PBN October 9-15, 2020

PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS

PBN pbn.com

OCTOBER 9-15, 2020

COMMUNITY SERVICE

Collaborative food initiative reaches 25K meals milestone | 3

FOCUS: EDUCATION Shortage of subs plagues some schools | 19

YOUR SOURCE FOR BUSINESS NEWS IN SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND | VOL. 35, NO. 29 | $4

CORONAVIRUS CRISIS

OFFICE UPHEAVAL

Parents are taking note of home-school option

BY NANCY LAVIN | Lavin@PBN.com

People remain few and far between at many workplaces, and it’s having negative effects

ANDREA KNOLL’S DAUGHTER Adalyn was supposed to start kindergarten at Henry Barnard School this school year.

Even after COVID-19 hit, Knoll and her husband held out hope that their 5-year-old daughter would still be in the classroom come the fall.

Then, Rhode Island College announced it would be closing the private school on its campus within the year, and the Providence couple, who also have two younger children, were forced to reconsider.

FOCUS: EDUCATION

SEE HOME-SCHOOL PAGE 18

BY MARY MACDONALD | MacDonald@PBN.com

WHEN

Michael Giuttari returned in late June to his office at MG Commercial Real Estate Services Inc. in the Jewelry District of Providence, he found a changed landscape.

His go-to spot for work lunches, The District, wasn’t open for lunch anymore. The popular eatery used to be so packed, diners needed reservations. Now it’s only open for dinner. The lunch crowds, which had been made up of mostly office workers, are gone.

For commuters, the daily trek has gotten much easier. And parking lots at work are sparsely filled. It’s become obvious to anyone who passes a suburban office center or a downtown

SOME BREATHING ROOM: Collection specialist Dosha Bogosian works in a sparsely populated office at XRA Medical Imaging in Cranston. While XRA’s diagnostic services have remained open for months, more of the administrative workers have returned but are keeping their distance from one another.

PBN PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

SEE WORKPLACES PAGE 12

SUMMIT

HEALTH CARE

ONE LAST THING

Brian Britson Engage and stay flexible | 30

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CONTENTS

PBN

COVER STORY OFFICE UPHEAVAL People remain few and far between at many workplaces, and it’s having negative effects........................1

400 Westminster St. Providence, RI 02903

FOR STARTERS

Main Phone: 401-273-2201

Community Service: Boys & Girls Clubs of Northern Rhode Island and Bank of America Corp............................ 3 5Q: Leslie Taito...................................................................... 4 Dining Out: Naysayers may be wrong................................. 5 Spotlight: THE DRIPBaR...................................................... 6 Something New: Cardi’s Custom Creations........................ 6 Hot Topic: R.I.’s top marketing job in limbo....................... 7 Who Owns the Block? Minnesota Avenue, Warwick.......... 8 News Briefs........................................................................... 9 What’s Happening............................................................... 10

Subscription Services: 855-813-5805

FOCUS: EDUCATION | 1

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

ADVERTISING Advertising@PBN.com Fax: 401-274-0270

ANOTHER LOOK

Council wants oversight on tax breaks.............................. 15

Director of Sales and Marketing: Annemarie Brisson, 680-4800

CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

Marketing and Events Manager: Donna Rofino, 680-4832

IT’S PERSONAL

Marketing, Events & Social Media Coordinator: Tracy Hoyt, 680-4818

Retailers start holiday season earlier than ever............... 16 People in the News............................................................. 24 Mackay’s Moral...................................................................25 To Savor: Jessica Norris Granatiero..................................26 Guest Column: Tessa Skidmore......................................... 27 Editorials and Opinion........................................................28 One Last Thing: Brian Britson...........................................30

Senior Account Managers: Linda Foster, 680-4812 Jim Hanrahan, 680-4816

5Q | 5

Advertising Coordinator: Joyce Rylander, 680-4810

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

FOCUS: EDUCATION

Parents are taking note of home-school option

Editor: Michael Mello, 680-4820

Amid concerns and distaste for distance learning, parents in Rhode Island and across the country are increasingly turning to home schooling as a safer, more effective alternative.........................................1

Managing Editor: William Hamilton, 680-4826 Web Editor: Chris Bergenheim, 680-4886

Shortage of subs plagues some schools

Copy Editor: Matt Bower, 680-4824

Schools that were scrambling to teach students through remote platforms on an emergency basis last spring are now dealing with fewer substitute teachers to cover classrooms............................................ 19

Special Projects Editor: James Bessette, 680-4838 (EDUCATION, NONPROFITS)

List

Staff Writers: Alexa Gagosz, 680-4828

SPOTLIGHT | 6

Private Secondary Schools................................................20

(HEALTH CARE, HOSPITALITY/TOURISM, WORKFORCE)

Nancy Lavin, 680-4822 (ENERGY/ENVIRONMENT, ENTREPRENEURSHIP, FINANCIAL SERVICES)

Mary MacDonald, 680-4830

THIS WEEK’S FEATURED COMPANIES 15 Point Road Restaurant

5

Advertising Ventures Inc.

15

Orsted

9

Providence Teachers Union

American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island

9

Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau

Bank of America Corp.

9

Rhode Island College

Blackstone Valley Tourism Council

7

Rhode Island Federation of Teachers and Health Professionals

Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island

9, 12

Rhode Island Hospitality Association

Brown University

9

R.I. Commerce Corp.

Cardi’s Custom Creations

6

R.I. Department of Education

Citizens Financial Group Inc. Discover Newport ENRICHri Federal Hill Commerce Association

12 7 18 5

19 7, 9 1 19 5 7, 9 18, 21

R.I. Department of Motor Vehicles

9

R.I. Department of Revenue

9

R.I. Office of the Health Insurance Commissioner

4

The District

1

Fortuitous Partners

14

THE DRIPBaR

6

Franklin Rogers Ltd.

14

The Salvation Army

Friends of Toto LLC

14

United Way of Rhode Island

Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce

12

Virgin Pulse Inc.

14

Hayes & Sherry Ltd.

12

24 7

Warwick Teachers’ Union, Local 915

21

Hope Global

4

Westwey Club LLC

15

Kay’s Restaurant

5

Wexford Science & Technology LLC

14

MG Commercial Real Estate Services Inc.

1

Woonsocket Teachers’ Guild

21

National Grid

9

XRA Medical Imaging

12

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2 | OCTOBER 9-15, 2020 | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | www.pbn.com

(GOVERNMENT, MANUFACTURING, REAL ESTATE/DEVELOPMENT)

Researcher: Cassius Shuman, 680-4884

PRODUCTION Production Director: Anne Ewing, 680-4860 Art Director: Lisa Lagreca, 680-4868

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

ADMINISTRATION Fax: 401-274-6580 Business Manager: Tammy D’Antuono, 680-4840

©2020 Providence Business News Inc.

Providence Business News is published weekly

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.

COMMUNITY SERVICE

FOR STARTERS

Collaborative food initiative reaches 25K meals milestone FEEDING FAMILIES:

Interested in having your business’s community-service project highlighted? Contact PBN Researcher Cassius Shuman at (401) 680-4884 or Shuman@PBN.com.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Northern Rhode Island and Bank of America Corp. united to address hunger during the coronavirus pandemic. The two entities created a collaborative food initiative in early May aimed at feeding Rhode Island families, and have provided more than 25,000 meals to date. Bank of America’s corporate cafeteria in Lincoln was mostly empty throughout the early period of the pandemic because employees were working from home due to the coronavirus. Seeking to provide relief as a solution to address food insecurity, a decision was made to turn the cafeteria into a food kitchen making nutritious meals for those that have been affected by the pandemic. Each weekday, the group prepares about 300 meals for distribution to members and their families of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Northern Rhode Island and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Providence. Featured in the photo are, from left, Bonnie Piekarski, Boys & Girls Clubs of Northern Rhode Island’s Woonsocket unit director; Rushie and Kenyon Williams, foreground; and Pedro Alvarez, Woonsocket food distribution team member at the Aug. 20 commemorative milestone event.

COURTESY BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF NORTHERN RHODE ISLAND

www.pbn.com | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | OCTOBER 9-15, 2020 | 3

FOR STARTERS

5Q: Leslie Taito Chief of staff, Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island

BY ALEXA GAGOSZ | Gagosz@PBN.com

1

Why did you leave your role as CEO of the manufacturer Hope Global and take a job in the health care sector?

While I will miss leading the talented folks at Hope Global, I was drawn to the mission of Neighborhood and felt it was a good point in my career to make a change. Neighborhood serves the state’s most vulnerable, economically disadvantaged and underserved residents. I am excited to use my skills to advance Neighborhood’s mission of providing high-quality, cost-effective health care.

2

Can you describe your new role at Neighborhood Health Plan?

Neighborhood is always looking to improve our customer experience for our members and provider network while also making it easier for employees to provide exceptional service. As chief of staff, I am working with the executive leadership team – focusing on business strategy, organizational culture, team development and lean process improvement.

3

PBN PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

How will you apply the skills that you learned in the manufacturing industry to the not-forprofit health care sector?

In manufacturing, we were responsible for taking raw materials and adding value to create a high-quality part. In health care, the raw materials are the health care system and Neighborhood adds value for our members by ensuring they know how to use our provider network and can access housing, food and transportation,

thus improving their overall health and well-being. I will help streamline Neighborhood’s processes and enhance the member experience in an ever-changing health care landscape.

4

What are some of the goals you have for Neighborhood?

My goals include driving change to become a more agile company and using analytics to ensure data-driven decision-making. As part of the executive team, I am also helping to apply lessons learned through the pandemic to make Neighborhood more resilient, competitive and ­effective.

5

Attorney General Peter Neronha was critical of the recent rate hikes requested by Rhode Island health insurance companies, including Neighborhood, during the pandemic.

How does the company respond?

I have seen firsthand the incredible, high-quality services we provide to meet the health care needs of our members while offering the lowestpriced plans on the market. We applaud the recent approval by the R.I. Office of the Health Insurance Commissioner that ensures health plans remain solvent during difficult times. n

I will help streamline Neighborhood’s processes and enhance the member experience.

Calling all non-profits in Rhode Island |L REGIONAL PHILANTROC TUNIESOPR

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FOR STARTERS DINING OUT | BRUCE NEWBURY

Naysayers may be wrong

UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES, the restaurant industry can be tremendously exciting. Every night is a performance and a roll of the dice. Will our place be packed? Is tonight the night the reviewer gives us five stars? What about the weather, the news, the tone of the times? The highs and the lows are what makes the business so appealing to those who aspire to it and are successful in it. And the applause from the audience is the fuel. In this case, the applause is the diners’ return visit and, to a great degree, their gratuity. The guest is the reason for the existence of each fine-dining palace, holein-the-wall cafe, bustling bistro and trendy coffee shop.

So in an industry turned upside down, who is asking the guest about what they think about dining out in the time of a pandemic?

It seems the viewpoint of just about everyone but the guest is being sought after these days. Celebrity chefs who have seldom, if ever, visited our state expound on social media about the impending apocalypse coming to eateries – usually referring to New York City. In Rhode Island, candidates for office, business leaders in nonrelated industries or in commerce associations, and media members who seldom venture from their homes share the same vision of doom. It is surprising, therefore, to hear and read from many in the industry that the opposite is going on right now.

For instance, Rick Simone, executive director of the Federal Hill Commerce Association, said in an interview: “There are very few empty storefronts on Federal Hill, and the ones that are empty don’t stay that way for very long.”

The Federal Hill Commerce Association has helped extend “Al Fresco on the Hill” throughout the month of October on Friday and Saturday evenings. On Columbus Day weekend, Al Fresco on the Hill will take the place of the customary festival and parade. The celebration will include

BY THE FIRE: 15 Point Road Restaurant in Portsmouth turned on the outdoor heaters in the first weekend of October. Proprietors Sean and Carly Smith said the heaters arrived after being on back order for months.

COURTESY 15 POINT ROAD RESTAURANT

more shopping and dining opportunities with an extended schedule. The hours are 5 to 11 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 9; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 10, and Sunday, Oct. 11; and from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 12. Atwells Avenue is closed off to motor vehicle traffic in two sections – from Bradford Street to Dean Street, and from Dean Street to Lily Street.

Some are making dire predictions about the coming winter. Even so, preparations are being made to continue outdoor dining, and those eater-

ies making the preparations are planning to be busy. At Kay’s Restaurant in Woonsocket, owner David Lahousse was searching for a tent he could heat when he came across small greenhouselike structures nicknamed “igloos.” They are big enough to fit a dining table that can seat six patrons. He has ordered 10 igloos at a cost of $1,400 each. According to media accounts, all of the restaurants’ 30 employees have returned to work.

Sales have been “really good,” he said, attributing the success to outdoor dining.

For those restaurants without igloos – one prominent restaurateur says they are impossible to find right now – the Rhode Island Hospitality Association has purchased a large quantity of blankets and will distribute 12,000 of them to restaurants for guests who would like to dine outdoors when it’s cold.

This is a popular custom in Vermont, where I work with several restaurants and inns. On a recent 40-degree night on the patio and deck of one inn in the Middlebury, Vt., area, everyone was wrapped up and enjoying the evening.

On Federal Hill, there is word that 150 outdoor heaters are being installed, thanks to grant funding from the state’s Take It Outside initiative. Other eateries are reporting their heaters are up and running, such as 15 Point Road Restaurant in Portsmouth, which had them on back order for months.

This is not an attempt to minimize anyone’s struggles and difficulties. This pandemic cost some people their business. It is heart-rending. I wish these individuals and families well and hope that somehow, someday, some sense might be made of all this. n

Bruce Newbury’s “Dining Out” radio talk show is heard Saturdays at 11 a.m. on 1540 AM WADK, on radio throughout New England, through various mobile applications and his podcast. Email Bruce at Bruce@brucenewbury.com.

The viewpoint of ... everyone but the guest is being sought.

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www.pbn.com | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | OCTOBER 9-15, 2020 | 5

FOR STARTERS SOMETHING NEW

SPOTLIGHT

GARDEN PARTY: Paula Pecora Cardi recently launched Cardi’s Custom Creations, in which she teaches those who lack artistic abilities how to make, style and design garden gnomes.

