PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS
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35 YEARS: 1986-2021
HEALTH MATTERS
SEPTEMBER 17-30, 2021
FOCUS: INSURANCE
COVID ‘bias’ hindering Lyme disease detection? | 8
FM Global among insurers facing COVID-19 lawsuits | 20
YOUR SOURCE FOR BUSINESS NEWS IN SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND | VOL. 36, NO. 10 | $5
‘Blue MBA’ could be key as ocean economy evolves BY NANCY LAVIN | Lavin@PBN.com
IT WAS A CURIOSITY about the manatees and dolphins that swam in the canal near her father’s Florida home that first drew Colleen Peters to the ocean. Her childhood fascination with marine life became a passion and then a career path, honed through a vocational high school aquaculture program and a bachelor’s degree in marine science at the Maine Maritime Academy that led to a job on scientific research vessels.
FOCUS: EDUCATION
THE ULTIMATE
PERK
More companies consider offering unlimited vacation time. Others say no way BY CASSIUS SHUMAN | Shuman@PBN.com
SEE BLUE MBA
PAGE 28
ONE LAST THING
Kathleen Breen Combes Set the highest of standards | 38
WHEN
ERIN PAVANE LANDED A JOB AT A TECH STARTUP IN Massachusetts eight years ago, she was shocked about one of the perks: Pavane was allowed to take all the paid vacation time she wanted, as long she was getting her job done while at work. She couldn’t believe a company would offer such a thing. Visions of her co-workers taking months off at a time floated in her head. But after a while at her new job, Pavane noticed that nobody abused the fringe benefit. Yet it had a positive effect on morale and productivity. It came down to the CEO’s trust in the staff, she said. In fact, when Pavane launched her own business in 2017 – Providencebased placement firm The Hire LLC – she and co-founding partner Tyler Wentworth added unlimited paid time off as a benefit for their staff of seven. “Having faith in your employees,” Pavane said in explaining her decision. “You are not in high school. You don’t need to micromanage people.” SEE PERK
STEADY GROWTH: Cole DeSanty, right, director of client development for The Hire LLC, speaks with his colleagues, from left, CEO Tyler Wentworth; Bryan Soderberg, manager of candidate success; and Chief Operating Officer Erin Pavane. The Providence job placement firm has seen steady revenue growth since offering unlimited PTO from its inception in 2017. PBN PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO
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