

2020: 9

9

2020: 11

10

2020: NL

11

Community College of Rhode Island | ccri.edu Kristen Albritton, vice president, finance and strategy, acting chief information officer

400 East Ave. Warwick, R.I. 02886 (401) 825-1000

63 754

Higher education Customer management, HR/accounting, marketing/sales, staff communications

CAI Software LLC 2 | caisoft.com Chris Kudla, vice president of engineering

36 Thurber Blvd.

Smithfield, R.I. 02917 (401) 232-2600

54 56

Server and network endpoint monitoring, cloud security solutions and information technology security awareness training

Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island | bcbsri.com Jon Fredrickson, chief risk officer

500 Exchange St. Providence, R.I. 02903 (401) 459-1000

50 750

Insurance Customer management, HR/accounting, marketing/sales, staff communications

2020: 13

Rhode Island College | ric.edu Jon Bartelson, assistant vice president/chief information officer, information services

600 Mount Pleasant Ave. Providence, R.I. 02908 (401) 456-8000

46 797

Higher education Customer management, HR/accounting, marketing/sales, research/development, staff communications

12 2020: 12

Bryant University | bryant.edu Andrew Binkiwitz, director of infrastructure services and security operationsabinkiwitz@bryant.edu401-232-6307

1150 Douglas Pike Smithfield, R.I. 02917 (401) 232-6000

45 803

Higher education Academic support, institutional support

Providence College | business.providence.edu Paul Fontaine, associate vice president for information technology and chief information officer; Donald Schattle II, chief information officer for security and data

1 Cunningham Square Providence, R.I. 02918 (401) 865-2294

42 942

Higher Education Customer management, HR/accounting, marketing/sales, research/development, staff communications

University of Massachusetts Dartmouth | umassd.edu Holger Dippel, chief information officer and associate vice chancellor for information technology

285 Old Westport Road Dartmouth, Mass. 02747 (508) 999-8000

38 1,000

Higher education Customer management, marketing/sales, staff communications, infrastructure, education

Salve Regina University | salve.edu Irving Bruckstein, associate vice president for information technology, chief information officer and chief information security officer

100 Ochre Point Ave. Newport, R.I. 02840 (401) 847-6650

36 560

Higher education Customer management, HR/accounting, marketing/sales, research/development, staff communications

16 2020: 17

Bally's Corp. | ballys.com Rob Weir

100 Twin River Road Lincoln, R.I. 02865 (401) 723-3200

23 2,000

Hospitality Accounting, customer management, human resources, infrastructure development, marketing, research, sales, staff communications

17 2020: 18

BankNewport | banknewport.com Michael Thomas, assistant vice president and information security officer

10 Washington Square Newport, R.I. 02840 (401) 846-3400

15 334

Banking Customer management, HR/accounting, marketing/sales, research/development, staff communications

2020: 19

New England Institute of Technology | neit.edu Jacques Laflamme, chief information officer

1 New England Tech Blvd.

East Greenwich, R.I. 02818 (401) 739-5000

12 245

Higher education Online courses, faculty/staff communications, student communications, registrar activities, class registration, admissions data, career services, student support services, HR/accounting, marketing

19 2020: NL

Navigant Credit Union | navigantcu.org Stephen Ormerod

1005 Douglas Pike Smithfield, R.I. 02917 (401) 233-4700

8 350

Banking Customer management, HR/accounting, marketing/sales, research/development, staff communications

13

2020: NL

14

2020: 15

15

2020: 16

18

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

UPCOMING LISTS Sept. 3: Foreign-owned Companies, International Tax Preparers; Sept. 17: Disaster Preparedness & Response Resources, MBA Programs, Property & Casualty Insurers.

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.

1 Rehabilitation centers within Lifespan Corp. include Rhode Island Hospital/Hasbro Children's Hospital Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech & Audiology; The www.pbn.com | isPROVIDENCE BUSINESS Miriam Hospital Rehabilitation Department; and Newport Hospital Vanderbilt Rehabilitation Center.

The data shown combined for all three centers. NEWS | AUGUST 2 Also known as Computer Associates.

FOOTNOTES j Lifespan Corp. includes Rhode Island Hospital/ Hasbro Children’s Hospital, The Miriam Hospital, Newport Hospital and Emma Pendleton Bradley Hospital.  Also known as Computer Associates.

20-SEPTEMBER 2, 2021 | 25

| FOCUS CYBERSECURITYCOMPANIES COMPANIES(ranked(ranked by number of full-time local employees) FOCUS | CYBERSECURITY by number of full-time local employees) 2021 rank

1

2020: 2

2

Company | Website CEO/President

Address Phone

No. of local FT employees Year founded

Rite-Solutions Inc. | rite-solutions.com Dennis McLaughlin

1 Corporate Place, 2nd Floor Middletown, R.I. 02842 (401) 847-3399

215 2000

CLOSER LOOK Cybersecurity services offered

Systemwide cybersecurity and information assurance services

765

2020: 1

Carousel Industries of North America Inc. 1 | carouselindustries.com Jeff Gardner, CEO

659 South County Trail Exeter, R.I. 02822 (800) 401-0760

211 1992

Incident response and business-continuity planning, security assessments, team augmentation

3 2020: 4

Vertikal6 | vertikal6.com Rick Norberg, CEO

30 Service Ave. Warwick, R.I. 02886 (401) 825-4400

54 2010

Backup and disaster recovery, cloud/Azure, event management, information technology compliance, IT vulnerability assessment, end-user training and testing, advanced endpoint protection

3 2020: 3 5

CAI Software LLC 2 | caisoft.com Brian Rigney, CEO

36 Thurber Blvd.

Smithfield, R.I. 02917 (401) 232-2600

SyNet Inc. | synetinc.com Stephen Beauvais, president

64 Dewey Ave. Warwick, R.I. 02886 (401) 736-6450

6 7

54 1978

Server and network endpoint monitoring, cloud security solutions, information technology security awareness training, acceptable use policy, firewalls, content filtering, email filtering

32 1987

Surveillance systems

NetCenergy | netcenergy.com Donald R. Nokes, president

1125 Pontiac Ave. Cranston, R.I. 02920 (401) 921-3100

26 2003

Fully managed information technology systems security solutions, which meet or exceed National Institute of Standards and Technology recommendations and comply with industry-compliance standards

IT Support RI | itsupportri.com Nick Bernfeld and Paul Riendeau, CEOs

70 Woodland Road North Smithfield, R.I. 02896 (401) 522-5200

25 2002

Cybersecurity training, encrypted emails, encrypted local and off-site backups, encrypted virtual private networks, security firewalls

7

Ananke IT Solutions | ananke.com John Conway

20 Main St. East Greenwich, R.I. 02818 (401) 331-2780

25 1994

Information technology services company providing professional, managed, cybersecurity and disasterresponse services

2020: 11

9

Freedom Tech Solutions | ftssupport.com George Jemery

920 Hartford Ave. Johnston, R.I. 02919 (800) 940-0040

22 2001

Security inspections, including antivirus and malware, breach policies and procedures, patches and updates, server hardening

10 2020: 14

Technology Advisory Group | techadvisory.com Gary Harlam, owner

250 Centerville Road Warwick, R.I. 02886 (401) 228-6400

21 1996

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and U.S. Department of Defense-oriented compliance solutions for businesscomputer networks

11 2020: 15

Compass IT Compliance LLC | compassitc.com Jerry Hughes, managing partner, owner and senior vice president of operations; William DePalma, managing partner, owner and senior vice president of sales

2 Asylum Road North Providence, R.I. 02904 (401) 353-3024

20 2010

Information technology security, compliance, and risk management services

Secured Network Services | sns.com Brad Mirza, executive vice president and Rhode Island office manager

135 Atwood Ave. Cranston, R.I. 02920 (401) 473-3100

18 2002

Vulnerability scanning, awareness training, 24/7 monitoring, multifactor authentication and other organizationwide improvements

Logicomm Inc. | logicomm-inc.com Jim Van, partner; Peter Petrovich, director of security

111 Irving Ave. Providence, R.I. 02906 (401) 369-8730

13 1997

Architecture, cloud, endpoint, firewall, network

14

NeQter Labs LLC | neqterlabs.com Richard Astle, co-founder and CEO

163 Exchange St. Pawtucket, R.I. 02860 (401) 608-6522

10 2018

Cybersecurity compliance software, security information and event management, vulnerability scanning, network monitoring, alerting

2020: 17

15

East Coast Technology Group | ectne.com Steven J. Gietz, founder and president

1300 Highland Corporate Drive Cumberland, R.I. 02864 401-464-9005

8 2002

Personalized business managed information technology services, cybersecurity preventive, penetration reporting with 24/7 monitoring, firewall installation and computer support services

16 2020: NL

PacketLogix Inc. | packetlogix.com Terrence Boylan, CEO

16 Cutler St., Suite 1 Warren, R.I. 02885 (401) 216-6425

7 2002

Network security, cloud security, PC and Mac security, server security, mobile security, cybersecurity training, penetration testing, social engineering testing, encryption, security policies and procedures, and cybersecurity consulting

Provdotnet LLC | prov.net Ron Sacks, CEO and managing partner

935 Westminster St. Providence, R.I. 02903 (401) 441-5213

4 2003

Integrated information technology design and deployment, disaster recovery, hybrid cloud

2020: 7

2020: 6

2020: 13

2020: 8

12

2020: NL

13

2020: 17

2020: 16

17

2020: 20

Number of local full-time employees:

1 Carousel Industries of North America Inc. was acquired by NWN Corp. of Waltham, Mass., on May 7.

2 Also known as Computer Associates.

26 | AUGUST 20-SEPTEMBER 2, 2021 | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | www.pbn.com

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 Sept. 3: Foreign-owned Companies, International Tax Preparers; Sept. 17: Disaster Preparedness & Response Resources, MBA Programs, Property & Casualty Insurers.