PBN PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

Custom garden gnomes

BY ALEXA GAGOSZ | Gagosz@PBN.com

PAULA PECORA CARDI didn’t think that she would be able to combine her love for crafts and background in sales to turn it into something of a profitable business. But after a successful trip to a local Christmas festival last year, where she was able to show off some talent, Cardi has since been teaching those who lack artistic abilities how to make, style and design garden gnomes.

In less than a year, Cardi’s Custom Creations has collected corporate accounts, hosted private parties, taught virtual lessons on her Facebook page and thrown “gnome nights” at local restaurants and salons that mimic classic events such as wine-and-paint nights.

“It’s hilarious to see 20 women walk into a restaurant each holding a 4-foot-tall gnome,” said Cardi, who once worked in sales at Rhode Island Local and other local publications. “It’s not going to work like I was. It’s throwing a party.”

Customers from as far as Oklahoma and Florida are tuning into her videos and ordering gnome kits to make them their own while corporate events and social get-togethers remain offlimits. n

TENDING THE DRIPBAR: Shannon Petteruti is the owner and CEO and Ben Crosbie is the chief development officer of THE DRIPBaR in Warwick, a medical spa that features IV therapy, in which vitamins are pumped into the bloodstream intravenously.

PBN PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

Serving up vitamins via IV Drip bar adding U.S. locations

BY ALEXA GAGOSZ | Gagosz@PBN.com

IV DRIPS ARE TYPICALLY USED to cure one’s hangover, rehydrating someone with vitamins after a night of one too many, and are popular in places such as Las Vegas.

But since THE DRIPBaR opened in Warwick in 2016, owner Shannon Petteruti’s mission was to pivot the way people perceived intravenous therapy and cellular health into more of a lifestyle choice.

“We see the benefits, for the everyday person to people that have been diagnosed with cancer,” said Petteruti. “We didn’t want to focus on hangovers, and frankly, don’t really do that many of them.”

Intravenous therapy, which is also known as IV therapy, is the administering of nutrients and hydration directly into the bloodstream for immediate absorption by the body, and is the fastest way to deliver these nutrients, according to Chief Development Officer Ben Crosbie, who has been working to franchise the business since last September.

So far, Crosbie said DRIPBaR is expected to open five locations by the end of 2020 and at least 40 more in 2021. These locations, he said, will be in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Virginia, New Jersey, Florida, Texas, Colorado, Utah, Illinois

and North Carolina.

Before the coronavirus pandemic hit, Petteruti said 75% of their clients were returning – without a membership, discounts or loyalty points included. The pandemic, Crosbie said, has made Americans even more health conscious, and is providing the DRIPBaR an even larger boost.

Clients have 18 different IV lifestyle or health-support drips to choose from, including the “flu fighter” that can help the common cold and High C, which is typically for current or former cancer patients. For those who don’t have time for a full vitamin infusion but want the benefit, clients can choose one of seven “quick shots” that Petteruti says gives the body an added boost.

“Our clientele is just more health conscious,” said Crosbie, who has a background in health clinics after leading Tapout Fitness, which is a martial artsinfused fitness for various ages and experience levels. He said after being a client at DRIPBaR, he was

OWNERS: Shannon Petteruti and Ben Crosbie

LOCATION: 250 Centerville Road, Building E, Warwick

TYPE OF BUSINESS: Medical spa

EMPLOYEES: 10

6 | OCTOBER 9-15, 2020 | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | www.pbn.com

committed to taking Petteruti’s brand national by exposing how IV drips can slow signs of aging, reduce brain fog and boost energy.

Each session ranges in price from about $100 to $200 and people are sitting in the chair anywhere from 25 to 40 minutes, said Crosbie.

“We don’t want to be a business that relies on Groupon and discounting,” said Crosbie, who when looking for their next franchise spot is looking for markets that have Starbucks and Massage Envy for similar buying personas.

However, their philanthropy program, which builds off DRIPBaR’s mission to give people the opportunity to live their longest and healthiest lifespan, is allowing pediatric patients who are fighting cancer or are cancer survivors free vitamin C packs through their IV therapy.

“I was using IV therapy because I wanted to work longer, harder and more-focused hours. It was kind of my secret weapon,” said Crosbie. “Now it’s my goal to expand this business so everyone can have that weapon.”

The initial investment to open a 1,000- to 1,500-square-foot location is around $116,300 to $272,700, including the franchise fee of $55,000. n YEAR ESTABLISHED: 2016 ANNUAL SALES: $540,000

FOR STARTERS HOT TOPIC

R.I.’s top marketing job in limbo

BY ALEXA GAGOSZ | Gagosz@PBN.com

ALMOST FIVE MONTHS AFTER the state’s top tourism official resigned, R.I. Commerce Corp.’s promotional efforts “haven’t skipped a beat,” according to the agency’s interim chief marketing officer.

Commerce spokesman Matt Sheaff was appointed to fill the role temporarily after Heather Evans stepped down in May. She now serves as the chief marketing officer at United Way of Rhode Island.

Evans had been hired by Commerce in May 2019 to lead the statewide effort to attract tourists and businesses to Rhode Island, and to coordinate with organizations such as the state’s six tourism councils.

In addition to taking over the “FunSized” ad campaign created by her predecessor, Evans said she led the marketing team in the first-ever “Hotel Week RI” in January and “Rhody Resilient,” a mostly social media campaign launched after the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

“I left Commerce because I had successfully transformed the marketing team to become a mini-agency, making it more data-driven and producing much of the creative [material]

in-house,” Evans said recently.

Evans’ departure marked the third time in four years that the R.I. Commerce chief marketing officer has left the post. There’s no immediate timetable to hire a replacement or install Sheaff permanently.

Robert Billington, president of the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council, and Kristen Adamo, CEO and president of the Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau, said the lack of a permanent chief marketing officer hasn’t been a problem. The problem for tour-

ism, they said, is the dampening effect the pandemic has had on travel and public events.

“Where it will become important [to have a permanent CMO] is when a recovery strategy is necessary,” Adamo said. “Right now, Commerce seems to be doing fine.”

Since taking over, Sheaff said, he has concentrated on booking digital ads in markets within driving distance from Rhode Island, from Maine to New Jersey. The advantage of digital ads is the messaging can be quickly adjusted and optimized. The most recent campaign theme: “Hit the Open Rhode.”

Those who clicked the ads are brought to a page on the VisitRhodeIsland.com site highlighting outdoor activities for visitors, with discounts from hotels and attractions. Sheaff

‘Right now, Commerce seems to be doing fine.’

KRISTEN ADAMO, Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau CEO and president

and his team assembled itineraries for weekend getaways in 11 neighborhoods throughout the state and made suggestions on where people could stay, eat and play, all in an effort to support local businesses.

These campaigns have proved to be successful, he said.

According to tracking software, Sheaff said, there was a 4.5-times return on direct ad spend from the end of June through mid-September, compared with 2.6-times return in the same period last year.

“We almost doubled the amount of return we’re getting for every dollar we’re spending in advertising,” said Sheaff.

Evan Smith, CEO of Discover Newport, isn’t concerned about R.I. Commerce’s marketing campaigns right now. He said the Rhode Island tourism industry’s biggest challenge is being listed on other states’ travel advisories because of the rise in ­COVID-19 cases.

“When Rhode Island goes on the blacklist in the Northeast states, our lodging properties lose thousands of reservations and millions of dollars in revenue,” said Smith. “The trickledown effect is felt by all sectors of the industry.” n

F OR SAL E PaolinoProperties.com 401-274-6611 Michael L. Friedman Director of Sales & Leasing m.friedman@paolinoproperties.com Joseph R. Paolino, Jr. Managing Partner joe@paolinoproperties.com

140 Prospect Street, Providence | $3,995,000. The Halsey House sits atop College Hill alongside Brown University’s campus. 11 Units include a ballroom and space to build an additional multifamily.

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425 Richmond Street, Providence | $3,495,000 Opportunity Zone development site in the Knowledge District. Adjacent to Lifespan and Brown University Medical Campus. www.pbn.com | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | OCTOBER 9-15, 2020 | 7

FOR STARTERS WHO OWNS THE BLOCK?

Minnesota Avenue

5 MINNESOTA AVE. (1989) OWNER: David H. Merriam Trustee

WARWICK

TENANT: Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Rhode Island

14 MINNESOTA AVE. (1979) OWNER: JDW Realty Co. TENANT: Pin Line

17 MINNESOTA AVE. (1981)

22 MINNESOTA AVE. (1979)

OWNER: CPC Realty LLC

OWNER: I E Realty Inc.

TENANT: East Coast Interiors Corp.

TENANT: Izzo Electric & Son Inc.

MINNES OTA AV ENUE

33 MINNESOTA AVE. (1979) OWNER: Spiral Properties Inc. TENANT: Lumetta Inc.

40 MINNESOTA AVE. (1981) OWNER: JP Enterprises Holdings LLC TENANT: Single Source Disaster Recovery Specialist Inc.

75 MINNESOTA AVE. (1998) OWNER: KRE-BSL Husky Warwick LLC TENANT: Greenwich Farms at Warwick

50 MINNESOTA AVE. (1979) OWNER: Minnesota Realty LLC TENANTS: Spectral Inc., Affordable Overhead Door, Canvas Lady, Koteshin-Ryu Martial Arts

114 MINNESOTA AVE. (1999) OWNER: Industrial Ventures LLC TENANT: Motion Industries Inc.

60 MINNESOTA AVE. (1983) OWNER: Industrial Ventures LLC TENANT: K-9 Connection

70 MINNESOTA AVE. (1986)

62 WYOMING AVE. (1940) OWNER: Wholesalers Property Co. LLC TENANT: Warwick Winwater Works Co.

100 MINNESOTA AVE. (1986) OWNER: Laurence E. Ryan Jr. Living Trust TENANT: Ocean State Powder Coating

PBN RESEARCH AND PHOTOS/CASSIUS SHUMAN PBN GRAPHIC/LISA LAGRECA

8 | OCTOBER 9-15, 2020 | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | www.pbn.com

OWNER: Kentco Holdings Corp.

TENANT: Hillsgrove Clubhouse

64 MINNESOTA AVE. (1986) OWNER: Robert E. Davis Jr. TENANT: Tri-Power Sales & Service Inc.

NEWS BRIEFS | FOR STARTERS Keck to step down as CEO and president of Blue Cross PROVIDENCE – Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island CEO and President Kim A. Keck will be leaving the local health insurer at the end of this year and she will become the CEO and president of Blue Cross Blue Shield Association on Jan. 4, 2021, BCBSRI announced Oct. 6.

Keck has been with BCBSRI since 2016 and she will become Blue Cross Blue Shield Association’s first female CEO and president since the association was established 40 years ago.

Among Keck’s achievements with BCBSRI are leading policy efforts to fortify elements of the Affordable Care Act and spearheading the organization’s partnership with the Brown University School of Public Health to create the RI Life Index – a new data resource providing insights into Rhode Islanders’ perceptions about social factors that can create barriers to health and well-being.

Blue Cross said a national search will be conducted by its board of directors for Keck’s successor. n

5% hotel tax revenue drops 37% Y/Y in July

Court rules vanity plate ban likely violates free speech

PROVIDENCE – Collection of the 5% hotel tax totaled $2.1 million in July, a 36.5% decline year over year, the R.I. Department of Revenue said on Oct. 6.

Collections from traditional hotels totaled nearly $2 million, while collections from hosting platforms and room resellers totaled $161,044.

Allocations to regional tourism districts totaled $914,028 for the month, a decline of $433,302 year over year. The largest allocation to a regional tourism district was for Aquidneck Island at $430,882.

Allocations to municipalities totaled $534,018, a decline of $278,452 year over year. The largest allocation was to Newport at $164,524. The largest nominal decline year over year was in Providence, where allocations dropped $89,244 to $29,357.

R.I. Commerce Corp. received an allocation of $537,043 from the 5% hotel tax in July, a 38.3% decline year over year.

The Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau was allocated $150,984, a 54.9% decline year over year. n

PROVIDENCE – A federal judge has ruled that a state law allowing the R.I. Department of Motor Vehicles to reject vanity plates “offensive to good taste” likely violates the First Amendment, the American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island said on Oct. 4.

In an Oct. 2 ruling, Judge Mary McElroy issued a preliminary injunction in support of an ACLU lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of a state law that gives the DMV administrator the authority to deny vanity plates based on whether he thinks they “carry connotations offensive to good taste and decency.”

The lawsuit was filed in March on behalf of Tesla owner Sean Carroll after the DMV received an anonymous complaint and ordered Carroll to turn in his “FKGAS” license plate or else have his car registration canceled.

According to McElroy’s ruling, “the revocation of the license plate, which would prohibit Mr. Carroll from expressing his views on fossil fuel propulsion of motor vehicles, would stifle him in an irreparable way.” n

NatGrid, Orsted prep to replace wind farm cables PROVIDENCE – National Grid and Orsted have begun mobilizing teams that will work this fall and winter to replace limited segments of the Block Island Wind Farm and sea2shore transmission cables to achieve greater burial depths beneath the seafloor, the companies announced Oct. 2.

Approximately 1,700 feet of National Grid’s sea2shore submarine cable that carries electricity between Block Island and mainland Rhode Island and 3,100 feet of Orsted’s submarine cable that carries electricity from the wind farm to the island will be replaced.

The drilling phase of the construction work at Town Beach is scheduled to begin this fall, while the oceanbased cable installation is scheduled to begin in early spring, according to a news release.

Cables will be buried 25 to 50 feet below the seafloor, as compared with the current 4 to 6 feet. Construction is expected to be completed before Memorial Day 2021. n

Committee to oversee Memorial charitable funds PAWTUCKET – Mayor Donald R. Grebien announced the formation of the Memorial Hospital Trust Advisory Committee, which will determine how to use the charitable funds that have accumulated since Memorial Hospital closed and the interest that will be earned from the trusts in the future.

The committee will be composed of medical and legal experts and stakeholders from throughout the city and Blackstone Valley, and will work in an advisory capacity with Bank of America Corp. officials who are serving as trustees of the funds.