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.

FOOTNOTES j Carousel Industries of North America Inc. was acquired by NWN Corp. of Waltham, Mass., on May 7.  Also known as Computer Associates.

vi rT u a l s u m m i T s ave T h e d aT e

OCT. 7 9

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PBN

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Pa rTN er sPONsOr

680.4800 O r a dve rT i s i N g@P B N.CO m

www.pbn.com | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | AUGUST 20-SEPTEMBER 2, 2021 | 27

FOCUS | TECHNOLOGY

URI researchers are brains behind ‘smart bandage’

BY MARC LAROCQUE | Larocque@PBN.com

IMAGINE A FUTURE WITH A BANDAGE that could sense whether an infection was developing and could tell the patient or caregiver to get the wound checked by a medical professional.

Well, that future has arrived in the form of the “smart bandage,” a new technology created by a University of Rhode Island chemical engineering professor and a former graduate student.

The technology is designed to work with a wearable smartphone-like device to monitor infection levels in a wound covered by the smart bandage, detecting concentrations of hydrogen peroxide to trigger electronic alerts. Creators of the smart bandage said it can diagnose an infection at an early stage, potentially saving patients with chronic wounds from drastic measures.

It would also reduce the need for continuous checking and redressing of wounds, thereby necessitating fewer antibiotics and disruptions to healing.

“These patients can develop chronic wounds that can get infected and get sepsis and create a whole host of horrible ­problems,” said URI assistant professor Daniel Roxbury.

The invention needs further development so it can be commercialized, potentially by incorporating it into a manufacturer’s existing wound care products, said Roxbury, who created the smart bandage over two years, alongside former URI graduate

student Mohammad Moein Safaee.

“From the commercialization aspect, I’ve been talking with materials companies and pharmaceutical companies that could be interested in this particular platform,” said Roxbury, who runs the NanoBio Engineering Laboratory at URI. Initially, the intended customers will not be people walking into a pharmacy to buy one. When the product first rolls out, Roxbury estimated the system would cost a few thousand dollars, and they would be marketed to health care facilities. The price is primarily to cover costs for the small computer that wirelessly detects signals from the bandage, which are made by embedding single-walled carbon nanotubes in the bandage fibers, Roxbury said. The nanotube-embedded bandages themselves cost around 50 cents each to produce, he said.

“Our target for customers is going to be nursing homes … hospitals and other settings with a lot of patients who are bedridden, who could be developing pressure ulcers, basically from not moving,” Roxbury said. “You can imagine a hospital buying a few. The initial investment of buying the detector, I think, could put this out of reach

THE HEALING TOUCH: University of Rhode Island assistant professor Daniel Roxbury, left, and former URI graduate student Mohammad Moein Safaee display the “smart bandage” they spent two years developing.

COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND

‘We utilized cutting-edge microscopes to study the ... materials.’

MOHAMMAD MOEIN SAFAEE, Former University of Rhode Island graduate student 28 | AUGUST 20-SEPTEMBER 2, 2021 | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | www.pbn.com

for normal people for at-home use.

But again, if we can scale up and mass produce the detector, we can bring that cost way down as well.”

After publishing papers about the science behind the smart bandage in January and filing for intellectual property protection, the researchers moved to verification of functionality, testing if the bandages would function properly in a petri dish with live cultured cells that would be found in wounds, Roxbury said. That was successful at showing the technology could detect the presence of hydrogen peroxide generated by the wound tissue, Roxbury said.

Now the project is moving to “in vivo testing,” in partnership with Brown University, Roxbury said.

That’s where the technology will soon be tested on mice.

The project began two years ago in an attempt to solve the dilemma of encapsulating single-walled carbon nanotubes within microfibers without any leaching of materials, while keeping the nanotubes sensitive to hydrogen peroxide levels. Roxbury and URI credited Safaee, who has since joined a postdoctoral program at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, for taking a lead effort in making the smart bandage a reality.

“We utilized cutting-edge microscopes to study the structure of the materials that we produced,” Safaee said. “I also utilized a homebuilt, near-infrared spectrometer to optimize the optical features of the textiles.”

Roxbury called it a “challenging engineering problem.”

“When trying to optimize the placement of the nanosensors into the fibers, it really comes down to a number of factors, after identifying the different variables we can tune in our setup,” Roxbury said. “There’s a little bit of luck there, in terms of finding the right combination. Once we had that, we immediately filed the IP protection.”

The challenge with using nanotubes has been immobilizing them in a biocompatible manner such that they stay sensitive to their surroundings, according to Roxbury.

“The microfibers that encapsulate the carbon nanotubes in the smart bandage accomplish both of these tasks,” Roxbury said. “The nanotubes do not leach from the material, yet they stay sensitive to hydrogen peroxide within the wounds.”

The project is focusing on optimizing bandages for large, open wounds.

“There’s a big need there, basically, to know whether you have an infection without having to take off the huge bandage,” Roxbury said. “If you know in real time without really disturbing the patient too much, it’d be a lot better, giving you a readout without requiring a nurse to take off a bandage.”

While trying to commercialize the product, Roxbury said his lab is simultaneously working to maximize its functionality.

“Our top concerns are size and cost and user-friendly interface,” Roxbury said. “We’re optimizing the detection range and increasing the stability of the bandage.” n

a guide to

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WHO’S HELPING recruit tomorrow’s MANUFACTURING, CONSTRUCTION AND DESIGN workforce in Rhode Island?

WE ARE.

With compelling stories and profiles of area companies, A Guide to Stuff, designed, made and built in Rhode Island, showcases the cool stuff made right here in our state, and the job opportunities associated with them.

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ABOUT US

COMPANY INFO American Labor Services Massachusetts Locations 71 Main Street Suite 1100 Taunton, MA 02718 1528 Pleasant Street Fall River, MA 02723

BECOMING A DESIGNER

Rhode Island Location 515 Smith Street Providence, RI 02908

Alaina Mahoney of Providence-based A.M. Design & Fabrication LLC pg. 21

Debra Bedrosian THE STORY: Bill Prichett, while

WHAT’S MADE HERE?

WHO MAKES IT? CAN I WORK THERE? MADE IN RHODE ISLAND pages 26-36

BOND Building Construction Inc.

Rhode Island Spirits

Cooley Group vice president, human resources and social responsibility

› Lumetta’s Lumenate and TransLumenate material installed in its light fixtures is made with antimicrobial protection to prevent various growths that could potentially cause illnesses and infections.

› During the COVID-19 pandemic, the company has seen a notable increase in orders with Lumenate because of the antimicrobial properties.

844.967.5257

COVID-PROOF

2. What challenges have you had to overcome to accommodate the interviewing and hiring process? Cooley has focused its hiring process on video interviews with potential candidates. The team has selectively conducted nonexempt interviews outdoors with the interviewer and interviewee wearing appropriate face masks and maintaining the required physical distancing.

3. Has the pandemic forced you to create new positions internally? How have you handled ongoing pandemic challenges with existing staff? Because Cooley has always placed a priority on employee health and safety, the company’s practices under COVID-19 only needed to be modified to include social distancing and mask wearing, which the employees readily accepted. Employees have also stepped up their work-area cleaning protocols to include regular disinfection. These modifications were implemented using existing staff.

› Mattress encasements cost between $50 and $70, depending on size. › CleanRest products are designed with a patented MicronOne waterproof polyester fabric, which is 100% waterproof and more breathable than other such fabrics on the market. › More than 500,000 CleanRest products are made annually.

10 A Guide to

› Hotels and other multibed facilities, such as senior-living facilities and dormitories, use CleanRest products.

401.223.6849 facebook.com/ AmericanLaborS/ linkedin.com/company/ american-labor-services/

PBN PHOTO/ELIZABETH GRAHAM

1. As an essential business, what impact has the pandemic had on your regular hiring practices? Cooley’s hiring practices have not changed. Cooley has remained fully operational during the pandemic, with all our employees healthy and safe. Three employees have tested positive for COVID-19 but [were] asymptomatic.

› Among the products CleanRest protects are mattresses, box springs, and pillows from spoilage, spills, allergens, bed bugs and regular wear and tear.

THE STORY: Being free of allergies and other toxins is key to having a good night’s sleep. Clean Brands LLC, based in Warwick, designs and makes beddingprotection fabric, such as the MicronOne and Zip-N-Click closures to keep people free from allergens, as well as from stains and wetness.

americanlaborservices.com

Technical textile and geomembrane manufacturer Cooley Group has worked throughout the pandemic, including adding gowns to its portfolio of medical products. Debra Bedrosian, the Pawtucketbased manufacturer’s vice president, human resources and social responsibility, says hiring has continued too, and that operationalline workers remain in demand throughout the industry.

› Lumenate and TransLumenate are offered in more than 100 colors, and the company allows customers to also create and design their own patterns.

Production on the material has not halted during the pandemic.

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simultaneously doing architectural projects, had also painted and made sculptures for close to 20 years. It was combining those two passions that laid the groundwork for a brighter future when in 1992 he founded Lumetta.

Since then, the Warwick-based manufacturer has produced many decorative commercial luminaires with various materials, including with antimicrobial protection technology.

President & CEO: Benjamin Kaplan

4. What lessons have you learned during the pandemic that will strengthen you as a company? Cooley’s expansion of its collaborative culture, including the implementation of videoconferencing during the pandemic, will continue to benefit the company. Also, during the pandemic, the company began publishing an internal newsletter to keep employees up to date on the latest company developments. The newsletter will continue post-pandemic.

Employees: 11 Founded: 1990

American Labor has 30+ years of combined experience in the employee staffing industry. We provide temporary staffing solutions to employers throughout Rhode Island and Massachusetts, from small local businesses to some of the largest companies in America.

Our industry reputation is based on the ability to consistently meet the needs of employers by providing qualified employees on a timely basis. We provide trusted and customized staffing solutions for our clients including: temporary employment, temporary-to-permanent employment, and permanent employee solutions.

We maintain an extensive pool of qualified and motivated individuals to provide top-notch employee support on demand.

STAFFING SOLUTIONS FOR EMPLOYERS OF EVERY SIZE American Labor specializes in providing quality staffing for companies involved in light manufacturing and industrial warehouse operations. Our industry-specific expertise, along with an understanding of business and operational complexities, enables us to efficiently evaluate and effectively fulfill a company’s needs. Whether your company is a small, medium, or large business, we have a diversely skilled workforce on hand to support your business goals. We take pride in our excellent reputation for dependability, professionalism, and outstanding customer service.

Having serviced clients for two decades in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, we have wideranging industry knowledge and the infrastructure necessary to fulfill the needs of your company. Our staff is able to speak English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Creole, allowing our recruiters to work with a diversity of prospective employees. Our screening process includes background checks, E-Verify and drug testing.

AMERICAN LABOR CAREER OPPORTUNITIES American Labor is always looking for experienced recruiters to help connect qualified job seekers with quality employment opportunities. Workforce development is key to getting our economy back on track, and our team is committed to doing our part. Recruiters work closely with some of the largest companies in the region and are dedicated to ensuring that all client needs are met and that the employee is satisfied in their career choice. American Labor has placed thousands of employees throughout Massachusetts and Rhode Island, and that would not be possible without the hard work and knowledge of our extensive recruiting team.

5. What impact do you think the pandemic will have on the industry as a whole, particularly from a hiring perspective?

Regardless of the pandemic, the U.S. continues to face a shortage of willing and able operational-line workers in the manufacturing sector.

6. What should company human resources departments be doing now in order to be best prepared for life after the pandemic? Cooley looks to ensure that the structured health and safety practices embedded in the company’s culture will be maintained post-pandemic, along with the ongoing open communication and dialogue across the entire workforce.

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS The staff of American Labor Services enjoys an extensive benefit package, including: competitive pay, health insurance, supplemental insurance and vacation time.

John A. Lahtinen is a PBN contributing writer.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

designed, made and built in Rhode Island  2020

Support of the local communities in which we serve has always been of the utmost importance to American Labor Services. Whether hosting a coat drive or supporting families of our employees during the holidays, we strive to assist our friends and neighbors however we can.

COVID-BORN In April, the MicronOne waterproof fabric passed the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Level 4 standard for virus protection. The fabric is made to block all virus and bacteria down to 32 nanometers in size, and the list includes COVID-19.

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| FOCUS RHODEISLAND ISLANDCIOS CIOS(ranked(ranked by number of local IT staff) FOCUS | RHODE by number of local IT staff) CLOSER LOOK

Company | Website Chief information officer

Address Phone

No. of local IT workers 1 No. of local employees

2020: 1

CVS Health Corp. | cvshealth.com Roshan Navagamuwa, executive vice president, chief information officer

1 CVS Drive Woonsocket, R.I. 02895 (401) 765-1500

1,400 8,600

Customer management, HR/accounting, marketing/sales, staff communications

Retail

2

Citizens Financial Group Inc. | citizensbank.com Holly Ridgeway

1 Citizens Plaza Providence, R.I. 02903 (401) 456-7000

750 4,698

Customer management, HR/accounting, marketing/sales, staff communications

Banking

2020: NL

Fidelity Investments Inc. | fidelity.com Roger Stiles, head of technology and global services

900 Salem St. Smithfield, R.I. 02917 (401) 292-5000

750 3,200

Customer management, HR/accounting, marketing/sales, staff communications

Financial Services

4 2020: NL

FM Global | fmglobal.com Srini Krishnamurthy, senior vice president, chief strategy and information officer

270 Central Ave. Johnston, R.I. 02919 (401) 275-3000

487 1,331

Customer management, HR/accounting, marketing/sales, research/development, staff communications

Insurance

2020: 2

Lifespan Corp. 2 | lifespan.org Dr. Cedric Priebe and Carole M. Cotter, senior vice presidents and chief information officers

167 Point St. Providence, R.I. 02903 (401) 444-4000

316 13,184

Customer management, marketing/sales, research/development, staff communications

Hospital and health care

6 2020: NL

Rhode Island | ri.gov Bijay Kumar, chief information officer and chief digital officer

1 Capitol Hill Providence, R.I. 02908 (401) 222-2280

197 13,695

Staff communications

Government

7 2020: NL

Ocean State Job Lot | oceanstatejoblot.com Hisham Aharon

375 Commerce Park Road North Kingstown, R.I. 02852 (401) 295-2672

78 1,379

Customer management, HR/accounting, marketing, research/development, sales transactions and reporting, staff communications

Retail

University of Rhode Island | uri.edu Karlis Kaugars

35 Campus Ave. South Kingstown, R.I. 02881 (401) 874-2116

73 2,675

Customer management, HR/accounting, marketing/sales, research/development, staff communications

Higher education

Gilbane Buildling Co. | gilbaneco.com Jason L. Pelkey, senior vice president and chief information officer

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

68 423

Customer management, HR/accounting, marketing/sales, staff communications

Construction

LIST RESEARCHED BY James Bessette

Community College of Rhode Island | ccri.edu Kristen Albritton, vice president, finance and strategy, acting chief information officer

400 East Ave. Warwick, R.I. 02886 (401) 825-1000

63 754

Customer management, HR/accounting, marketing/sales, staff communications

Higher education

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

CAI Software LLC 3 | caisoft.com Christopher Kudla, vice president, engineering

36 Thurber Blvd.

Smithfield, R.I. 02917 (401) 232-2600

54 56

Enterprise resource planning, cloud computing solutions, order entry and management, and inventory control

Computer software

12 2020: 12

Custom Computer Specialists Inc. | customonline.com Suzanne McLaughlin, vice president and general manager

6 Blackstone Valley Place Lincoln, R.I. 02865 (401) 775-1163

50 50

Customer management, HR/accounting, marketing/sales, research/development, staff communications

Information technology and services

12 2020: 14

Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island | bcbsri.com David Comella, vice president and chief information officer

500 Exchange St. Providence, R.I. 02903 (401) 459-1000

50 778

Customer management, HR/accounting, marketing/sales, staff communications

Insurance

2020: NL

Rhode Island College | ric.edu Jon Bartelson, assistant vice president/chief information officer, information services

600 Mount Pleasant Ave. Providence, R.I. 02908 (401) 456-8000

46 1,118

Customer management, HR/accounting, marketing/sales, research/development, staff communications

Higher education

14 2020: NL

Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island | nhpri.org Ronald Pearsall

910 Douglas Pike Smithfield, R.I. 02917 (401) 459-6000

46 594

Customer management, human resources, accounting, marketing, sales, communications

Hospital and health care

Bryant University | bryant.edu Chuck LoCurto, vice president for information Services and chief information officer

1150 Douglas Pike Smithfield, R.I. 02917 (401) 232-6000

45 803

Academic support, institutional support

Higher education

17 2020: NL

Providence College | providence.edu Paul V. Fontaine, associate vice president for information technology and chief information officer

1 Cunningham Square Providence, R.I. 02918 (401) 865-2294

42 942

Customer management, HR/accounting, marketing/sales, research/development, staff communications