A request for proposals process will help the committee decide how best to match the needs of the community and the intent of the donors, according to a news release. The committee will make recommendations on matters such as eligibility requirements to submit a proposal and how much of the funds should be allocated to one or more proposals.

Applications to serve on the committee must be submitted by 4 p.m. on Oct. 16. n

PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS

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For more information, please contact your account manager or Advertising@PBN.com | 401-680-4800 www.pbn.com | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | OCTOBER 9-15, 2020 | 9

FOR STARTERS | WHAT’S HAPPENING Scale your business

CHANGE AGENT: SCORE Rhode Island host Jeffery Hayzlett will present advice for transforming a business during an online webinar on Dec. 3.

COURTESY JEFFERY HAYZLETT

EDITOR’S CHOICE

How to transform your business SCORE RHODE ISLAND is hosting a webinar to provide information and resources about transforming a business to improve its operation and function in the new economic landscape. Jeffrey Hayzlett, who is chairman of the C-Suite Network, will provide insight into understanding and protecting a small business and its impact over time. Participants will learn about developing the right culture by gaining a better business understanding; knowing a company’s purpose and how to lead with values; why business as usual, bad moods and mediocre expectations are indicators of a bigger problem; ensuring everyone on your team knows your core values and believes in them; learning to live with and develop a brand; and owning your “hero factor.”

THURSDAY, DEC. 3, 2-3 P.M. Free Online webinar.

INFO AND REGISTRATION: bit.ly/3cBwMCD

THE MASSACHUSETTS SMALL Business Development Center is hosting a webinar to discuss ways to scale a company’s sales efforts. Scaling a business means setting the stage to enable and support growth in a company. Meghan Lynch and Andy Sherman will provide advice and information, while also exploring practical and tactical tips for driving a company’s sales through employees, partners and customers. Lynch is CEO and president of Six-Point Creative, a brand-development agency that specializes in helping growthoriented business owners scale their brand and marketing. Sherman is president of Apex Growth Advisors, a firm that focuses on companies that are achieving breakthrough sales growth, discipline and accountability.

TUESDAY, OCT. 13, 11-11:45 A.M. Free Online webinar.

INFO AND REGISTRATION: bit.ly/3lbVbSn

Produce leads to boost sales THE ASSOCIATION OF MARKETING Professionals of Rhode Island is hosting a webinar to provide information about how to utilize social media and digital marketing campaigns to produce leads for driving sales for your

business or enterprise. Alicia Piazza and Nicole Eller, who are founders of The Spark Social marketing firm, will provide participants with information about social media and its role in the marketing funnel, especially with digital leads being a main source of sales. They will detail three to five ideas of how to build the awareness stage of your marketing funnel; gain a better understanding of using the funnel; and discuss action items that could turn your customers into loyal brand ambassadors and promoters.

TUESDAY, OCT. 13, 6-7:30 P.M. Members/free; nonmembers/$5 Online webinar.

INFO AND REGISTRATION: rb.gy/gt71sq

Technology innovation VENTURE CAFÉ and District Hall Providence will host a webinar regarding Access Rhode Island MedTech and its aims to bolster the medical technology sector in Rhode Island through support, resources and information. This webinar will present the breadth of medical technology Interested in having your business-related event included in What’s Happening? Contact PBN Researcher Cassius Shuman at (401) 680-4884 or Shuman@PBN.com.

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To participate in this year’s edition, contact your Account Manager or Advertising@PBN.com | 401-680-4800 MATERIAL DEADLINE: November 20, 2020 10 | OCTOBER 9-15, 2020 | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | www.pbn.com

PUBLICATION DATE: December 18, 2020

WHAT’S HAPPENING | FOR STARTERS innovation in Rhode Island and share resources and services to support local, regional and global startups as they develop and commercialize medical technologies.

THURSDAY, OCT. 15, 9:30 A.M. TO 2 P.M. Free Online webinar.

INFO AND REGISTRATION: bit.ly/3jkuIkV

Discussing new medical devices THE NEW ENGLAND MEDICAL Innovation Center, a nonprofit organization, is hosting a webinar to share, disseminate and discuss new technologies, gadgets and innovations in the public domain. This virtual-technology forum will feature Jessica WillingPichs, a research and product strategist, with 20 years in market research, who will lead a discussion about the latest medical innovations and inventions, including digital, connected products, diagnostics, pharmacy and drug delivery, robotics, materials and sensors.

THURSDAY, OCT. 15, NOON TO 1 P.M. Free

Accelerated Pathway, is to train and support young adults through their academic and early careers by providing informational programs and services aimed at strengthening their skills to support the challenges they face. The program will take place over the course of six months, starting in November and running through May. Pairs will meet for at least one hour per month and take part in three educational training sessions over the course of the six months. Mentors will be matched with college- through early-career-aged mentees. Mentor and mentee pairs will work together solving attainable goals and resolving

challenges.

SUNDAY, NOV. 1, TO MONDAY, MAY 31. Free Online webinar.

INFO AND REGISTRATION: mentees: rb.gy/gvvger; mentors: rb.gy/1entyo

Cancer research THE CANCER ACTION NETWORK is hosting its seventh Annual Cancer Research Breakfast in the virtual space. U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., and local cancer experts will speak during this event, which will

provide information and discussion about groundbreaking strides in cancer treatment and care in Rhode Island. A panel of experts will highlight impacts of innovation in the health care sector and discuss how the coronavirus pandemic has impacted treatment of cancer patients and the ongoing research being conducted.

FRIDAY, NOV. 13, NOON TO 1:30 P.M. Free Online event.

INFO AND REGISTRATION: rb.gy/j9x0d3

Online webinar.

INFO AND REGISTRATION: bit.ly/3l8SuAK

Annual assisted living conference THE RHODE ISLAND ASSISTED Living Association is hosting its annual RIALA Conference in the virtual realm. Professionals in the field will gather for two half-days online, creating a venue for participants to promote their goods and services or network with leaders in the industry.

This webinar series will provide attendees with information, tools and resources to help navigate changing industry trends. Assisted-living administrators can earn up to 7.5 continuing-education units by attending this webinar series.

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 21, 9 A.M. TO 1:30 P.M. AND WEDNESDAY, OCT. 28, 1-5:30 P.M. Free Online webinar.

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Mentor program THE RHODE ISLAND BLACK Business Association is hosting a six-monthlong virtual mentor program. The LEAP program, Leadership Equity UPCOMING PBN EVENT: The 2020 Fall Health Care Summit will be held virtually on Oct. 29 at 9 a.m. To register, visit PBN.com.

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CORONAVIRUS CRISIS WORKPLACES CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

skyscraper that throngs of people who used to spend their workdays at the office are still at home.

Indeed, demand for office space has evaporated since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March, when workplaces closed and people started working remotely en masse to slow the spread of the virus. Commercial brokers say it’s as if someone hit a pause button.

“People are nervous,” said Giuttari, president of MG Commercial Real Estate. “They don’t know what to do. The architects don’t know what to do, in terms of new design. People don’t know who is going to come back to work.”

Fear of causing a COVID-19 outbreak before the release of a vaccine is playing a part in keeping some away, but there are other factors, too, such as parental obligations to children who are at home, attending school virtually.

For many, questions about when, or even if, offices will be chock full of workers again continue to shake up the real estate landscape, altering what office construction is planned in Rhode Island, what spaces are leased and what properties are bought and sold.

And the uncertain future of traditional offices goes beyond mere real estate, with changed habits and routines threatening to reshape carefully cultivated company cultures and upending other businesses that rely on office workers as a source of revenue.

IT’S COMPLICATED Not all offices are empty. Far from it.

Many companies have seen employees return on a voluntary basis, while other businesses have instituted rotating schedules, with alternating days or weeks at the office.

Citizens Financial Group Inc., for example, has reopened its 123-acre campus in Johnston, where up to 3,000 people were working before the pandemic. Employees are now coming in on a voluntary basis and in limited numbers. The same goes for the bank’s corporate headquarters in Providence. Despite videoconferencing technology, face-to-face interactions remain highly valued by Citizens, according to bank spokesman Rory Sheehan.

“Over time, we anticipate that more of the workforce will phase into working from the office,” said Sheehan.

That said, the workforce at most workplaces isn’t close to full strength.

Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island, which employs more than 700 people, said its office workers have remained home, except for a core group of 10 to 15 employees. There are no immediate plans for others to come back, spokeswoman Jill Flaxington said.

Laurie White, president of the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce, estimated that no more than 20% of the local workforce has returned to their offices, based on a recent Chamber survey of its members.

ACTION! Employees at (add)ventures make use of the advertising agency’s video production center in East Providence. The company says it’s in a “pop-in” phase in which employees can work at the office when they need to, as long as they check in ahead of time.

PBN PHOTO/PAMELA BHATIA

“It’s fairly clear that returning to offices, in most cases, is not happening now,” White said.

“People are looking at January 2021 to evaluate it again.”

That timeline didn’t surprise White.

She said larger businesses – offices of 25 people or more – are more apt to have employees mostly working from home, while smaller businesses have had more returning.

The Chamber itself has few of its employees working in the office. Two or three people are there regularly, White said.

The virus is a concern, although White said she senses most workplaces have adapted to the facemask and social-distancing requirements needed to keep employees safe.

“The issue with returning to the workplace is complicated, and it’s complicated for a number of reasons,” she said. “Not the very least is the school situation.”

The fluctuating schedule with most schools – certain days in class, other days virtual, some grades or schools not having children back at all – has left parents of school-aged children with little recourse but to keep working at home.

“It’s huge,” White said of the impact of school schedules on offices. “It’s a very significant determinant in whether or not men and women, mothers and fathers and other caregivers, are able to return to work.”

Case in point: The 130-employee XRA Medical Imaging, headquartered in Cranston, was considered an essential health care business because

it processes diagnostic images, but in the past several months more of its administrative workers have returned, such as 15 billing employees.

They’re able to keep a safe distance from each other.

Philip Lynch, the executive director, said the company has remained flexible for those workers who need to work from home, including those caring for children.

“We have a person who comes just in the afternoon” because her child needs help with online classes in the mornings, Lynch said. “And we have some people who just can’t come back.”

‘BRAKES ON’ Just how many offices are permanently empty?

As of Sept. 28, the vacancy rate for downtown Providence office space stood at 10.6%, according to figures compiled by Washington, D.C.-based CoStar Group and provided by Providence-based Hayes & Sherry Ltd., a Cushman & Wakefield Alliance member.

That number is slightly lower than the 10.7% vacancy rate in the second quarter, but indications are that it could climb again as the pandemic lingers.

A report by Moody’s Analytics published in August estimated that offices in U.S. cities and suburbs may reach a historic vacancy rate of 20% by 2021.

Office occupancy had already been declining before COVID-19, the report found. Its projection CONTINUES ON PAGE 14

‘The leases we were working on ...

I think all of them, they put the brakes on.’

PETER HAYES, Hayes & Sherry Ltd. co-founder and Cushman & Wakefield partner

12 | OCTOBER 9-15, 2020 | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | www.pbn.com

Getting more masks to where they’re needed most Across the country, Bank of America continues to work with local organizations to provide critical resources to the vulnerable and underserved populations hardest hit by the coronavirus.

To support the safety and health of those most at risk in our community, we are partnering with local leaders and organizations to distribute PPE masks here in Rhode Island. This is in addition to the four million masks we donated earlier this year in cities across the country — and part of our ongoing commitment to provide millions of masks to help slow the spread of the coronavirus.

Together, let’s work to help Rhode Island recover.

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146,000 masks distributed to our neighbors here in Rhode Island.

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www.pbn.com | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | OCTOBER 9-15, 2020 | 13

CORONAVIRUS CRISIS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12

has vacancies hitting 19% this year and staying around the 20% mark for two years. Rents could fall by 10% this year, Moody’s reported, with some cities, including New York, having much steeper declines.

In August, sales data collected by the New York-based commercial property data firm Real Capital Analytics found relative stability in prices from July to August, falling by 0.5 percentage points year over year. But the number of transactions dropped by 73%.

Because office leases typically run five to 10 years, the impact of the pandemic may not be appearing yet in the rental statistics, said Peter Hayes, co-founder of Hayes & Sherry and partner at Cushman & Wakefield.

But it’s clear there has been an impact.

“The leases we were working on – we even had leases that were ready to be signed for five to 10 years – I think all of them, they put the brakes on,” Hayes said.

In renewals, tenants want changed terms. Most companies are saying they want to wait 18 to 24 months before they agree to specifics, according to Hayes.

“They’re kicking the can,” he said, because businesses are unsure of how much space they will need and whether people are going to want to continue to work from home.

Will Providence and the Rhode Island suburban markets hit a 20% vacancy rate?

“Who knows,” Hayes said. “I don’t think it’s ­unfathomable.”

RIPPLE EFFECT The changing habits and movements of businesspeople have caused a seismic adjustment for many ancillary businesses that rely on the existence of office workers.

Robert Wheeler, president of Friends of Toto LLC, a Pawtucket dog boarding, grooming and day care business, said people working from home means his day care business has fallen by about half. He also no longer has business travelers dropping off pets for boarding.

The silver-lining? “Pandemic puppies,” dogs adopted by people working from home, need somewhere to burn off energy while their owners work. “A lot of our regulars are not coming in,” Wheeler said. “But now we have a rush of new dogs.”

He’s also added a delivery service – shuttling dogs back and forth to pet-grooming appointments – in an effort to hold on until travel rebounds.

“Business travel, in particular, was a big part of our revenue stream,” he said. “That’s definitely out.”

Roger Gross, 74, has more than 50 years of experience selling business suits, but he’s never seen anything quite like this.

His store, Franklin Rogers Ltd. on Westminster Street in Providence, was once among seven men’s clothiers downtown over the years. Now he thinks he may be the last. But he’s determined to outlast the COVID-19 pandemic, even though it has cleared out his most dependable clients: wellheeled executives.

UNDETERRED: Charles Wiff, left, vice president of Aurelius Coworks, tours the 11th floor of the Turk’s Head Building in Providence with startup manager Jessica Piche. Aurelius is the parent company of Westwey Club, which has launched a coworking location in the building during the pandemic. Wiff is banking on more companies needing flexible office space in the future.