Higher education

18 2020: NL

Salve Regina University | salve.edu Irving Bruckstein, associate vice president for information technology, chief information officer and chief information security officer

100 Ochre Point Ave. Newport, R.I. 02840 (401) 847-6650

36 560

Customer management, HR/accounting, marketing/sales, research/development, staff communications

Higher education

19 2020: NL

Amgen Inc. | amgen.com Virmarie Zengotita, director of information systems

40 Technology Way West Greenwich, R.I. 02817 (401) 392-1200

26 903

HR/accounting, staff communications

Consumer goods and nonelectronics manufacturing

2020: 15

NetCenergy | netcenergy.com Peter M. Nelson, vice president of engineering

1125 Pontiac Ave. Cranston, R.I. 02920 (401) 921-3100

26 30

Fully managed information technology systems security solutions, which meet or exceed National Institute of Standards and Technology recommendations

Information technology and services

21 2020: 16

Bally's Corp. | ballys.com Rob Weir

100 Twin River Road Lincoln, R.I. 02865 (401) 723-3200

23 2,000

Accounting, customer management, human resources, infrastructure development, marketing, research, sales, staff communications

Hospitality

2020: NL

22

Automated Business Solutions Inc. | absne.com John Bergantino, chief financial officer

415 Kilvert St. Warwick, R.I. 02886 (401) 732-3000

20 85

HR/accounting, staff communications

Facility services

2020: 21

23

Logicomm Inc. | logicomm-inc.com Jim Van, managing partner

111 Irving Ave. Providence, R.I. 02906 (401) 369-8730

13 13

Architecture, cloud, endpoint, firewall, network

Information technology and services

24 2020: 18

New England Institute of Technology | neit.edu Jacques Laflamme

1 New England Tech Blvd.

East Greenwich, R.I. 02818 (401) 739-5000

12 245

Online courses, faculty/staff communications, student communications, registrar activities and class registration

Higher education

25 2020: 19

Hope Global | hopeglobal.com Lee Cappola

50 Martin St. Cumberland, R.I. 02864 (401) 753-7800

4 185

Customer management, HR/ accounting, marketing/sales, staff communications

Consumer goods and nonelectronics manufacturing

2021 rank

1

2020: NL

2

5

8

2020: 5

9

2020: 7

10

2020: 6

11

2020: 8

14

16

2020: 10

19

Primary uses of IT

Industry

1 IT workers are those persons engaged primarily in the conception, design, development, adaptation, implementation, deployment, training, support, documentation and management of information technology systems, components or applications.

2 Rehabilitation centers within Lifespan Corp. include Rhode Island Hospital/Hasbro Children's Hospital Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech & Audiology; The Miriam Hospital Rehabilitation Department; and Newport Hospital Vanderbilt Rehabilitation Center. The data shown is combined for all three centers.

3 Also known as Computer Associates.

30 | AUGUST 20-SEPTEMBER 2, 2021 | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | www.pbn.com

Re-ranked by number of local employees:

1

Rhode Island No. of local employees: 13,695

2

Lifespan Corp.

No. of local employees: 13,184

3

CVS Health Corp.

No. of local employees: 8,600

UPCOMING LISTS Sept. 3: Foreign-owned Companies, International Tax Preparers; Sept. 17: Disaster Preparedness & Response Resources, MBA Programs, Property & Casualty Insurers.

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.

FOOTNOTES j IT workers are those persons engaged primarily in the conception, design, development, adaptation, implementation, deployment, training, support, documentation and management of information technology systems, components or applications.  Lifespan Corp. includes Rhode Island Hospital/ Hasbro Children’s Hospital, The Miriam Hospital, Newport Hospital and Emma Pendleton Bradley Hospital.  Also known as Computer Associates.

C ALLING ALL NON-PROFITS IN RHODE ISL AND Don’t miss out on the chance to have over 24,000 readers learn more about your mission.

2021 REGIONAL PHILANTHROPIC OPPORTUNITIES

Reach our region’s most influential business and philanthropic leaders. Share your message with key placement in the 2021 edition.

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

In addition to the lasting value of the printed guide, additional distribution includes a digital edition on PBN.com for the year, and distribution of 500 copies to all attendees of the AFP-RI National Philanthropy Day Awards Ceremony in November.

MISSION MISSIONSTATEMENT STATEMENT

United Way of Rhode Island: 50 Valley Street Providence, RI 02909 401-444-0600 ❤❤ uwri.org

United United Way Way Rhode Rhode Island Island

GOALS GOALS Root causes. United solutions.

We have specific, measurable goals in four focus areas. Examples include: Economic security: Double the number of Rhode Island cities and towns that are meeting the 10% affordable housing threshold (with a specific focus on core cities).

Cortney Nicolato President and CEO

VISIT PBN.COM/GIVING-GUIDE-3/ TO VIEW THE 2020 EDITION

Childhood learning: Double fourthgrade reading proficiency of Rhode Island’s Black and Latinx children.

Philanthropy: Increase by 50% (from 2.2 to 3.3%) the portion of Rhode Island households that contribute to charities.

NUMBER NUMBER OF OF EMPLOYEES: EMPLOYEES: 78 78

ANNUAL ANNUAL REVENUE: REVENUE: $19,451,906 $19,451,906 YEAR YEAR ESTABLISHED: ESTABLISHED: 1926 1926

Advocacy: Increase by 50% the number of policies implemented that address equity and social justice.

TOP TOP FUNDING FUNDING SOURCES SOURCES Public Public support support 85% 85% Grant Grant income income 6% 6% Investment Investment and and other other income income 4% 4%

United UnitedWay’s Way’s211 211isisthe thego-to go-tohelpline helpline for forRhode RhodeIslanders Islandersseeking seekingsocial socialsupports, supports, handling handlingnearly nearly200,000 200,000calls callsfor forhelp helpeach eachyear. year.

We Wetackle tacklepoverty povertydirectly directlythrough throughpolicy policy research researchand andadvocacy advocacyand andindirectly indirectlythrough through grants grantsto toorganizations organizationsthroughout throughoutthe thestate. state.

For Forexample, example,to tofight fightthe thehousing housingcrisis, crisis,we we invested invested$600,000 $600,000resulting resultingin inthe thepassage passageof of $125 $125million millionin inbonds bondsand andattracted attractedmore morethan than $650 $650million millionin inprivate privateand andgovernment government funding fundingfor for3,200 3,200units unitsof ofsafe safeand andaffordable affordable housing housingin in34 34Rhode RhodeIsland Islandcommunities. communities.

We Wehave havealso alsoinvested invested$4 $4million millionaayear yearin in programs programsthat thatare arebacked backedby byresearch, research,data, data,and and results. results.We Wehave haveimproved improvedchildcare, childcare,expanded expanded learning learningfor forschool-age school-agechildren, children,and andprovided provided access accessto tolife-changing life-changingworkforce workforcedevelopment development programs programsthat thatput putpeople peopleto towork workin inbetter betterjobs. jobs.

MISSION STATEMENT

RHODE ISLAND’S

FUTUR E BOARD OF DIRECTORS Ronald Arigo Amanda Bailey

30 Exchange Terrace Providence, RI 02903 401-680-5960 ❤ skillsforri.com

ABOUT SKILLS FOR RHODE ISLAND’S FUTURE (SKILLSRI)

The mission of Skills for Rhode Island’s Future (SkillsRI) is to create demand-driven solutions for employers to get the unemployed and underemployed back to work.

Through various workforce development initiatives, we strive to meet our vision of transforming lives through meaningful employment and economic mobility.

Timothy Byrne

Skills for Rhode Island’s Future (SkillsRI) is a nonprofit

Cindy Erickson

organization that breaks down barriers to economic opportunity by connecting unemployed and

Jenifer Giroux

underemployed Rhode Islanders to jobs with socially responsible, civic-minded employers.

Susan Hannon David Himsey Jeffrey Lackey Rajani Mahadevan Amy T.M. Oakley

A statewide, demand-driven workforce intermediary, SkillsRI works to close the workforce skills gap in RI, drive business growth, and move unemployed/underemployed Rhode Islanders into open to the state’s economic vitality through the provision of workforce services that meet the demands of local employers, fostering talent development and helping Rhode Islanders achieve upward mobility.

Marie Trzupek Lynch

BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS TO ECONOMIC MOBILITY

Patricia A. Thompson Vera Tyagi Laurie White Jason Witham

At Skills for Rhode Island’s Future, we break down barriers to economic opportunity by connecting unemployed and underemployed Rhode Islanders to jobs with socially responsible, civic-minded employers. SkillsRI recruiters work one-on-one with each candidate to assess their skills, resume and career goals. Candidates are paired with a dedicated member of the recruitment team from initial phone call all the way through to a job offer with one of our more than 100 employer partners.

SkillsRI also provides recruitment and placement services for multiple Real Jobs RI initiatives, a

INDUSTRIES SKILLSRI SUPPORT

Advocate Our Advocacy 101 empowerment program and others inspire Rhode Islanders to vote, run for office, and advocate for the platforms they are most passionate about.

Donate Help us make Rhode Island a place where every individual in each community has equal opportunity for justice and prosperity by donating to support our work.

the hiring needs of local employers.

And to further foster a pipeline of talent, SkillsRI provides career enhancement services and offers

• Customer Service/Call Center

experiences, build both soft and technical skills, and develop a professional network. SkillsRI services

high school and college internship programs designed to expose individuals to real-world work are offered at no cost to eligible Rhode Island residents.

• Food Service & Hospitality

SUPPORTING SKILLSRI

• Information Technology

SkillsRI services are offered to job candidates and hiring partners at no cost. We rely on donations

• Healthcare

from our amazing supporters and sponsors and are grateful for the generous support of our public

• Human Services

and private donors. If you would like to support our non-profit organization, you have two options:

• Maintenance/Custodial • Manufacturing • Retail • Sales • Transportation

Join Deepen your involvement with our mission by joining one of our leadership giving groups.

Transforming lives through meaningful employment and economic mobility

Volunteer Volunteer for organizations throughout the state via our Volunteer Center of Rhode Island.

Help raise $1 million for R.I. nonprofits in 1 day.

United Way of Rhode Island hosts 401Gives, a statewide day of giving on April 1, 2021.The 24-hour long, online fundraising campaign is designed to bring a collective voice to the nonprofit community and deepen the state’s culture of giving. Now, every Rhode Islander can make a difference with just one click.

20 || | OCTOBER 2020 || | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS■■■GIVING GIVING GIVINGGuide Guide Guide2020 2020 2020|| | www.pbn.com

www.pbn.com ||| GIVING GIVING GIVINGGuide Guide Guide2020 2020 2020 ■■■ PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS ||| OCTOBER 2020

“The SkillsRI staff guided me through every step of the process, and they truly cared about seeing me succeed. With the help of the SkillsRI team, I’m now on a path to a better future in the career path of my dreams, and I get to make a difference in my home state.”

Marie Ghazal CEO

PUBLISH DATE:

Honeywell

“The recruiters were very hands-on throughout the process. They helped me find a role that made sense for me, prepared me for the interview and kept me notified throughout the process. Since then, my life has completely changed.”

October 29, 2021

Cheri W.

Dana L. Goetz Composites

30 Exchange Terrace

“I’ve been working here for a month, and I love what I do. I wake up every morning with a positive outlook and with hope for a brighter future. SkillsRI gave me that hope, and I’m thankful to be able to do something that I know will make my son proud.”

Donate Online

MATERIALS DUE:

AAA Northeast

“If you’re hesitant about contacting SkillsRI, my suggestion is to start by calling them and asking questions about your concerns.

They aren’t pushy, and they aren’t selling you anything. Their focus is on turning your hopes and dreams into a reality.”

William Fitzgerald Board President

SKILLS FOR

FUTUR E www.SkillsforRI.com

GOALS PROVIDE CARE FOR RHODE ISLANDERS HARDEST HIT BY COVID-19. You can help us provide ||| 21vital care to uninsured, low-income adults. People of color in urban communities are on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. They are suffering disproportionately and need healthcare. You can provide COVID-19 Tests and follow-up care with a donation. Primary care, specialist services, labs and tests, medicine, dental, and behavioral health are essential during this unprecedented time.

IF YOU ARE A HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL, WE NEED YOU TO VOLUNTEER NOW. You can make a difference today!

YEAR ESTABLISHED The Clinic was established in 1999 by former First Lady Stephanie Chafee. The Clinic celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2019.

This is a critical moment in time for the Clinic. We are operating a COVID-19 Test Site to make sure no one has to worry about how to pay for a test. The people we serve and our volunteers who serve them are on the front lines of this crisis. They need your help now more than ever before!

We canceled our annual Founders’ Event Fundraiser, and demand for care is increasing every day.

DONATING RIGHT NOW WILL ALLOW MORE PATIENTS TO GET THE CARE THEY NEED!

OPPORTUNITIES VOLUNTEER: Our award-winning Clinic provides cost effective health care to Rhode Island adults who need it most. We seek volunteer medical and dental professionals. We need Spanish Interpreters to help provide care to Spanish speaking patients. Each year our 700+ volunteers coordinate 11,000+ patient visits including medicines, and now, COVID-19 Tests and follow-up. We screen our patients for COVID-19. If you volunteer, your safety is our priority. COVID-19 has increased demand for care, and we need your help now. For more information to volunteer, contact Sophie Silvia at ssilvia@rifreeclinic.org or 401.274.6347 x203.

GIVE: We leverage every $1 donated into $6 of donated medicine and services. Our cost to deliver comprehensive health care to vulnerable Rhode Islanders is just $500 per person per year, far less than the national estimated average of $11,000. Make your donation go further by visiting our website or contacting Sam Lawrence at slawrence@rifreeclinic.org or 401.274.6347 ext. 329.

BOARD William Fitzgerald, Board President | Carrie Bridges Féliz, MPH, Vice President | Jeffrey Chase-Lubitz, Esq., Secretary | Domenic Delmonico, Treasurer | Caroline Troise, MD, Medical Director | Mark Gim, President Emeritus

October 1, 2021

RHODE ISLAND’S

401.680.5960

ANNUAL REVENUE The Clinic raises 100% of its $1.3 million operating budget from donations. Our patients receive care at no cost. With this $1.3 million, the Clinic leverages over $6 million more in donations of goods and services each year.

TOP FUNDING SOURCES 32% Individuals 28% Corporations 40% Grants

info@SkillsforRI.com

The Rhode Island Free Clinic’s mission is to provide free, comprehensive medical care and preventive health services to adults who have no health insurance and cannot afford those services; and to serve as an educational training site for aspiring health care professionals.

FUNDRAISING / EVENTS

NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES 13 FTE 5 AmeriCorps VISTAs

Joshua B.

Donate by Mail

http://www.skillsforri.com/donate

655 Broad Street ❤ Providence, RI 02907 401.274.6347 ❤ rifreeclinic.org

powered poweredby byUnited UnitedWay Wayof ofRhode RhodeIsland Island

Accelerated CNA Training Program

Skills for Rhode Island’s Future Providence, RI 02903

MISSION STATEMENT

To become a sponsor, or to register your nonprofit, contact us at 401gives@uwri.org.

Oricel M.

statewide initiative that provides targeted education and skills training for workers designed to meet

• Administrative/Professional Services

• Financial Services

United Way pools donations from more than 10,000 Rhode Islanders to solve the state’s biggest problems. Our workplace giving campaigns at more than 300 companies educate employees about areas of need and engage them around shared purpose. In 2019, we launched 401Gives, which raised $1.2 million from more than 7,000 donors to benefit charities across the state.

positions that pay a sustainable wage. SkillsRI is a key driver of economic empowerment, contributing

Nina Pande John Sinnott

FUNDRAISING/EVENTS FUNDRAISING/EVENTS

Alden Anderson, Jr. Marcela Betancur Roberta H. Butler Brian Carroll Barbara Chernow Jayne Donegan Paola Fernandez Junior Jabbie Dolph Johnson Wendy Kagan Robert Kent Michele Lederberg Kim Barker Lee Terri Monjar Barbara A. Mullen, Ph.D. Cortney Nicolato Gregg Perry Joseph Pierik Betsey A. Purinton, CFP® R. Anthony Rolle, Ph.D. Christopher A. Sabitoni Frank Sanchez Terence Sobolewski Lysa D. Teal

OPPORTUNITIES OPPORTUNITIES

Engage Contact us to create a shared purpose program encompassing corporate giving, employee volunteering, workplace giving campaigns and related communications programs.

SKILLS FOR

BOARD BOARD MEMBERS MEMBERS

Our Ourmission missionisisto tounite uniteour ourcommunity communityand and resources resourcesto tobuild buildracial racialequity equityand andopportunities opportunities for forall allRhode RhodeIslanders.

Islanders.We Wefacilitate facilitateRhode Rhode Islanders Islandershelping helpingRhode Rhodeislanders, islanders,mobilizing mobilizing corporations, corporations,government, government,policy policymakers, makers, social socialservices servicesagencies agenciesand andthousands thousandsof of individual individualdonors donorsand andvolunteers. volunteers.

MEMBERS: Jehanne Bjornebye, Esq. | Andrew Davis, Esq. | Loree Dubois | Jerry Fingerut, MD | George Greer | Whitney Clarke | Michele Lederberg | Herbert Rakatansky, MD | Philip Rizzuto, MD | Joseph Perroni

Right on Here’s to the March of Dimes Rhode Island Chapter for helping mothers and babies, and to the Rhode Island Free Clinic for helping uninsured adults feel better.

EI20324405.0 9/20 © 2020 United HealthCare Services, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 20-326155

16 | OCTOBER 2020 | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS ■ GIVING Guide 2020 | www.pbn.com

www.pbn.com | GIVING Guide 2020 ■ PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | OCTOBER 2020

| 17

www.pbn.com | GIVING Guide 2020 ■ PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | OCTOBER 2020

| 15

Find out more on how to include your profile in the 2021 edition.