PBN PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

“What is missing is the guy, especially this time of year, who comes in and just loves clothes,” Gross said. “We’re not getting that customer. The person who simply loves clothes. There’s nowhere to wear it, so they’re not buying it.”

Instead, Gross has shifted his advertising to the internet. Now he’s getting younger people, and more people from the suburbs on weekends. He’s selling more suits for weddings, business interviews and funerals.

“I hate to sound ghoulish, but funeral services,” Gross said. “All through this process, in the last several months, we’ve had a kick-up obviously in people who are dying.”

The pandemic has also brought about a chill in construction of new offices.

In recent weeks, two prominent developers have indicated they’re pulling back on plans for new offices.

Developer Fortuitous Partners recently reworked its $300 million Tidewater Landing project in Pawtucket to shift a portion of the plans away from offices and toward multifamily housing.

Brett Johnson, Fortuitous founder and prin-

‘Returning to offices, in most cases, is not happening now. People are looking at January 2021 to evaluate it again.’

LAURIE WHITE, Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce president 14 | OCTOBER 9-15, 2020 | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | www.pbn.com

cipal, cited the impact of the pandemic on traditional offices in a statement to the Pawtucket City Council.

And Wexford Science & Technology LLC, which has built an office and innovation building in Providence’s I-195 Redevelopment District, has renegotiated its purchase of additional land, getting another two years to decide whether to pursue additional office and research space.

The chairman of the district commission doesn’t fault Wexford. The new agreement reflects the softening of the office market.

“They have a fair amount of office space in the district that is not occupied,” said Robert Davis.

“They’re just being cautious.”

CULTURE CONCERN Many companies have found they’re more productive working remotely than expected. Others have found downsides.

Virgin Pulse Inc., which has about 350 employees based in Providence, has some employees clocking in at the office on a voluntary basis. Perhaps 20 employees are at the Providence Journal Building at 75 Fountain St. on a given day, according to CEO David Osborne.

Since moving its global headquarters to Providence in 2017, the company has put a heavy emphasis on fostering a lively office culture, with pingpong tables, a roof deck and even a basketball court on the fourth floor.

The pandemic has changed that. Osborne said he feels that the company culture is missing that collaborative interaction of employees all working together.

“There’s no doubt,” he said. “There are little fissures in the culture, in collaboration, in

PBN.COM | ANOTHER LOOK Council wants oversight on tax breaks

BY NANCY LAVIN | Lavin@PBN.com

(Editor’s note: A version of this story was first published on PBN.com on Oct. 2.)

PROVIDENCE – After failed attempts to remove politics from the city’s process for giving tax breaks to developers, the City Council appears to be moving in the opposite ­direction.

The Tax Stabilization Investment Act, recently introduced by Council President Sabina Matos with support from a majority of the council, calls for all proposed tax stabilization agreements, except those in the I-195 Redevelopment District and in Capital Center, to go before the council for review and approval. Existing policies allow for administrative approval of certain smaller projects, including those that renovate historical properties or revitalize neighborhoods.

The resolution marks an about-face from prior attempts to expand the administrative approval process and remove the council from considering all but the largest projects.

Matos said the new legislation will benefit developers by creating a clear, predictable process for applications, approvals and enforcement.

The current array of policies do not specifically lay out requirements and

MORE SAY? The Providence City Council is seeking to expand its authority in approving tax breaks to developers, such as the tax stabilization agreement granted to the Hotel Hive project downtown.

COURTESY ABDO DEVELOPMENT

the flexibility of when developers can apply for a TSA – anytime until a certificate of occupancy is issued – which Matos said makes it difficult for the city to ensure they are meeting requirements such as using minority contractors and paying adequate wages.

She defended increasing the council’s power in reviewing and approving agreements as a part of their responsibility as elected officials beholden to their constituents.

“This is what we were elected for: to make sure we are looking out for the taxpayers of Providence,” she said. “Why are we going to abdicate our responsibility to someone else?”

Matos also spoke to the importance of public comment on these agreements, which can only happen if there is a council hearing and approval.

City Councilman David Salvatore offered a different take. Salvatore was among those to introduce the resolution, but disagreed with the expan-

sion of council approval in TSAs. Salvatore previously introduced legislation that would have eliminated the council from all but the largest TSA applications, but his proposal has languished in a subcommittee for several years.

Salvatore said he has not changed his mind about the need to take the City Council out of the process, but he liked other parts of the new legislation such as the streamlined application process and ability to enforce requirements that accompany the tax breaks.

Salvatore referenced prior projects, including the $39 million Hotel Hive project planned for the former Providence Journal building on Westminster Street, as an example of how the City Council has “gotten in the way of good, smart development.” While the council eventually approved a TSA for the project, its approval was held up in committee, causing the developer to threaten to withdraw the project.

Patricia Socarras, a spokesperson for Mayor Jorge O. Elorza, said in an emailed statement, “The administration sees this new TSA process as a step in the right direction to making a more predictable and streamlined process for development.” n

CORONAVIRUS CRISIS ­ roductivity. We’re dealing with that the p best we can.”

At Advertising Ventures Inc., a full-service advertising agency that does business as (add)ventures, the company has entered what one executive described as a “pop-in” phase. Employees can work from the office and video production center if they’d like, or they can go home.

It is flexibility designed to keep people working at their highest levels.

It’s not spontaneous, however. Anyone who wants or needs to work at the East Providence office, or even to stop in, has to check with the chief operating officer ahead of time to ensure people are adequately separated, said Mary Sadlier, executive vice president and chief strategy officer.

Through the summer, she estimated only about 10 to 15 of the 80 employees were coming into the office. So far, it’s worked well, although the company will reevaluate early next year.

“We’ve gotten really good feedback that they appreciate it,” Sadlier said.

“It’s that flexibility. There is a sense of comfort for a lot of people to be in the office and there are people who love to be at home all the time.” Sadlier’s own preference is to work from the office. “I like the separation, the little bit of drive

time to decompress before I get home,” she said.

Meanwhile, in the midst of the pandemic, a new office-based business, specializing in flexible space, is trying to get off the ground in downtown Providence.

The Westwey Club LLC is owned by a New York company that has two successful shared workspaces in the Albany region. The company is pushing forward with plans to offer open, shared workspaces, as well as private offices, on the 11th floor of the Turk’s Head Building.

The timing is challenging, acknowledged Charles Wiff, vice president of Aurelius Coworks, the parent company.

Wiff has yet to sign any m ­ embers.

But Westwey Club is in it for the long game. The company is confident that after the pandemic, companies will be more interested in flexible workspace than they are now.

“We think a lot of companies will shift to some sort of hybrid model that fits their needs,” Wiff said. “It may be that part of your team is co-located, part are remote workers. Whatever fits the business. But there will be shifts across the board. We’re really bullish on flexible workspace. What organization wouldn’t want greater flexibility at this point in time?” n

DOGGIE PAUSE: Robert Wheeler, president of Friends of Toto LLC, says his dog boarding, grooming and day care business in Pawtucket has dipped during the pandemic because some clients who are working from home don’t need day care and boarding services for their dogs.

PBN PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

‘People are nervous. They don’t know what to do.’

MICHAEL GIUTTARI, MG Commercial Real Estate Service Inc. president

www.pbn.com | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | OCTOBER 9-15, 2020 | 15

CORONAVIRUS CRISIS Retailers start holiday season earlier than ever

BY JOSEPH PISANI AND ANNE D’INNOCENZIO | The Associated Press

NEW YORK – Add last-minute holiday shopping to the list of time-honored traditions being upended by the coronavirus pandemic. Retailers are kicking off the holiday season earlier than ever this year in hopes of avoiding big in-store crowds and shipping bottlenecks in November and December.

Stores such as Best Buy Co., Macy’s Inc., and Target Corp. typically offer their biggest Black Friday deals over Thanksgiving weekend, but now they’re starting them in October so people don’t crowd their stores later, creating a potentially dangerous situation during a pandemic.

And with more people expected to shop online, retailers are trying to avoid a rush of orders closer to Christmas, which could lead to late packages and more-expensive shipping. Many had a hard time keeping up with the surge in buying when shoppers were locked down in their homes during the early days of the pandemic. Even Amazon.com Inc., which has spent 25 years building warehouses and a delivery network, had to hire an additional 175,000 workers to meet demand.

Black Friday has long been the unofficial start to the U.S. holiday season, though retailers have been pushing holiday shopping earlier for the last decade or so.

This year there’s more urgency. With the coronavirus still spreading in the U.S., stores have had to rethink their usual holiday plans. Thanksgiving Day doorbusters are canceled. There will still be in-store sales the day after Thanksgiving, but companies are expected to try to steer many shoppers to their websites to avoid crowds and chaos.

“We’re preparing for a holiday season unlike any we’ve seen before,” said Target CEO Brian Cornell.

With many people out of work and even more uncertain about their economic futures, this isn’t expected to be a banner year for holiday sales.

Shoppers will likely buy fewer gifts because they won’t be traveling to big family holiday gatherings. And they’ll be focused on gifts related to activities around the home, from workout wear to home goods and gaming consoles. One bright spot: People are spending less on experiences such as travel and eating out, which have siphoned away holiday sales over the past few years.

“Shoppers are going to be very selective in what they buy,’ ’’ said Ken Perkins, president of Retail Metrics, a retail research firm. “Retailers, particularly department stores and specialty clothing chains, need to get it right in terms of inventory and customer traffic. They’re fighting for their lives.”

The first big holiday push will come from Amazon, which is positioning its mid-October Prime Day as a kickoff to the holiday shopping season.

This is the first time Amazon has held Prime Day so close to the holidays. It’s usually in July, but it was postponed this year.

’TIS THE SEASON: Holiday knick-knacks are displayed at a Macy’s department store on Oct. 1 in Denver. Stores are trying to attract earlier holiday shoppers as a way to reduce crowding during the COVID-19 p ­ andemic.

AP PHOTO/DAVID ZALUBOWSKI

That will put pressure on stores to offer deals around the same time, too. Target and Walmart Inc. have already said they will hold their own sales during the same time as Amazon’s. Best Buy will offer deals in October, earlier than it ever has.

Even with the early start to the season, holiday sales are expected to deliver smaller gains than in recent years. But no one really knows what’s going to happen.

Joel Bines, who runs the retail practice at consulting firm AlixPartners, thinks the earlier shopping will stick even when the pandemic is over. He likens it to when most major stores started opening on Thanksgiving Day after one or two stores did it for the first time a decade ago as a way to jump-start Black Friday sales.

“This is here to stay,” Bines said. “The new holiday season is October through January.”

Sasha Vuillaume has already bought Disney Princess figurines for her 5-year-old daughter as a Christmas gift. And if Amazon has a Prime Day deal on the Barbie camper her daughter wants, the veterinary receptionist from Lakewood, Ohio, will probably buy it then.

‘We’re preparing for a holiday season unlike any we’ve seen before.’

BRIAN CORNELL, Target Corp. CEO

16 | OCTOBER 9-15, 2020 | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | www.pbn.com

But Vuillaume expects much of her holiday shopping to be at Target, ordering online and picking up at the store. She wants to spend as little time inside as possible. Before COVID-19, she would grab a drink at Starbucks and wander around the aisles of Target.

“That was kind of my downtime,” she said.

“Now I can’t really do that.”

Stores know that many shoppers such as Vuillaume want to avoid being inside for long and are expanding services that allow them to buy items online and pick them up at the store. Some small businesses are joining in. E-commerce platform Shopify, for example, started offering a way for its merchants with physical shops to add curbside pickup.

Retailers are also making plans for people who don’t want to go to a store at all.

Delivery company DHL International is advising retailers to avoid holding big sales in December, since delivery could be delayed, said Kraig Foreman, the company’s president of e-commerce in North America, who works with nearly 30 retail chains.

Some are already seeing shipping delays.

Balsam Hill, which sells high-end artificial Christmas trees online, is warning shoppers on its website that shipping could take twice as long than the typical three to four days.

People seem to be in the holiday spirit already.

Mac Harman, CEO of parent company Balsam Brands Inc., said sales rose in July and continue to be so high that he’s worried the company could run out of faux trees by Black Friday.

“I don’t want to let customers down in a year where we need more joy than ever,” he said. n

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FOCUS | EDUCATION HOME-SCHOOL CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Sending Adalyn to a crowded public school or monitoring her sitting in front of a computer screen all day doing distance learning didn’t seem like good options. That’s how the family wound up doing something Andrea Knoll never previously considered: home schooling.

Amid virus-related concerns and distaste for distance learning, parents across the country and in Rhode Island are increasingly turning to home schooling as a safer, more effective alternative.

Quantifying the surge in newly home-schooled students is difficult, as states track the data differently and the numbers continue to fluctuate even as the school year progresses.

Just under 1,900 students were home-schooled in Rhode Island last year, versus the more than 143,000 public school students, according to the R.I. Department of Education.

While data on the number of home-schooled students this year was not available, Brian Ray, president and founder of the National Home Education Research Institute, expected states to see a 20% to 40% increase in home-schooled students nationally based on information he had gathered from local and state home-school organizations.

ENRICHri, a secular home-school support group in Rhode Island, has already seen a surge in membership, as well as interest in its virtual workshops, according to Marcia Sirois, an organization spokesperson. Prior to the pandemic, the group’s monthly information workshops held in libraries around the state garnered a couple dozen attendees. Virtual versions held in June and July saw registrations draw upward of 150 people, Sirois said.

At the same time, formal members of ENRICH­ ri, who have access to private Facebook groups and online learning tools for a $30 annual fee, grew by more than 65% since the pandemic to the current roster of 450.

While some of the new members are parents who may have chosen to home-school their children anyway, many are recent converts. But Sirois believed even those who may not have planned to home-school their children will grow to love it and stick with it, even after the pandemic subsides.

“In all our efforts in 10 years, we could not have done a better job than what 2020 has done for home schooling,” she said. “It’s looked at as much more normal now, more mainstream.”

When Sirois, a mother of two, decided to start home schooling seven years ago, it was not viewed so positively, including by herself.