Contact your account manager or Advertising@PBN.com | 401-680-4800 www.pbn.com | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | AUGUST 20-SEPTEMBER 2, 2021 | 31

IT’S PERSONAL Ship museum given $250K grant MATTHEW SHULTE is the executive director of the Steamship Historical Society of America, a Warwick-based nonprofit that offers ship education, which was recently selected by the Posner Foundation of Pittsburgh to receive a $250,000 matching challenge grant. The society said new gifts and pledges made to the campaign through the end of 2022, or when the challenge is fully funded, will qualify for the matching grant. The grant will be used to help fund program enhancements at the organization’s ship history center on Post Road.

What is your reaction to getting this grant?

We are extremely grateful to the Posner Foundation for investing in SSHSA. Its confidence is a validation of decades of hard work carving out a spot in Rhode Island’s rich cultural landscape. We came into 2020 at a crossroad. The organization needed a plan to secure our future here in Warwick physically and financially.

When the opportunity came to purchase the building, we were leasing from the New England Institute of Technology. There were several longtime members who made timely donations to aid the acquisition.

What will the grant be used for?

In the immediate future, Posner Foundation funds will boost our digital capabilities and increase the number of items and activities available on our virtual museum at sshsa.org and our STEAMing into the Future educational program at shiphistory.org. As we look toward the future, the grant will also be used for interior and exterior improvements on our building, as well as to help create a reserve fund to ensure we can maintain the positive financial position we are in.

Describe the Full Ahead! initiative and the organization’s goal for it.

The Full Ahead! campaign is a $3.5 million comprehen-

FOCUS

BANKING 2021

sive initiative that will fund the future of SSHSA. For nearly 80 years, our unique archive of images, artifacts, ephemera, memorabilia and artwork has lived a nomadic existence spread out in warehouses throughout the country. With the establishment of our Ship History Center, we now have the capability to share that archive with Rhode Island and the world. Full Ahead! … is designed to make sure we have the proper staffing, infrastructure and financial security to be here … for decades to come.

How has the society survived the pandemic up to this point and what does the future hold for the organization?

We feel fortunate to be in such a positive position at this point in the pandemic. The Full Ahead! initiative began in January 2020, which means that we had to change our approach without losing our focus. We reached out to our membership through phone calls, email and Zoom, and expanded the activities available on s­ hiphistory.org. Those efforts enabled us to acquire our building last August and provided the momentum to continue fundraising. We have secured more than $1.2 million in donations and pledges toward the campaign, and our staff, board and volunteers are energized to raise the remainder of the funds and reach the next generation of maritime enthusiasts. n

Covering the most recent news and industry trends from this important segment of the region’s economy.

Reach your target audience with PBN. PRINT September 3, 2021 Top Lists: International Tax Preparers; Foreign-Owned Companies December 10, 2021 Top List: Mortgage Bankers & Brokers DIGITAL E-NEWSLETTER Every Tuesday

400 Westminster Street, Suite 600 Providence, RI 02903 PBN.com

Contact Jim Hanrahan at 401.680.4816 or Hanrahan@PBN.com for details

32 | AUGUST 20-SEPTEMBER 2, 2021 | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | www.pbn.com

IT’S PERSONAL MACKAY’S MORAL | HARVEY MACKAY

WHEN THE PHOTOCOPIES began to look faint, the office manager called in a local repair service. The friendly technician inspected the equipment and informed the manager that the machine needed a good cleaning. The tech suggested someone could read the operator’s manual and perform the job themselves, since it would cost $100 if he did it.

Pleasantly surprised by his candor, the office manager asked, “Does your boss know you are discouraging business?”

“Actually, my boss demands we explain this to all our customers. After people try first to fix things themselves, we end up making much more money on repairs,” he said.

Good advice is always a good investment. If you don’t know how to do something or don’t have time to learn how to do it properly, hire an expert.

You will save time and money in the long term.

Over the years, I’ve hired experts to help with specific projects so my staff and I can learn from professionals and gain valuable experience.

But how do you find the best experts? It’s not as simple as doing a Google search – finding the best lawyer, accountant, doctor, mechanic or

Ask an expert

whatever professional you’re looking for requires a few more steps.

Here are some strategies I use in picking an expert: n Go to someone you know and trust. When a problem hits is a lousy time to look for someone you can trust. I would rather rely on someone I know I can count on, even if their experience is limited. And if I don’t know the right person, I’ll check with some trusted colleagues for their recommendations. n Use an expert to find another expert in the same profession. Don’t ask an accountant to help you pick a doctor. But I have asked many doctors to recommend other doctors in other specialties. n Be prepared to pay for any advice you get, even when all you are asking your first expert to do is recommend a second expert. That makes expert No. 1 think twice about making a solid recommendation. n Don’t be afraid to ask questions.

When I interview experts, I want a time and action calendar and a deadline before I hire them. For example, one of my favorite investment probes is: “Are you putting your own money in the investment that you are recommending to me?” n Don’t confuse being a good friend with being a good businessperson.

Hiring a buddy or family member as a favor or to save a buck may end up costing you dearly. Unless that person is an expert, keep looking. n It bears repeating: Look for experts before you need them. Anticipate challenges you might face at some point in the future and dig your well before you’re thirsty. Get to know them – or about them – in advance. n Be prepared to hire a second expert. If you are not confident in the advice you get from the first expert, a second opinion is in order.

One of my favorite books while cutting my teeth in business was “Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill. He

Good advice is always a good investment.

wrote a story about a Colorado gold rush miner who found a lot of gold and thought he had hit a rich seam.

He covered up his work, went home and told relatives and friends about his find and raised lots of money to buy equipment. They set it up and started mining. They filled a cart with gold the first few weeks, but it wasn’t enough to pay for all the equipment, and suddenly the gold dried up. They kept digging and spent more money on equipment, but still no gold. They ended up selling their equipment to a junk dealer and went home.

The junk dealer thought he’d give it a try and got expert help from a mining engineer who did an assessment of the lease. He said the earlier miners failed because they didn’t understand fold lines and gold seams. One of the richest seams of gold in Colorado was less than 3 feet from where they were digging.

Mackay’s Moral: An old broom knows the dirty corners best. 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. | SPONSORED CONTENT |

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

Standard and Featured options available.

The STANDARD listing includes 1 photo, 90-100 words of text, clickable links to your website, social media sharing and keywords to optimize search, and is: • published on PBN.com within 24 hours and archived on our site.

• printed in PBN. • featured on a PBN Daily Edition newsletter.

The FEATURED listing includes all Standard listing elements, in a larger print format, with company logo and 100 additional words of text (sample above).

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Community Investment Corporation Board of Directors has named Louis Silva to succeed Mark Cousineau as leader of the multi-state economic development lending organization. Mr. Silva assumed the role of President after having served as Vice President in the organization for the past three years.

“Louis showed leadership through his expansion of relationships, his role in technology implementation, and in strategic planning that increased loan production across all programs,” said Mark Cousineau. “I look forward to working with him throughout the transition as he positions CIC for its next phase of growth.” Cousineau, President and CEO of the organization since 1999, will remain as CEO until his retirement later this year.

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

For a Featured listing, contact your account manager or Advertising@PBN.com 401.680.4800

www.pbn.com | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | AUGUST 20-SEPTEMBER 2, 2021 | 33

IT’S PERSONAL GUEST COLUMN | OLIVER BENNETT

Are you ‘future-ready’?

TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION IS integrated throughout the daily operations of companies across industries.

According to a recent report by consulting company Accenture, “futureready” organizations – those that are resilient enough to survive a disruption – are twice as efficient and three times as profitable as their peers.

These companies have doubled down on their digital transformation. In fact, the COVID-19 pandemic prompted entire industries to rethink their strategies and implement digital innovations to stay connected with customers, employees and facilities.

With so much innovation moving so fast, knowing where to focus is critical. We have identified four “megatrends” from a recent Bank of America Corp. report that will help companies in Rhode Island and elsewhere navigate their digital transformation: Moving to the cloud. Artificial intelligence, automation and the cloud are more than technological trends, they are key forces to organizations looking to adapt to digital transformation.

Cloud computing allows companies to successfully utilize other technologies. Cloud adoption is already making the world more efficient: telepresence robots, controlled by a computer

or smartphone, are restocking shelves and sanitizing hospital rooms and helping with meetings through video capabilities.

The cloud is not just a game-changer in how business gets done but also a catalyst for new innovation. Consider a cloud-readiness assessment to determine when and how best to adopt cloud computing.

Reinventing marketing. Successful businesses value and nurture their customer relationships, especially in a post-pandemic world where people are reevaluating their interactions.

Research and advisory firm Forrester notes that more marketers are realizing the mistake of separating customer acquisition from customer retention. Merging them is not only critical, but in some cases requires reinventing the entire marketing function.

Companies should review their marketing mix and determine if customer acquisition and retention are aligned. They can explore how to

offer more meaningful incentives and engage with customers beyond transactional moments.