“I always thought they were just weird people

HANDS-ON LEARNING: Kathryn Barr is a former teacher and school administrator who created the Eastside Learning Pod in Providence for elementary school students who are being home-schooled or attending school entirely by distance learning, with a focus on group and experiential activities. Barr helps Sydney Kingman, 7, with her work.

PBN PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

who lived in the woods,” she said of families who home-schooled children.

But she was forced to reconsider amid the struggles faced by her then-middle school-aged son, who began attending Riverside Middle School in East Providence after the family moved from Maine, where he attended a much smaller school.

She saw an ad for ENRICHri and decided to give home schooling a go. It proved so successful that Sirois and her husband have opted to home-school their younger son, who is 7, from the get-go.

The transition to learning at home is likely more difficult for older students and those already accustomed to a traditional school setting, Sirois acknowledged. But the benefit of home schooling’s increasing popularity is that more resources are becoming available, from online learning platforms and support groups to former teachers offering their expertise to single or small groups of students.

On a recent sunny afternoon, a small classroom

‘[Home schooling is] looked at as much more normal now, more mainstream.’

MARCIA SIROIS, ENRICHri spokesperson

18 | OCTOBER 9-15, 2020 | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | www.pbn.com

in the otherwise-empty St. Martin’s Episcopal Church in Providence filled with laughter and chatter. Two children wrote Halloween-related words on orange, pumpkin-shaped cut-outs, while a third sat in front of a laptop listening to instructions. Piles of books and art supplies surrounded them.

This is the Eastside Learning Pod, a small, group learning environment started by former teacher and school administrator Kathryn Barr.

For a $675 monthly fee plus enrollment costs, Barr offers three days per week of supervised hands-on and group activities in the classroom and, when the weather permits, outside. She framed the offering as a way to help struggling parents teach their students the way she would have wanted her now-adult children to learn if she had been in their shoes.

Knoll, who has continued to work full time, said the pod was what made home schooling a viable option. It also gives Adalyn the social interaction she’d been missing for months since the pandemic began.

Knoll was unsure whether she would continue home-schooling once the virus had passed. But either way, the traditional school model was unlikely to remain the same.

“I think what you’re going to see is demand for smaller schools that don’t necessarily have all the bells and whistles we traditionally thought schools needed to have,” Barr said.

Ray agreed. “The whole concept of alternative schooling, whether private or at home, is really going to deepen and extend in ways we haven’t seen,” he said. n

EDUCATION | FOCUS Shortage of subs plagues some schools

BY ALEXA GAGOSZ | Gagosz@PBN.com

ASHLEY BREAULT WASN’T SURE what was happening those first few days of school in September.

For a week, her 5-year-old daughter Maria didn’t have a teacher after Veterans Memorial Elementary in Central Falls reopened virtually on Sept. 14.

“We finally got some type of communication after I complained,” said Breault, who also has a son in preschool.

After finally being assigned a longterm substitute kindergarten teacher when Maria’s original teacher had to go on medical leave, Breault was told to pick up a packet of worksheets at the school. Her daughter completed the work within a day. Breault didn’t know the packet was supposed to last for two weeks.

“How is that learning? That’s just not enough,” said Breault. “There needs to be more.”

Schools that were scrambling to teach students through remote platforms on an emergency basis last spring are now dealing with another new pandemic-related problem this fall: fewer substitute teachers to cover classrooms.

A shortage of substitute teachers is nothing new in many school districts, educators say, but the scarcity has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

For example, the Providence Public School District – Rhode Island’s largest – had 31 classroom vacancies at the start of the school year.

District spokeswoman Laura Hart said part of the problem is that the

‘There’s just a lot of problems across the board.’

FRANK FLYNN, Rhode Island Federation of Teachers and Health Professionals president

district has become stricter in how substitute teachers are used. Traditionally, if there wasn’t a substitute to cover a class, students would be dispersed to other classrooms. Now, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the district is assigning long-term substitutes to buildings to keep groups stable.

Maribeth Calabro, president of the Providence Teachers Union, said the pandemic has also hampered other ways the district has filled holes in coverage in the past, such as using students from local colleges. This year, that’s not happening.

The workload for virtual learning is far greater than what the teachers anticipated and has caused some of them to pull double duty.

“We do have teachers who have two rosters of 26 students as opposed to their in-person colleagues who teach 26 students all day at the elementary level,” said Calabro. “It is double the work and half the content over the same amount of time, which is a serious concern for our teachers who are worried about the learning loss for students.”

Calabro said she understands the need for flexibility during the pandemic, but it should not come at the expense of quality instruction.

Frank Flynn, the president of the Rhode Island Federation of Teachers and Health Professionals, said the teacher shortages vary by district but are most prevalent in urban areas. It doesn’t help, he said, that many substitute pools are made up of retired teachers who are less willing to return to the classroom since their age makes them more vulnerable to COVID-19.

“There’s just a lot of problems across the board,” said Flynn.

It’s not that these problems didn’t exist prior to the pandemic. COVID-19 has added to the personnel and infrastructure issues that schools CONTINUES ON PAGE 21

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FOCUS | PRIVATE SECONDARY SCHOOLS (ranked by 2019-2020 high school enrollment) FOCUS | PRIVATE SECONDARY SCHOOLS ((ranked by 2019-2020 high school enrollment) School | Website Principal

Address Phone

High school enrollment for grades 9 to 12 Male/female ratio

La Salle Academy | lasalle-academy.org Donald J. Kavanaugh, principal; Dennis Malloy, president

612 Academy Ave. Providence, R.I. 02908 (401) 351-7750

1,334 1-to-1

2019: 2

2

Bishop Feehan High School | bishopfeehan.com Sean Kane, principal; Timothy Sullivan, president

70 Holcott Drive Attleboro, Mass. 02703 (508) 226-6223

1,085 1-to-1.25

3

Bishop Hendricken High School | hendricken.com Mark DeCiccio

2615 Warwick Ave. Warwick, R.I. 02889 (401) 739-3450

732 All male

2019: 4

4

Bishop Stang High School | bishopstang.org Peter Shaughnessy, president and principal

500 Slocum Road Dartmouth, Mass. 02747 (508) 996-5602

531 30-to-29

5 2019: 5

Saint Raphael Academy | saintrays.org Daniel Richard

123 Walcott St. Pawtucket, R.I. 02860 (401) 723-8100

500 1-to-1

2020 rank

1 2019: 1

2019: 3

CLOSER LOOK Student/ Faculty Ratio

Tuition

Type of school

12-to-1

$15,675

Independent Catholic collegepreparatory school run by De La Salle Christian Brothers

$12,450

Coeducational Catholic high school

12-to-1

$15,600

All-boys Catholic college-preparatory high school under the Diocese of Providence, grades 8-12

1-to-12

$11,100

Catholic collegepreparatory school

12-to-1

15-to-1

$13,350

Catholic collegepreparatory school founded by the De La Salle Christian Brothers

6

Mount Saint Charles Academy | mountsaintcharles.org Julie Beauvais

800 Logee St. Woonsocket, R.I. 02895 (401) 769-0310

450 1-to-1

18-to-1

$14,975

Coed private Catholic collegepreparatory school, grades 6-12, founded by the Brothers of the Sacred Heart

2019: 7

7

The Prout School | theproutschool.org David Estes

4640 Tower Hill Road South Kingstown, R.I. 02879 (401) 789-9262

400 1-to-1

10-to-1

$15,350

Catholic coeducational college-preparatory high school

8 2019: 10

St. George's School | stgeorges.edu Alixe Callen, head of school

372 Purgatory Road Middletown, R.I. 02842 (401) 847-7565

373 1-to-1

7-to-1

$43,650

Small independent college-preparatory boarding and day school for students in grades 9-12

9 2019: 9

The Wheeler School | wheelerschool.org Allison Gaines Pell, head of school

216 Hope St. Providence, R.I. 02906 (401) 421-8100

354 1-to-1

$39,415

Coeducational independent day school enrolling students from nursery through grade 12

10 2019: 11

Portsmouth Abbey School | portsmouthabbey.org Dan McDonough, headmaster

285 Cory's Lane Portsmouth, R.I. 02871 (401) 643-1248

350 1-to-1

$39,800

Boarding and day school founded by the English Benedictine Catholic community

11 2019: 12

St. Mary Academy - Bay View | bayviewacademy.org Sister Marybeth Beretta, president

3070 Pawtucket Ave. East Providence, R.I. 02915 (401) 434-0113

252 All female

8-to-1

$16,650

Catholic collegepreparatory school for girls sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy

12 2019: 16

Providence Country Day School | providencecountryday.org Kevin Folan, head of school

660 Waterman Ave. East Providence, R.I. 02914 (401) 438-5170

210 1-to-1

6-to-1

$36,825

Coed collegepreparatory school enrolling grades 6-12

2019: 15

Lincoln School | lincolnschool.org Sophie Lau, head of school

301 Butler Ave. Providence, R.I. 02906 (401) 331-9696

180 All female

6-to-1

$38,900

Independent college-preparatory Quaker school for girls grades K-12; coed for infant-preK

14 2019: 17

Rocky Hill Country Day School | rockyhill.org Diane Rich, head of school

530 Ives Road East Greenwich, R.I. 02818 (401) 884-9070

155 1-to-1

5-to-1

$38,500

Independent coeducational college-preparatory school, preschool through grade 12

School One | school-one.org Jennifer Borman, head of school

220 University Ave. Providence, R.I. 02906 (401) 331-2497

80 2-to-4

9-to-1

$30,024

Arts-intensive college-preparatory high school

2019: 6

13

15

2019: 18

20 | OCTOBER 9-15, 2020 | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | www.pbn.com

6-to-1

7-to-1

Total enrollment:

6,986 LIST RESEARCHED BY Cassius Shuman NEED A COPY? To purchase a copy of this list, call (401) 273-2201 or visit PBN.com/lists for more information.

UPCOMING LISTS Hospitals, Addiction Treatment Centers (Oct. 16); Commercial Real Estate Brokerage Firms (Rhode Island & Bristol County), Rhode Island Business and Industrial Parks (Oct. 23) WANT TO JOIN? For more information about participating in PBN’s Top Lists, or to make additions or corrections, call (401) 680-4884 or write to Shuman@PBN.com.

EDUCATION | FOCUS

Virtual Open House Sunday, October 25th at 1pm.

To register, go to hendricken.com/openhouse, or call Mrs. Solomon at 889.5422. Private tours are also available. Now accepting applications for fall 2021!

Entrance Exam: Saturday, December 5th or 12th at 8am.

PAPER PACKET: Ashley Breault helps her daughter Maria do her kindergarten work. Breault had to pick up the homework at her daughter’s school, Veterans Memorial Elementary School in Central Falls, after her daughter’s teacher had to go on medical leave and was replaced by a long-term substitute teacher.

BISHOP HENDRICKEN HIGH SCHOOL

PBN PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19

have always had, some educators say.

“There’s a sub shortage in a good year,” said Darlene Netcoh, president of Warwick Teachers’ Union, Local 915. “Every district is raising the daily pay [for substitutes] to attract more. So, they’re all in competition of each other.”

Hart said the Providence school district is hoping to recruit up to 50 more long-term, certified subs and 50 more per-diem teachers with bonuses of up to $2,000, depending on the number of days worked in a row.

Flynn said getting a handle on the staffing needs statewide was made more difficult because plans for reopening schools were evolving until just before the first day of school.

Robert Stewart, president of the Woonsocket Teachers’ Guild, said it was just two weeks before schools were set to open that Gov. Gina M. Raimondo and the R.I. Department of Education announced that every district except Providence and Central Falls had the green light to reopen.

“And then, just days before starting, our district told us that we would [hold in-person classes], and it caused

child care issues for so many teachers,” said Stewart. “They didn’t want to not teach, but they couldn’t leave their children at home.”

Those teachers, Stewart said, applied for the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which requires employers to provide paid sick leave for reasons related to COVID-19.

These classrooms now need substitute teachers.

“And it’s not just subs when you’re out or are sick,” said Stewart.

Both he and his wife, who both teach in Woonsocket, recently had to wait five days to return to the classroom until they received their results from the state-run COVID-19 testing center for staff and students.

While waiting for results, teachers still have to instruct from home, but a substitute will have to be in the classroom with the students.

Back in Central Falls, Breault said she’s picked up another 17-page packet of homework for her daughter, who still doesn’t understand why she’s not seeing her regular teacher.

Breault said her daughter asks her every day: “Mom, where are my teachers?” n

www.pbn.com | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | OCTOBER 9-15, 2020 | 21

a guide to

PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS

PBN

designed, made and built in Rhode Island

2020

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.

BUSINESS NEWS

PBN

PROVIDENCE

BOATING

A guide to

ABOUT ABOUT US US Associated Associated Builders Builders and and Contractors Contractors of of Rhode Rhode Island Island (ABC) (ABC) represents represents merit merit shop shop construction construction and and industry industry related related companies companies across across Rhode Rhode Island Island and and Massachusetts.

Massachusetts. ABC ABC helps helps our our members members develop develop people, people, win win work, work, deliver deliver work work safely, safely, ethically ethically and and profitably profitably for for the the betterment betterment of of the the communities communities where where our our member member companies companies work. work. Our Our mission mission isis to to create create an an environment environment that that provides provides merit merit shop shop contractors contractors equal equal opportunity opportunity to to bid bid on on and and perform perform all all projects. projects.

TracPhone LTE-1

Fall 2019

designed, made and built in Rhode Island

WHO makes WHAT here?

THE THINGS WE MAKE

STUFF STUFF WE WE MAKE MAKE

THE STORY BEHIND KVH: Starting from creating the first digital compass for sailboat racing in 1982, KVH Industries Inc. has evolved into a creator of mobile communications and guidance systems and services for the leisure, commercial and military/ government markets on both land and sea.

COMPANY COMPANY INFO INFO Associated Associated Builders Builders and and Contractors Contractors of of Rhode Rhode Island Island

› The TracPhone LTE-1 enables boaters to stay connected through phones and Wi-Fi devices up to 20 miles off the U.S. coast

CAN I

find work there?

COMPANY COMPANY INFO INFO SafeSafe Harbor Harbor NewNew England England Boatworks, Boatworks, LLC LLC A Subsidiary A Subsidiary of of SafeSafe Harbor Harbor Marinas, Marinas, LLC LLC

› KVH employs 600-plus people worldwide and about 250 at its headquarters and satelliteproduct manufacturing facility in Middletown › The TracPhone LTE-1 is made in Middletown and was first produced for consumer sale in June 2018

1 Lagoon 1 Lagoon RoadRoad Portsmouth, Portsmouth, RI 02871 RI 02871 Baxter Baxter Underwood, Underwood, CEO CEO RivesRives Potts,Potts, President President

› MSRP is $1,699 › The TracPhone LTE-1 can access two different cellphone carriers as opposed to just one as is typical

shmarinas.com shmarinas.com 401-683-4000 401-683-4000

linkedin.com/company/ linkedin.com/company/ new-england-boatworks new-england-boatworks youtube.com/user/ youtube.com/user/ NEBoatworks NEBoatworks

Collegiate FJ

(Flying Junior boat)

twitter.com/neboatworks twitter.com/neboatworks NEB Employees: NEB Employees: 150 150

› Collegiate FJ is made in Bristol › About 150 are made per year

SHM SHM Founded: Founded: 20152015

› Each Collegiate FJ costs $8,195, is made of fiberglass and polyester resin, and is 13 feet 3 inches long and weighs 230 pounds

PLUS

BECOMING A MAKER pg. 8

BECOMING A BUILDER pg. 19

BECOMING A DESIGNER pg. 24

Safe Harbor Marinas, LLC (SHM) is the largest owner and operator of marinas in the world. As a fast-growing private equity sponsored company, SHM cultivates a team dynamic of passionate individuals led by the sharpest minds in the industry in order to serve the vibrant boating community that encompasses the SHM network. SHM offers professional education and training opportunities including ABYC, manufacturers’ certifications and the chance to work with – and learn from – highly experienced marina professionals. There are 80+ marinas across the US and six properties in Rhode Island including the manufacturing facility at New England Boatworks (NEB) in Portsmouth, and marinas in Barrington, North Kingstown, Portsmouth and Warwick.

STUFF WE WE MAKE STUFF MAKE For over 30 years NEB has built, repaired, restored, optimized and upgraded some pretty

Design is 40 years old, but has been refined for the college market PBN.com  A Guide to

made and built in Rhode Island

39

Profiles of local companies and the types of careers they offer

ABOUT ABOUT THETHE JOBJOB

CAREER CAREER OPPORTUNITIES OPPORTUNITIES

A Guide to

designed, made and built in Rhode Island  2019

<< Pepperidge Pepperidge Farm Farm Silo Silo && Automation Automation Project Project built built by

by Notch Notch Mechanical Mechanical Constructors Constructors

<< Seasons Seasons Corner Corner Market Market built built by by Cornerstone Cornerstone Design/Build Design/Build Services Services

Employees: Employees: 44

<< North North Randolph Randolph Fire Fire Station Station built built by

by J.J. J.J. Cardosi Cardosi

HRHR CONTACT CONTACT

A Guide to

To To plan plan your your path path as as an an electrician, electrician, one one would would start start as as an an apprentice. apprentice. Rhode Rhode Island's Island's electrical electrical apprenticeship apprenticeship program program isis four four (4) (4) years. years. During During this this time time the the apprentice apprentice will will acquire acquire on on the the job job training training along along with with classroom classroom education education through through the the state state approved approved school school Rhode Rhode Island Island Construction Construction Training Training Academy Academy (RICTA).

(RICTA). At At the the end end of of the the apprenticeship, apprenticeship, he/she he/she will will be be able able to to apply apply to to test test for for aa Journeyman Journeyman license. license. Once Once aa license license isis obtained obtained itit will will open open up up the the door door to to many many possibilities possibilities such such as as Project Project Manager, Manager, business business owner, owner, inspector inspector or or teacher. teacher.

401-287-2588 401-287-2588

CAREER CAREER OPPORTUNITIES OPPORTUNITIES hashton@shmarinas.com hashton@shmarinas.com

With With aa career career in in construction construction the the opportunities opportunities are are limitless. limitless. Each Each person person that that enters enters the the industry industry isis on on aa path path to to earning earning aa competitive competitive salary, salary, learning learning aa new new skill skill and and building building America America with with their their own own hands. hands.

Combative Training RICTA RICTA also also offers offers apprenticeship apprenticeship training training in in carpentry, carpentry, craft craft laborer, laborer, HVAC, HVAC, commercial commercial painting, painting, pipefitting, pipefitting, roofing, roofing, sheet sheet metal metal and and sprinkler sprinkler fitting. fitting.

Helmet

made and built in Rhode Island  2018

PBN.com  A Guide to

CAREER PATH THETHE CAREER PATH

facebook.com/Rhodefacebook.com/RhodeIsland-Construction-TrainingIsland-Construction-TrainingAcademy-149025018469851/ Academy-149025018469851/

made and built in Rhode Island

49

› The Amerisewn Combative Training Helmet was designed and is manufactured in Cranston and is used by the U.S. military for combat training

I first started working at Safe Harbor Marinas during my IYRS internship and then was hired full-time after I graduated as an apprentice. As an apprentice with SHM, I work with several different team members to learn about all aspects of marina operations. This structure works well for me because I am constantly shifting gears and getting moved around to different projects. The SHM Apprenticeship program is a registered apprenticeship with the State of Rhode Island and at this point, I have about one year left to go in this stage of my training. Looking forward, I hope to finish the apprenticeship program and keep working with more seasoned team members to become a trusted mechanic.

MATERIALS DUE:

401-305-3510 401-305-3510

There are 98 steps to make the helmet by hand

THE STORY: Amerisewn, a division

of Desmark Industries that focuses on developing combat-training and protective gear for public safety and military personnel, has received nearly $100,000 in state Innovation Vouchers in support of its efforts. In the last two years it has roughly doubled its workforce to 42 to meet the growing demand for these types of products.

› The first one was made in 2014 › 1,200 are made in one year › It costs $900 per unit › Aside from its protective properties, the helmet is anti-microbial, adjustable for head size, can be wiped down, and the face shield opens for water breaks designed, made and built in Rhode Island

› The helmet is made of a combination of six foams, molded high-density polyethylene, three resins, three vinyls, and four other textile products › It usually takes a team of three to four people five hours to make each helmet

59

 If you are a manufacturer…  If you are an educaational institution…  If you are a business… ...join us today and SHOWCASE YOUR BUSINESS in the 2020 edition.

30, 2020

THE THINGS WE MAKE

Kristen@ricta.org Kristen@ricta.org

ricta.org ricta.org

❶

ADDITIONAL ADDITIONAL TRAINING TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES OPPORTUNITIES

r spot u o y e Reserv today! f f u t S in

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Director Director of of Training: Training: Kristen Kristen Brescia Brescia

249 249 Roosevelt Roosevelt Ave. Ave. Pawtucket, Pawtucket, RI RI 02860 02860

JOURNEYMAN JOURNEYMAN $45,000 $45,000 -- $70,000 $70,000

Each morning I check in with my team to assess and prioritize the workload. We all know that even if there is a solid plan for the day, things might change at any minute due to member needs or any number of things. For me, that’s what keeps things interesting! My favorite part of this job is troubleshooting because you are basically trying to solve a gigantic puzzle with some of the best people in the business. I find incredible satisfaction when the work is done, particularly when I can help fix a boat and return it back to a grateful member. I’m also a big fan of the location of my work, and how each and every day I have a water view from my “office.”

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MASTER MASTER ELECTRICIAN ELECTRICIAN $80,000 $80,000 -- $100,000 $100,000

APPRENTICE APPRENTICE $26,000 $26,000 -- $40,000 $40,000

HollyHolly Ashton Ashton

48

THE THE CAREER CAREER PATH PATH

<< University University Orthopedics Orthopedics at at Kettle Kettle Point, Point, excavating excavating by

by William William Anthony Anthony Excavating, Excavating, Inc. Inc.

<< Waterfire Waterfire Arts Arts Center Center built built by by Trac Trac Builders Builders Inc. Inc.

working the fuel dock at a local yacht club. This experience solidified my interest in working on boats and eventually I found my way to IYRS School of Technology & Trades. At IYRS, I enrolled in the 6-month Marine Systems program. While at IYRS, I earned my American Boat & Yacht Council Marine Systems, Electrical and Diesel certifications and completed my internship at Safe Harbor Cowesett, in Warwick, RI, where I have been working ever since.

SHM is focused on being an exceptional place to work. There are training and mentoring opportunities at all levels of the organization and an emphasis placed on promoting from within. In Rhode Island, SHM has a state registered apprenticeship program for marine technicians to ensure that entry-level employees get the training that they need. SHM offers a generous benefits package to eligible employees. In addition, SHM encourages employees to grow within the company and offers several tracks to management and opportunities to relocate across the country.

58

ABOUT ABOUT THE THE JOB JOB Some Some requirements requirements II feel feel are are paramount paramount in in being being an an electrician electrician would would be be first first and and foremost, foremost, aa valid valid driver's driver's license. license. This This would would be be the the most most important important as as II find find myself myself traveling traveling aa lot. lot.

I'm I'm licensed licensed in in multiple multiple states states which which adds adds to to the the amount amount of of road road time time substantially. substantially. Next Next would would be be reliability. reliability. II need need to to be be able able to to perform perform my my job job every every day; day; rain, rain, snow, snow, hot hot or or cold. cold. II believe believe having having strong strong mathematical, mathematical, reading reading and and problem problem solving solving skills skills are are invaluable invaluable as as well well as as aa sound sound and and thorough thorough theory theory foundation. foundation. These These skills skills are are what what II feel feel most most employers employers look look for. for.

ABC ABC Member Member companies companies are are busy busy building building everywhere. everywhere. Here Here are are just just aa few few examples! examples!

PERSONAL THOUGHTS At 14 years old, I had my first job in the marine industry

account • Life insurance • Disability insurance • 401(k) • Bonuses • Paid vacation time • Paid sick time • Internships

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People always ask, “What’s your typical day?” That’s easy, and the most favorable part of the job. There is nothing typical about any day here. With the seasonality of the industry Founded: Founded: 1990 1990 I find the only change here is the urgency with how quickly we must complete projects.

There are troubleshooting and quick repairs during the summer season, whereas winter is reserved for more methodical approaches to the workload.

YEARS AT COMPANY 1

PERSONAL PERSONAL THOUGHTS THOUGHTS II find find myself myself to to be be quite quite fortunate fortunate to to be be in in such such an an incredible incredible field field as as an an electrician. electrician. This This trade trade isis constantly constantly changing changing with with the the advancements advancements of of technology technology and and equipment equipment along along with with the the individual individual needs needs of of customers customers and and society society as as aa whole. whole. Electricians Electricians play play aa vital vital role role in in our our towns towns infrastructure infrastructure locally locally and and nationally. nationally. Whether Whether it's it's remodeling remodeling or or new new construction construction of of aa home home or or commercial commercial building, building, fitting fitting out out aa production production floor floor assembly assembly line, line, or or pooling pooling together together to to rebuild rebuild after after Mother Mother Nature Nature deals deals out out her her worst, worst, the the opportunities opportunities in in this this line line of of work work are are endless endless with with its its infinite infinite niches niches of of specialized specialized and and non-specialized non-specialized work. work. The The day day to to day day challenges challenges keep keep me me sharp sharp with with every every new new task task as as I'm I'm put put to to the the test test with with designing, designing, planning planning and and executing executing an an explicit explicit plan plan to to get get the the job job done, done, turning turning over over aa full full and and complete complete install install to to the the customer. customer.

ABC ABC Rhode Rhode Island Island hosts hosts events events throughout throughout the the year year including including educational, educational, social, social, and and golf golf to to name name aa few. few. ABC ABC isis aa charitable charitable partner partner of of Adoption Adoption Rhode Rhode Island Island and and the the Rhode Rhode Island Island Food Food Bank.

Bank.

Eastern RI where I spent most of my summers as youth on the river. Recreational 401-305-3510 401-305-3510 boating was also a major factor. I assisted my father at the age of 12 on my first refit to his 1967 Pacemaker. It was all over after that. I’ve always found working in the marine 249 Roosevelt Ave. Ave. industry as rewarding and exciting, there is always something249 newRoosevelt to learn. Especially Pawtucket, Pawtucket, RI RIprovide 02860 02860 when working on refits/new construction. It’s rewarding to have the ability to members with exactly the vessel of their dreams. We excel at purpose built applications using the latest in manufacturing processes.

ABCRI.org ABCRI.org

ABOUT ABOUT THETHE JOBJOB

YEARS YEARS AT AT COMPANY COMPANY 22

COOL COOL CUSTOMERS CUSTOMERS

Maureen@abcri.org Maureen@abcri.org

GREG GREG KEHOE KEHOE Apprentice Mechanic

COOL CUSTOMERS COOL CUSTOMERS

BENEFITS BENEFITS Health insurance • Dental insurance • Flexible spending

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President: President: Maureen Maureen Grillo Grillo

YEARS AT COMPANY 14

PERSONAL THOUGHTS I was raised in the commercial fishing industry in South

I started here as a dockhand while attending NEIT in 2004 and have slowly worked my way up to being a lead electrician for NEB. It wasn’t an easy path, but a rewarding one since I thrive on providing problem solving solutions for marine systems and repair.