Collaborating to make it work.

Whether large or small, companies should encourage their teams to drive innovation through collaboration.

Taco Inc., a global manufacturer of heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems and components headquartered in Cranston, is a good example. It utilizes collaborative partnerships at all levels of the organization. “With the rapid communication adaptations and dynamic supply chain created by the pandemic, collaboration and transparent communication have never been more important,” said CEO Cheryl Merchant.

“Whether internal systems, supplier relations, new product development, or customer service, collaboration is paramount within our organization to ensure that innovation is focused on solving problems and making business easier for all stakeholders.”

Companies can create impactful

What matters is choosing the right technology to stay competitive.

collaboration by aligning internal resources such as information technology and information security to integrate solutions or evaluate new technology to save time and money.

Looking beyond your organization.

External partnerships are just as crucial as internal ones, especially during periods of long-term transformation, intense change or crisis.

Management consulting firm McKinsey & Co. offered this advice: Look beyond the boundaries of your own company across enterprises to include your channel partners, vendors and suppliers. Chances are they are willing to collaborate and share data to help ensure everyone thrives.

Whether it’s the cloud or AI, customer data or collaboration, digital transformation must be grounded in serving customers while reducing risk. New technology is exciting, but there will always be new technology – what matters is choosing the right technology to stay competitive and make the digital experience seamless for customers and employees alike. n Oliver Bennett is senior relationship manager of global commercial banking for Bank of America Corp.

He is based in Rhode Island.

PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS

PBN

SALUTE TO VETERANS IN THE WORKFORCE!

A great way to honor our service members A great way to honor our service members and recognize the Rhode Island companies and recognize the Rhode Island companies that go above and beyond to support them. that go above and beyond to support them.

This is an excellent opportunity to utilize a small portion of your advertising This is an excellent to utilize a small portion of your advertising or recruiting dollarsopportunity to show support of the veterans in our region. or recruiting dollars to show support of the veterans in our region.

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Participation includes your company logo on the cover as well as a logo Participation company logo cover as well asour a logo and messageincludes on page your 2, with an active linkon tothe your website from and message on page 2, with an active link to your website from our digital edition. digital edition.

Sponsorships also available.

Sponsorships also available.

Reservation & materials deadline: Wednesday, October 27, 2021 Reservation & materials deadline: Wednesday, October 27, 2021

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IT’S PERSONAL GUEST COLUMN | DEREK LEMOINE

U.S. economy is feeling the heat SUMMER 2021 WILL likely be one of the hottest on record as dozens of U.S. cities experience all-time high temperatures. The extreme heat is causing hundreds of deaths, sparking wildfires and worsening drought conditions in over a dozen states.

Here are a few ways extreme heat hurts the economy – and a little good news.

Growth takes a hit. Research has found that extreme heat can directly hurt economic growth.

For example, a 2018 study found that the economies of U.S. states tend to grow at a slower pace during relatively hot summers. The data shows that annual growth falls 0.15 to 0.25 percentage points for every 1 degree Fahrenheit that a state’s average summer temperature was above normal.

Laborers in weather-exposed industries such as construction work fewer hours when it’s hotter. But higher summer temperatures reduce growth in many industries that tend to involve indoor work, including retail, services and finance. Workers are less productive when it’s hotter out.

Crop yields drop. Agriculture is obviously exposed to weather: After all, crops grow outdoors.

While temperatures up to around 85 to 90 can benefit crop growth, yields fall sharply when thermostats rise further. Some of the crops hit hard by extreme heat include corn, soybeans and cotton. These reductions in yields could be costly for U.S. agriculture.

A recent study I conducted found that an additional 2 degrees Celsius of global warming would eliminate profits from an average acre of farmland in the Eastern U.S. Energy use soars. Of course, when it’s hot, energy use goes up as people and businesses run their air conditioners and other cooling equipment at full blast.

A 2011 study found that just one extra day with temperatures above 90 increases annual household energy use by 0.4%. More recent research shows that energy use increases the most in places that tend to be hotter, probably because more households have air conditioning.

This increase in electricity use on hot days stresses electric grids right

when people depend on them most, as seen in California and Texas during recent heat waves. Blackouts can be quite costly for the economy, as inventories of food and other goods can spoil and many businesses either have to run generators or shut down.

Education and earnings suffer. A long-term impact of increasingly hotter weather involves how it affects children’s ability to learn – and thus their future earnings.

Research has shown that hot weather during the school year reduces test scores. Math scores decrease more and more as the temperature rises beyond 70.

One study suggested that students in schools that lack air conditioning learn 1% less for every 1 degree increase in the school year’s average temperature. It also found that minority students are especially affected by hotter school years, as their schools are especially likely to lack air conditioning.

The impact of extreme heat on de-

Research has found that extreme heat can directly hurt economic growth.

post jobs

velopment, in fact, begins before we’re even born. Research has found that adults who were exposed to extreme heat as fetuses earn less during their lifetimes. Each extra day with average temperature above 90 reduces earnings 30 years later by 0.1%.

Air conditioning can offset some of these effects.

For example, studies have found that having a working air conditioner means fewer people die, student learning isn’t compromised and extreme heat outside during pregnancy doesn’t hurt fetuses.

Not everyone has air conditioning, however, especially in normally cooler areas such as Oregon, Washington and Canada that have experienced unusually extreme temperatures this year. And in the U.S. South, where air conditioning is omnipresent, hotter-than-usual summers still take the greatest toll on states’ economic growth.

In other words, as temperatures rise, economies will continue to ­suffer. n Derek Lemoine is an associate professor of economics at the University of Arizona. Distributed by The Associated Press.

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OPINION EDITORIALS

Get armed in COVID fight (Editor’s note: A version of this editorial was published on PBN.com on Aug. 18.)

For more than a year, a fit, college-educated, 51-year-old relative successfully avoided getting COVID-19. He routinely wore masks and practiced social distancing around strangers while at work in the construction industry.

He took all the precautions that made sense, except the one that health experts say matters most – getting a vaccine.

Earlier this month he started feeling poorly but kept working, following his own plan, until his breathing became too labored to dismiss.

Now he’s in a hospital, getting treatment for COVID-19 pneumonia while attached around the clock to an oxygen tube.

He will hopefully be one of the lucky ones, though he’ll no doubt stubbornly remind everyone that vaccines are no guarantee against getting COVID-19.

It’s true, though vaccines clearly increase the odds against infection, life-threatening illness and the spreading of the virus. Yet somehow, health officials are still struggling to get that message across in too many states, including Rhode Island, and are failing to take full advantage of ample vaccine s­ upplies.

Rhode Island has done a good job getting residents tested and better than many states in encouraging vaccinations. Officials claim that more than 80% of eligible adults across the state have received at least one shot of a vaccine.

But virus transmission rates have been rising in recent weeks, as they have across much of the country.

Gov. Daniel J. McKee said recently, “There is a path for the state to get to a 90%” vaccination rate.

But beyond hoping for a boost in vaccinations after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration gives its expected full approval to the Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine, he hasn’t said how.

The answer is that it will take a shared commitment to a simple idea, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach: The vaccines have been proven to be good for both public health and business.

State and local governments and yes, employers, must sound that chorus in a final push to do whatever they can to encourage more vaccinations.

The RI Gives Vax Challenge vaccine incentive

FINAL PUSH: The state recently gave nonprofits the final $380,000 in grants available from The RI Gives Vax Challenge to help boost COVID-19 vaccinations.

AP FILE PHOTO/TED S. WARREN

program is a nice way of helping nonprofits working in communities with high rates of unvaccinated residents. But that program is as much about rewarding past effort as it is about the nonprofits’ roles in new vaccinations.

The state has yet to offer lottery prizes to help boost new vaccinations. It should look to tap its expected $1 billion payment in new federal pandemic aid to do so, following the Massachusetts model that allows everyone who’s been vaccinated an equal shot at winning.

Rhode Island doesn’t have to look very far for help, with one of the world’s leading lottery system operators, International Game Technology PLC, in its backyard.

Gov. McKee’s ordered all health care companies to require employees to get vaccinated. Providence has also announced a vaccine mandate for city employees that other communities should consider.

Government employees can help set an example.

And some companies are beginning to follow suit, including Pawtucket’s Hasbro Inc. But other businesses have told PBN they worry a mandate will make it difficult to recruit and retain workers in a challenging job market. Rather than mandates, they should focus on getting as many people vaccinated as possible. Free food and other vaccination prizes can help build group support and encouragement in the workplace.

And we all can spread the word on vaccine facts to combat myths, along with cautionary tales of friends and family that, after 17 months, have become all too painfully common. n

Read even MORE business news on PBN.com

POLL CENTRAL EXECUTIVE POLL

COVID-19 variant concerns Are you concerned about the COVID-19 variants that are impacting the area?

Are you concerned that the variants will impact your company in any way?