With hard work and a genuine interest in the field there are great opportunities to grow a career. Above all it is key to find a mentor and I have to thank the team at NEB for guiding me during my career path.

and government use. Our team has built well over 100 new boats, refit over 150 boats, built close to 20 art installations and numerous other smaller products from metal, wood or composites. We also repair and upgrade recreational and commercial boats from all over the country. Our team is world renowned for building record breaking racing sailboats.

pg. 44

JONJON ARRUDA ARRUDA Technical Foreman

THETHE CAREER PATH CAREER PATH

At NEB we have a long list of interesting customers including:  NYYC  American

Magic America’s Cup Team  City  of Staten Island, NY - 9/11 Memorial “Postcards”  TF Green  Airport - Yachting Display in the Arrivals Terminal  Raytheon  - Composite Products  Hole Oceanographic Institution - Composite Products  Woods   Blount Boats Inc. - Aluminum Commercial Yachts .... just to name a few

› Eighteen people work at Zim › Two-and-a-half to three FJs are made per week

ABOUT ABOUT US US

facebook.com/safeharbor facebook.com/safeharbor amazing projects for personal, newenglandboatworks newenglandboatworks commercial, industrial, non-profit

THE STORY: Bristol-based Zim Sailing was founded 10 years ago. It specializes in one-design sailboats, accessories and parts. The Collegiate FJ is primarily used for collegiate market and race teams, including Brown University’s team.

› A team of four people make each boat

Members Members of of ABC ABC build build and and provide provide professional professional services services that that support support the the construction construction industry. industry. Our Our member member companies companies offer offer construction construction management, management, design, design, telecommunication telecommunication systems, systems, security security systems, systems, equipment equipment leasing leasing and and rental, rental, electrical, electrical, site site excavating, excavating, facility facility remediation, remediation, hazardous hazardous waste waste handling, handling, masonry, masonry, framing, framing, waterproofing, waterproofing, roofing, roofing, sheet sheet metal, metal, insulation, insulation, painting, painting, pipefitting, pipefitting, sprinkler sprinkler fitting, fitting, hardware, hardware, piping, piping, windows, windows, doors, doors, HVAC, HVAC, plumbing, plumbing, insurance, insurance, legal, legal, advertising, advertising, marketing, marketing, accounting, accounting, payroll, payroll, temporary temporary help help services, services, computer, computer, fleet fleet management, management, leasing, leasing, and and fringe fringe benefit benefit management management services. services.

JEFF JEFF WARD WARD Master Master Electrician Electrician and and Company Company President President

The suit fits any woman or man from 5 feet 2 inches tall to 6 feet 4 inches tall

Submarine Damage Control Suit THE STORY: Propel LLC

› Known as a steam suit, the Damage Control Suit is protective gear for emergency responders to steam line ruptures aboard submarines, according to the U.S. Navy › Seventy percent of the inputs to the steam suit is made in Rhode Island › The first prototype of the steam suit was made in early 2016 › Production of the suit will start in 2019, with 500 units expected to be made › Each suit costs $4,500 › Propel has six employees

develops textile-driven technologies for demanding clients, including the U.S. military and fire service.

And while final assembly of all this women-owned enterprise’s products is not done in Rhode Island, Pawtucket is at the heart of the business.

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made and built in Rhode Island

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IT’S PERSONAL Salvation Army promotes Rivera LENISSA RIVERA, a Middletown resident and corps officer at The Salvation Army in Newport, has been promoted to captain. Rivera moved to Newport in July of 2019, following four years of service as an officer of the Meriden, Conn., corps. Rivera oversees The Salvation Army’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, providing support to more than 3,000 people in Newport County. She also guides implementation of the Pathway to Hope program in Newport, which is an initiative aimed at providing support to families that are struggling with intergenerational poverty.

What are your thoughts about being promoted to captain at The Salvation Army in Newport?

Being promoted to captain while serving here at The Salvation Army in Newport has special significance to me.

As the child of Air Force veterans, the United States military holds an extra special place in my heart. I have been blessed to work alongside several of the officers stationed at the naval base, as they have generously donated food for our pantry and sponsored children through our Angel Tree program. I am humbled to serve as a captain alongside some of our country’s heroes, who, while training and keeping our country safe, are also serving as boots on the ground for our clients here in Newport County.

What inspires you to help those less fortunate and in need in the community?

I am inspired to help those who are less fortunate and in need because I was once where they are. As a young single mother of two daughters, I found myself in a situation where I was unemployed and desperately needed help.

It was extremely humbling to have to ask for help from the one place where I now spend my life helping others.

It just showed me how quickly others can fall into that same situation. I want to be that beacon of hope where at times it seems like there is none.

FOCUS

REAL ESTATE 2020

How has the coronavirus impacted your life personally and professionally?

The coronavirus has put my life at a standstill. All our energies and focus have been to help those who are dealing with hardships as a result of the pandemic. My immediate family, including one of my daughters, [is] in three different states and it has been impossible to see them. My graduate classes were put on hold, as well. This season of life has been difficult, but I realize that there are many others who are in far more-difficult situations.

What role does music play in your life, and how has it gone hand in hand with your career in the U.S. Army?

As a shy and anxious teenager, I taught myself how to play piano by eating lunch in the music practice rooms instead of the lunchroom. I have also had the opportunity to sing at various sporting events, like the former Hartford Whalers and Pawtucket Red Sox games – and even at the world-renowned Apollo Music Theater at the age of 19. However, I knew in my heart that God had a different plan for my life. Now, I focus on teaching music to the next generation and participating in select music groups with The Salvation Army. n

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IT’S PERSONAL MACKAY’S MORAL | HARVEY MACKAY

ONE OF THE REASONS we admire people who take risks is that most of us are scared stiff at the prospect of taking risks ourselves.

To help you in these perilous times, I’ve come up with my ABCs of risktaking: A is for apprehension. Taking a large or small risk comes with a degree of apprehension.

B is for bravery. Afraid to try something new? Most people are.

C is for challenging. Don’t be afraid to take calculated risks. If you win, you will be happy. If you lose, you will be wise.

D is for differentiator. Some risks can make or break your business.

E is for enterprising. Thinking outside the box to find the information you need or to get the project accomplished is one of the traits that I really admire in people.

F is for flexibility. Nearly all the successful people I know have dealt with defeat, slumps, failures, change and adversities of every nature. The reason they are successful is they had the courage to face those setbacks and find a way to overcome them.

G is for genius. Recognizing a genius idea is one of the traits that characterize serious risk-takers.

The ABCs of risk-taking

H is for healthy. Approach risk with a healthy skepticism, then assess the real hazards and benefits to reach a reasonable path to fulfillment.

I is for inherent. Nearly every activity we undertake in our lives involves taking risks.

J is for jealousy. Never take a risk out of jealousy for another’s accomplishments; it will end in disaster.

K is for knock it out of the park.

You can’t hit a home run unless you take a swing at the ball.

L is for leap of faith. Every major decision requires a leap of faith. In the final analysis, what your inner voice tells you is the best advice you can get.

M is for mission. A clearly defined mission makes managing risk considerably easier. If you know where you want to go, you can anticipate some of the landmines along the way.

N is for nerve. Risk-taking often

requires nerves of steel to face the inevitable challenges and failures involved with big risks.

O is for originality. Hanging around with creative people helps you understand different ways of looking at the world and stimulates your thought processes to more original ideas.

P is for possibilities. When you see what is possible, you are more inclined to take a risk that will pay off.

Q is for quit. Quit complaining, quit dragging your feet, quit talking yourself out of what could be a fabulous opportunity because you are afraid to take a risk.

R is for realistic. Taking risks can reap big rewards, but only if the venture is realistic.

S is for stepping out of your comfort zone. No risk, no success.

T is for turtles. A turtle only makes progress when it sticks its neck out.

There’s no greater feeling … than to know the risks you take are paying off.

U is for undaunted. Understand that failure will happen. It’s part of life.

V is for visionaries because risktakers don’t see things as they really are. Visionaries exercise a lot more control over the outcome of events.

W is for willpower, which keeps people hammering away. Determined people possess the stamina and courage to pursue their ambitions despite criticism, ridicule or unfavorable circumstances.

X is for eXhilerating. Young people, especially, take risks for the thrill.

Y is for yes, you can. When others say no you can’t but you see a better way forward, ignore the naysayers and tell yourself, yes, you can.

Z is for zinger. When you get a zinger of an idea, zero in on how you can make it happen. There’s no greater feeling in business than to know the risks you take are paying off.

Mackay’s Moral: Sometimes it’s risky not to take a risk. n Harvey Mackay is the author of the New York Times best-seller “Swim With the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive.” He can be reached through his website, www.harveymackay.com.

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PEOPLE ON THE MOVE CONSTRUCTION/DESIGN JPS Construction and Design is pleased to announce that Lindsey McCarty has been named Assistant Vice President and Finance Manager at the firm.

Lindsey started at JPS in March 2014 doing marketing and clerical duties, and quickly grew into the role of managing all aspects of the firm’s day to day financial activities. She works closely with the firm’s seven project managers to monitor client budgets, invoicing, A/R and A/P functions, and manages the sub-contractor and vendor account relationships. Lindsey reports to Jamie Stebenne, and is a critical component of the financial success of the firm. Lindsey joined JPS shortly after graduating from Manhattanville College, where she played NCAA Div 3 field hockey and earned a bachelor’s degree in Psychology.

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

CONSTRUCTION/DESIGN JPS Construction and Design is pleased to announce that Sue Horwitz has been named Assistant Vice President and Director of the Design Department at the firm. In this role, Sue is responsible for the growth of design revenue, and developing the growing team of designers and draftsmen that are producing custom residential and light commercial designs for the firm’s clients. Sue has been with the firm since April 2017, when she started as a part time contract designer, and she comes to JPS with over 20 years as a licensed architect in Canada. She’s known for spending countless hours in the office perfecting her work for her clients, and reports to Jamie Stebenne, the principal of the firm, as a key part of the management team at JPS.

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

www.pbn.com | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | OCTOBER 9-15, 2020 | 25

IT’S PERSONAL TO SAVOR | JESSICA NORRIS GRANATIERO

“WHEN ARE WE GOING TO return to a normal life so we can travel again?” This is a question I hear from many clients and friends weekly, a rhetorical question for which naturally I do not have an answer. They are among many Americans who want our world to be different than what it is now – obviously for health and economic reasons – but also so they can travel again, exploring and experiencing new places and people.

Going to vineyards in Europe are at the top of many “can’t wait to travel again” lists. The European Union, among other countries, has forbidden Americans from arriving on their soil, and this has caused stress for many, on top of the already existing economic and social stress.

Travel, whether close or far away in another country, can provide us with mental and physical downtime, new experiences and an escape from the monotony of our weekly routine.

All of this naturally is good for our health and brain function. I know it gives me some bit of mental escape when I go to new places, whether on my own personal time or for work.

The pandemic has not just upended vacation travel; corporate travel has taken a nosedive with no possible lift

TIM U S

Virtual vineyard visits

in sight. Everything in our lives has been grounded.

My pre-COVID work included regular travel to Italy, leading wine trips for clients who want to experience that sense of connection to something new, meaningful and rich.

While I endured long, sleepless hours at times, I was jazzed about the inperson connections to vineyard owners, wine makers and artisans with whom I worked. It also gave me an opportunity to have my own mental escape. While on the plane, I always felt a sense of calmness even while working feverishly on my laptop. I am not alone in this sense of “ahhh” on the plane. Other friends who had corporate travel abroad concur with this sense of in-flight stillness, a precursor to the frenetic activity that would ensue once on the ground.

While the advent of the pandemic

forced an indefinite moratorium on our ability to travel and in-person experiences, we as entrepreneurs, business owners and corporate executives can’t remain idle; we have a duty to our teams, clients and companies to try to survive and thrive. We must pivot and make changes strategically yet swiftly on many business facets, which has included an attempt to maintain and create new in-person connections and experiences with clients and colleagues, virtually.

For me, there is no better experience than seeing clients enjoy their own mental escape with vineyard owners, sipping wine, gazing out over the horizon’s beauty and learning about the passion and craft of families who have continued winemaking traditions for generations.

I cannot do that now. But I adjusted quickly to bring a similar connection

The in-person … experiences that I cherish so much ... have shifted.

to them from afar, virtually, and it has opened a whole new world for us and them, one I never thought would have emerged pre-COVID-19.

Clients and I are now not limited by overbooked airline schedules, company budgets or travel locations. The in-person connections and experiences that I cherish so much and upon which most business is built have shifted. I never could have imagined, seven months ago, that I would be embracing, as well as creating, a plethora of virtual tasting experiences and vineyard visits like I have been. What a great opportunity for all of us – clients, companies and friends can have this enjoyment and connection from anywhere!

As business leaders, we always must be agile and open to a shift in mindset. While I cannot wait for the time when it is safe to pack my bags and travel abroad again, I think that our travel will look different in the future. Our new manner of virtual connection is here to stay. n Jessica Norris Granatiero is the founder of The Savory Grape, a wine, beer and spirits shop in East Greenwich.

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IT’S PERSONAL GUEST COLUMN | TESSA SKIDMORE

Many have found ways to give

DESPITE FACING A global health crisis and economic recession, more than half of all U.S. households – 56% – expressed some form of generosity during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, my colleagues at the Women’s Philanthropy Institute and I found.

We also found that 48% of U.S. households had engaged in forms of generosity unique to the pandemic.

This includes ordering takeout with an intention to support local restaurants and their employees and paying individuals or businesses for services such as haircuts and caregiving that they could not provide due to strict social-distancing requirements.

A significant yet smaller share of all households took part in moreconventional forms of charitable giving. Nearly a third of households (32%) did some combination of donating directly to nonprofits, supporting others through crowdfunding and providing in-kind goods – everything from canned beans to homemade masks – to those in need. This share is slightly higher than the percentage (29%) that donated to support disaster aid efforts in all of 2018, the most recent year for which data is available.

We also looked at how U.S. households’ routine charitable giving – that is, donations they would have expected to make had the pandemic not occurred – changed in the spring of 2020. We found that the scale of this giving, whether through traditional charitable donations or things such as giving to individuals or businesses through crowdfunding campaigns and with in-kind goods, was largely unchanged.

These findings are based on responses to questions about generosity in response to COVID-19 that we added to a survey regarding how families make decisions about charitable giving. A national sample of 3,405 households completed the online survey in mid-May 2020.

While research on generosity in response to previous disasters and economic recessions might ordinarily help experts predict how Americans would give today, the combination of a health crisis and a severe economic

downturn cannot be compared with other events in recent history.

Our findings are consistent with other research demonstrating that the generosity of Americans, especially those who are younger and from communities of color, tends to go well beyond donating money.