Yes: 71%

Yes: 57%

No: 29%

No: 29%

Unsure: 0%

Unsure: 14%

What most concerns you about the variants? (Select multiple) Other: 43% Increased infections: 29% Vaccine ineffectiveness against the variants: 29%

Are you concerned the variants will cause another economic shutdown?

Yes, the variants could cause another shutdown: 57% No, there are enough people vaccinated to prevent another shutdown: 43%

Increased hospitalizations: 14% Unsure: 0% Increased deaths: 0% Our company is not concerned about the variants: 0%

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

PBN.COM POLL

Should employees who have been working remotely expect extra perks or pay in exchange for returning to the office? AUG. 6-12 No, but flexibility on remote work should continue at least through the pandemic

40%

No, where employees work is up to the employer

31%

Yes, if that’s what competitors are offering

7%

Yes, if they’ve proven they can do the job from home

21%

I don’t know

0%

Are you more or less likely to eat at a restaurant that requires indoor diners and staff to be vaccinated or show a negative COVID-19 test?

THIS WEEK’S POLL:

• More likely, because I’d feel more protected •L ess likely, because such restrictions go beyond state mandates • I’m not sure To vote, go to PBN.com and follow the link on the home page

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OPINION OPINION

Infrastructure spending not always good RICHARD WHITE GUEST COLUMN

Over the past two centuries, federal, state and municipal governments across the U.S. have launched wave after wave of infrastructure projects.

They built canals to move freight in the 1830s and 1840s. Governments subsidized railroads in the 19th century. They created local sewage and water systems in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and then dams and irrigation systems through much of the 20th century. During World War II, massive amounts of public money were spent building and expanding ports, factories, airfields and shipyards. And after the war, highway construction – long a state and local project – became a federal endeavor.

Many of these projects did not end well.

The problem wasn’t that the country didn’t need infrastructure – it did. And the troubles weren’t the result of technical failures. By and large, Americans successfully built what they intended, and much of what they built still stands.

The real problems arose before anyone lifted a shovel of earth or raised a hammer.

These problems stem from how hard it is to think ahead, and they are easy to ignore in the face of excitement about new spending, new construction and increased jobs.

The questions about which massive structures to build, and where, are actually very hard to answer. Infrastructure is always about the future: It takes years to construct and lasts for years beyond that.

The money invested in roads, railroads, airports and dams cannot be repurposed, and what is built requires large future expenditures for upkeep. If the infrastructure isn’t

needed, then we throw good money after bad.

Obsolescence isn’t the worst of the potential problems that can come from infrastructure spending. Railroads dominated the 19th century, but the U.S. built too many of them, particularly into the lightly populated West. I spent a whole book discussing the many ways in which that work, lauded now as a great success of government funding for private infrastructure, was in fact a costly and wasteful failure. The costs began with the bankruptcies and repeated regional and national economic crises that 19thcentury Americans referred to as “railroad depressions.”

Infrastructure is intended to promote development, and it will. But that can be a problem. There is such a thing as dumb growth, such as the development that swamped 19th-century markets with wheat, timber and minerals that they could not absorb. The result was numerous business failures and the abandonment of whole geographic areas when the economy went bust, as during the Dust Bowl.

The economic damage the overbuilding of railroads yielded paled before the environmental damage wrought by the mining, clear-cutting and large-scale agriculture they encouraged.

People tend to disregard the long-term costs of the plans they make, particularly if they reap the benefits and others pay the costs.

In the early 20th century, municipal water and sewage projects were great successes.

They probably had more to do with reducing disease than medical advances did. They

Problems stem from how hard it is to think ahead.

made modern cities livable.

But they inflicted costs on others. Los Angeles became Los Angeles by draining water away from the Owens Valley, draining a lake and reducing farmland to desert. San Francisco became San Francisco by flooding the Hetch Hetchy Valley, which naturalist John Muir once called “a wonderfully exact counterpart of the great Yosemite.” The results may have been worth the price, but it is useful to recognize that there was a price – one that continues to be paid.

When launched, new infrastructure seems to be a list of benefits. In the mid-20th century, enthusiasts for hydroelectricity and irrigation saw all sorts of advantages as the government dammed Western rivers and irrigated Western lands. But many of these lands needed unreasonable amounts of irrigation to yield the desired crops. Dams utterly changed the nature of rivers and hurt the iconic species of the Pacific West, particularly salmon.

Perhaps the greatest federal infrastructure system of the late 20th century is the interstate highway system. It changed the spatial arrangement of the nation and how Americans moved. It capitalized on the American car culture until the interstates became crowded around cities they maimed and people confronted climate change, to which the cars on those interstates contribute so significantly.

In promoting infrastructure, politicians will tout jobs, economic growth and a whole array of conveniences and benefits. Citizens should be more sophisticated.

They should ask who – particularly which corporations and developers – are going to benefit from these projects. They should look beyond the price tag to the social and environmental costs. n Richard White is a professor of American history at Stanford University. Distributed by The Associated Press.

Cost of student loan forgiveness too big WILLIAM CHITTENDEN GUEST COLUMN

At the end of June, 43 million borrowers – or about 14% of all adults in the U.S. – owed approximately $1.59 trillion in outstanding federal student loans. The average balance is $39,351 per borrower, with an average monthly payment of $393 per month. The standard repayment period for $39,351 in student loans is 20 years.

The amount of student debt outstanding varies greatly based on the type of degree pursued. The average bachelor’s degree debt is under $29,000, while the average dental school debt is more than 10 times higher at over $290,000.

Policymakers have put forth proposals to forgive anywhere from $10,000 to $50,000 or more per borrower.

President Joe Biden has stated that he is “prepared to write off a $10,000 debt.”

If up to $10,000 per borrower were to be canceled for all 43 million student loan borrowers, the cost would be $377 billion. This would completely eliminate the student loan balances for over 15 million borrowers. The total cost of forgiving up to $50,000 for all 43 million borrowers would be just over $1 trillion. It would also wipe clean the student

loan balances for over 36 million people.

Some economists view the staggering amount of outstanding student debt as a drag on the economy. They argue that any forgiveness of student debt will stimulate the economy. However, I and other economists argue that any boost to the economy from student loan forgiveness would be small compared with the cost to taxpayers.

If $10,000 per borrower is forgiven, it is not as if the borrower is receiving $10,000 that they can go out and spend today. Rather, it is estimated this would free up only about $100 per month for the average borrower to spend or save over 10 years. If all $1.5 trillion in federal student loans were forgiven, the average borrower would have an extra $393 per month. It is estimated that the economy would only grow by about $100 billion, or about 0.5%, if all $1.5 trillion in federal student loans were canceled.

One criticism of forgiving student debt for everyone is that most of the benefits will go to those with higher incomes. In addition, relatively few of the benefits would go to those who borrowed to finance an undergraduate education. Sixty-eight percent of those

who took out student loans for a bachelor’s degree borrowed less than $10,000.

If the idea behind loan forgiveness is to stimulate the economy, I believe loan relief should be targeted to those most likely to spend any savings from student loan forgiveness. This suggests student loan forgiveness should be targeted to those with low incomes, who typically have less than $10,000 in student loan debt but are more likely to default on those loans.

Any student loan relief program should consider the effect it may have on borrowers, as student debt impacts some groups more than others. For example, women owe approximately two-thirds of the outstanding student loan debt. About 69% of white college graduates owe student loans, compared with 85% of Black college graduates.

The point is that women and people of color would benefit the most from student loan forgiveness. n William Chittenden is associate dean for graduate programs and presidential fellow at Texas State University. Distributed by The Associated Press.

www.pbn.com | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | AUGUST 20-SEPTEMBER 2, 2021 | 37

ONE LAST THING Count on core values

CREATING

a work environment that maintains a positive culture in a female-dominated industry is no easy feat, especially during a lifealtering pandemic.

Women have carried the burden of the pandemic when it comes to managing both careers and domestic life.

Taking care of our employees during a pandemic and maintaining a workplace that emphasizes both their value and their increased demands allows us to grow healthy businesses even during extremely challenging times. At Small Steps Therapy, we developed our workplace culture around the following principles: n Safe spaces for open communication. n Everybody has a voice in decision-making

processes. n Scheduling weekly time to listen and

encourage one another; especially lessexperienced employees. n Encouraging genuine connections

between employees and with the clients we serve. n Setting a precedent that no job is too

big or too small. n Remaining open to constructive criticism. n Maintaining a focus on family, health and personal faith. n Strive for delivering excellence.

Rachel Best Owner and speech-language pathologist Small Steps Therapy LLC Rachel Best founded Providence’s Small Steps Therapy in 2013 in order to serve the area’s growing need for speech, language and feeding therapy.

When your business culture is tested, always return to your core values. Identify the root of the problem, brainstorm as a team on how to correct it, and move forward with more experience and knowledge. At Small Steps Therapy, weekly team meetings and monthly one-on-one meetings have been crucial to providing each employee an opportunity to express their concerns and engage in mentoring relationships. There is no business without the employees. There is no workforce without strong females who are willing to serve both their communities and their families. n

PBN PHOTO/RUPERT WHITELEY

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