Younger people were more likely than older Americans to engage in lessconventional giving patterns, such as making an effort to shop locally or buy products from socially or environmentally responsible companies.

We also see the fact that people tended to not give less money away during the early months of the pandemic as a positive sign. It suggests that for many households, charitable giving is a habit. In this case, it’s reasonable to expect that Americans who are used to supporting charitable causes will keep doing it despite the challenging circumstances.

We conducted this survey before the racial justice protests that

followed the killing of George Floyd, the recent hurricanes that have struck the Gulf Coast and the wildfires that have devastated the West Coast. These events have undoubtedly had their own influences on charitable giving, spurring more support for social justice, disaster relief and environmental groups.

We plan to ask the same questions in future surveys with a wide variety of people, ranging from very rich major donors to folks who mostly donate by chipping in a few dollars here and there through crowdfunding campaigns.

These forms of generosity have existed for a long time, but the pandemic may have made them more visible. n Tessa Skidmore is a visiting research associate with the Women’s Philanthropy Institute and a doctoral student at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.

Distributed by The Associated Press.

It [the study] suggests that for many households, charitable giving is a habit.

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OPINION EDITORIALS

Near-empty offices show pandemic’s economic effects are widespread

STAYING HOME: Many office buildings are still sparsely populated by workers, nearly seven months after the COVID-19 pandemic temporarily shut down much of the state’s economy.

Above, Dosha Bogosian at XRA Medical Imaging in Cranston.

PBN FILE PHOTO/ MICHAEL SALERNO

Less-congested morning commutes and near-empty city parking lots are among the most visible signs that workers have not returned to their offices in large numbers.

Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce President Laurie White estimates no more than 20% of the workforce has returned.

While many companies and workers report mostly positive experiences in the shift away from full-time office work during the COVID-19 pandemic, there are some negatives too.

Plans to develop new office space have been put on pause in many communities, along with company plans to lease new space or renew contracts.

And as this week’s cover story reports, some companies are finding it harder to collaborate effectively and they worry about the long-term effect on company culture.

“There are little fissures in the culture, in collaboration, in productivity,” said Virgin Pulse Inc. CEO David Osborne.

Mostly empty city office buildings also hurt businesses that traditionally cater to the people who normally work in them. That includes restaurants and retail shops.

White thinks many employers are waiting until January to reassess the health risks.

What will the workplace look like in 2021 and beyond? There’s no one-size-fitsall answer.

But the same flexibility that’s helped workers and employers alike to survive to this point is a good place to start in mapping out the post-pandemic workplace. n

Tourism needs R.I.’s full attention

The tourism sector is far too crucial to Rhode Island’s economy for it to get only partial attention from the state’s economic-development agency.

But that’s what is happening at R.I. Commerce Corp., where the chief marketing officer – the person in charge of promoting the Ocean State’s attractions – left the job in May and hasn’t been replaced.

Matt Sheaff, the agency’s director of communications and stakeholder outreach, has been filling in, and by all accounts has effectively overseen digital ad campaigns to draw in regional visitors.

But tourism has been brought to its knees by COVID-19, and R.I. Commerce would be better served by someone focused full time on taking the lead during the crisis.

Kristen Adamo, CEO and president of the Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau, says R.I. Commerce is doing fine but acknowledges a permanent CMO will be needed to help the industry recover.

With thousands left jobless, tens of millions of dollars lost, the time for recovery planning is now and a permanent chief marketing officer should be in charge. n

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How is your company addressing its challenges? (Select any that apply)

Online competitors make entry challenging: 0%

We are reformulating our operation: 43% We are not dealing with unusual challenges: 43% We are seeking forms of outside assistance: 14% We are decreasing staff and/or scope of operation: 0% We are changing our hours of operation: 0%

Are you confident that these challenges can be overcome within the next year?

Yes: 71% Unsure: 29% No: 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.

28 | OCTOBER 9-15, 2020 | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | www.pbn.com

SEPT. 25-OCT. 1 Yes, it is targeted to the businesses that need the most help

21%

Yes, but I’d like to see the state provide even more funding

14%

No, applying is too time-consuming and difficult to follow

50%

I don’t know

7%

THIS WEEK’S POLL: Is your company prepared to handle a cyberattack or related efforts by cybercriminals?

•Y es, we have protected our data and network and have insurance to cover theft • Yes, though I am not sure if we have or need insurance • No, we don’t have the information technology staff to handle anything like that • No, my employer has never shared such a plan with everyone on staff • I don’t know To vote, go to PBN.com and follow the link on the home page

OPINION OPINION

Cutting mic won’t stop next train wreck KARRIN VASBY ANDERSON

GUEST COLUMN

In the wake of the chaotic first presidential debate, commentators have called for rule changes in hopes of making the remaining debates more useful for the public – namely, to give the moderator the power to silence candidates’ microphones.

After the nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates promised to add “additional structure” to “ensure a more orderly discussion of the issues,” President Donald Trump said he would defy any new rules.

By promising to dominate rather than debate, Trump made clear that he would continue his signature strategy for campaigning and governing: undermining democratic institutions.

That leaves one big question: Is a debate even possible, beyond the uncertainty caused by Trump’s COVID-19 infection?

As a professor of political communication and former college debate coach, I’ve spent 20 years teaching students how to learn from presidential debates. I teach them that functional political debates, like healthy democracies, require participants who respect the process and follow mutually agreed-upon rules. The rules are often mundane – what the time limits are, whether candidates can directly question each other and when rebuttals are allowed – but they make it possible for political opponents to engage one another, answer tough

questions and give voters a way to evaluate contrasting arguments.

Trump broke the rules, abused the process and treated the notion of democratic debate with disdain. In so doing, he singlehandedly created a Catch-22 in which the debate is either canceled or goes on as planned but ceases to function as a debate. Neither option is good for democracy.

Scholars lament that televised presidential debates don’t follow academic debate rules, but they can serve important functions for the public.

They demonstrate candidates’ ability to react under pressure, address a broad range of policy questions and connect with voters. The Pew Research Center reports that in many election cycles, large majorities of voters have said the debates help them choose whom to support.

What happened on Sept. 29 achieved none of that.

Trump launched a 90-minute blitz of outbursts, interruptions and attacks, which was roundly denounced across the political spectrum. Moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News repeatedly inserted himself into the barrage of crosstalk but was unsuccessful in his efforts to get Trump to abide by the rules.

Joe Biden expressed exasperation, using language unprecedented for a presidential

Trump … treated the notion of democratic debate with disdain.

debate, telling Trump to “shut up” and calling him a “clown.” Political scientist Jennifer Piscopo described the scene as one in which both candidates were “goading each other with performative masculinity.”

The Washington Post’s Jill Filipovic speculated that one reason the 2016 debates didn’t devolve into that level of chaos was that, as a woman, Hillary Clinton would have subjected herself to sexist criticisms if she had taken the bait.

Can this be fixed with a simple technological adjustment, like cutting speakers’ mics? If only.

The problem is that Trump didn’t just speak too long or out of turn. He adopted an anti-democratic stance and sabotaged the entire process. Muting his mic wouldn’t force Trump to participate in the debate in good faith. Moreover, it would give him the opportunity to claim that he’s being censored by what he considers a hostile media establishment.

The televised presidential debates were designed to ensure that American voters could evaluate presidential and vice presidential candidates in a live, unscripted context – one that exposed them to questions from journalists and citizens and enabled them to engage one another on the issues.

They were not designed with a saboteur in mind. The world may have two more chances to observe Trump and Biden together on a stage. But not in a democratic debate. n Karrin Vasby Anderson is a professor of communications studies at Colorado State University. Distributed by The Associated Press.

Surprise medical bills are costing us all ERIN L. DUFFY, ERIN TRISH AND LOREN ADLER GUEST COLUMN

Surprise medical billing is one of the most urgent topics in health care.

Too often after a hospital procedure or visit to an emergency room, patients get hit with unexpected bills from out-of-network doctors they had no role in choosing.

Evidence from our recent study suggests that everyone with commercial health insurance is paying higher premiums today because lawmakers allow the practice of surprise billing. Fixing surprise billing offers the potential to lower health insurance premiums for everyone.

Patients can typically choose their doctors before they get treated. Picking a doctor who is in their insurance provider’s network typically comes with lower costs for the patient.

But patients don’t always have the opportunity to make this choice. In an emergency, a patient accepts the ambulance that arrives on the scene and the physicians who treat them in the emergency room.

About 1 in 5 commercially insured patients treated at an in-network emergency room is seen by an out-of-network physician. In about 1 in 10 elective procedures at an in-network hospital with an in-network surgeon, the anesthesiologist, assistant surgeon or similar physician is out-of-network.

At its core, market failure arises because this system allows the subset of hospitalbased physicians whom patients don’t

choose to negotiate with insurance companies independent of the hospital at which they practice. Therefore, ambulance companies, emergency facilities and hospital-based physicians can still receive a substantial volume of patients whether they are in- or out-of-network. They are assured a steady stream of patients by the nature of their work. They don’t need to join networks. And they can set their own prices.

If the insurer pays less than their full charges, the out-of-network provider can send the patient a surprise bill for the ­balance.

We have observed in our research that insurance plans pay out-of-network providers full charges one-quarter of the time. This prevents patients from getting surprise bills, but it is costly for insurers.

It’s not just the patients getting these services who bear the inflated costs. Everyone enrolled in commercial insurance plans also pays. When insurers or employers pay providers high prices, those costs are passed on through higher premiums.

In our recent study, we found that about 12% of insurers’ spending on medical care goes to providers who commonly issue surprise bills.

We looked at two potential federal policy approaches to address how surprise billing might affect insurance premiums. In both approaches, we assume that surprise billing

is banned, but the details of out-of-network payments are handled differently.

In the first approach, instead of charging what they wish, out-of-network providers would receive the average amount that insurers currently pay to similar in-network providers in the local area. This approach could reduce average payments for services where surprise billing is common by about 15%, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

A second approach would cap charges from out-of-network emergency facilities and lead hospital-based doctors to negotiate how much they get paid with the hospital.

The hospital would negotiate payment with the insurer for this combined service.

Without the option to treat patients who did not choose them on an out-of-network basis, bargaining leverage for these unique providers should fall in line with specialties that cannot submit surprise bills. n Erin L. Duffy is a postdoctoral research fellow at the Leonard D. Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics at the University of Southern California. Erin Trish is associate director of the Schaeffer Center and assistant professor of pharmaceutical and health economics at the USC School of Pharmacy.

Loren Adler is associate director of the USCBrookings Schaeffer Initiative for Health Policy. Distributed by The Associated Press.

www.pbn.com | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | OCTOBER 9-15, 2020 | 29

ONE LAST THING Brian Britson Amgen Rhode Island site vice president Brian Britson in August was named vice president of site operations for Amgen Inc.’s biomanufacturing site in West Greenwich. He succeeded Thomas Seewoester, who moved on to a new role with the California-based company.

IN

today’s environment, it is incredibly important to recognize how our world – and the workplace – is changing. Like many businesses, we have a large number of staff working at our manufacturing site, with a significant percentage of employees working remotely. More than ever, purposeful engagement remains imperative and flexibility is critical for business success.

Leaders need to adapt to a new way of working to fully understand the challenges employees face. This can only happen when leaders are fully engaged and present on the floor, whether in person or virtually. This includes fostering meaningful relationships with employees to enable authentic dialogue about short-term needs and longterm aspirations.

Since staff are facing unique challenges, it’s more important than ever that time spent with staff is helping them to prioritize work and stay focused.

While our challenges may differ, employees still need to approach every action with the same rigor and mindset that prioritizes safety, quality and compliance, whether they are working onsite or off-site.

With these expectations also comes an understanding that responsibilities and personal needs of our staff have morphed significantly.

It’s more important than ever to be actively listening and supporting work-life balance.

Engage and stay flexible

At Amgen, we are driven by a set of values that includes trust and respect, to collaborate, communicate and be accountable. These are regular reminders that it is more important than ever to challenge our core beliefs so we can help our business, employees, families and communities. n COURTESY AMGEN RHODE ISLAND

30 | OCTOBER 9-15, 2020 | PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS | www.pbn.com

BUSINESS

EXCELLENCE AWARDS

20

CELEBRATING

YEARS

Virtual Awards Event SAVE THE DATE: November 18th | 4pm

#PBNBIZEXCELLENCE

Celebrate the best of the best CORPORATE CITIZENSHIP KIM KECK Blue Cross & Blue Shield of RI

BUSINESS LEADERSHIP JAMES FANALE Care New England

ENTREPRENEURSHIP SquadLocker

EDUCATION & LEARNING William M. Davies, Jr. Career & Technical High School

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT SWAP, Inc.

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT Blount Fine Foods

WOMAN / MINORITY OWNED BUSINESS What Cheer Flower Farm

FAMILY-OWNED BUSINESS M.R.T. Jewelers

SOCIAL-SERVICE Rhode Island Free Clinic

NON-PROFIT (SMALL) The Wilbury Theater Group

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SMALL COMPANY Envision Technology Advisors

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JOIN PBN FOR OUR DIVERSITY & INCLUSION VIRTUAL SUMMIT & AWARDS EVENT DECEMBER 10 | 9-11AM

SUMMIT & AWARDS DIVERSITY & INCLUSION

PANEL DISCUSSION

The dramatic economic disruption resulting from the COVID-19 global pandemic and the unprecedented level of protests linked to racial injustice place greater pressure on companies to use Diversity & Inclusion initiatives to deliver meaningful cultural change and positive business results.

A panel of experts will share their personal stories of struggles and successes in implementing successful Diversity & Inclusion programs within their organizations.

TOPICS INCLUDE:

• Defining & leveraging Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging in the corporate work environment • Effective workplace conversations on racism vs discrimination • The importance of community engagement in an overall D&I strategy • Opportunities for people with developmental disabilities in the RI workforce

AWARDS RECOGNITION

Applications now being accepted for companies and leaders who have made strides in leveraging Diversity & Inclusion to bring Workplace Excellence to their organizations.

• Education • Financial Services • Health Care • Insurance Services • Legal Services • Nonprofit • Social Service Agency • Diversity Champion

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