PROVIDENCE – Ten individuals who stood out during one of the most difficult years in Rhode Island history were recognized by Providence Business News Thursday during the publication’s annual Book of Lists Premier Event.
The publication’s largest annual networking event, which welcomed leaders and representatives from the business and nonprofit sectors, as well as government officials, was held virtually due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. It had been held at the Providence Public Library in past years.
Understanding Breast Health: The Vital Role of Annual Screenings
Breast health is a critical aspect of overall well-being, and regular screenings play a vital…
Learn More
Thursday’s event also debuted the 2021 PBN Book of Lists, which features more than 120 lists highlighting businesses from various sectors, municipalities, nonprofits and top executives. The book will publish as part of the Feb. 5-18 print issue of PBN. It can also be purchased by visiting PBN.com on Feb. 5.
Within the book, PBN selected 10 people as its “Most Influential” for their work over the last 365 days to combat the ongoing health crisis that has devastated – and in some cases, ended – lives and the economy within the Ocean State.
- Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott, R.I. Department of Health director. Alexander-Scott, who contracted COVID-19 in December, regularly delivered details to the public on what steps Rhode Island needed to take to combat the pandemic, including the current vaccine rollout.
- Peter Alviti Jr., R.I. Department of Transportation director. Alviti’s department had a long list of active RhodeWorks construction projects last year. Among them are the Route 6/10 interchange construction, the Interstate 95 northbound viaduct project and reconstruction of Route 146. Alviti also advanced a plan to reroute the state’s public bus system in and around Providence, which is considered controversial.
Alviti said RIDOT’s outlook is “optimistic,” as both the department and its partners have managed to keep the $2 billion-plus projects designed over the last five years moving forward through the pandemic. The challenge, he said, is to continue moving those projects forward while adding another $525 million in work that has already started.
“COVID did not stop RIDOT,” Alviti said. - Dave Chenevert, Rhode Island Manufacturers Association executive director. Chenevert helped local manufacturers remain operational during the pandemic by promoting COVID-19 workplace safety measures. He also has been vocal for job training for a next-generation workforce and a potential supply-chain reshoring post-pandemic.
Chenevert said manufacturing in Rhode Island slowed down because of the pandemic, not due to a bad economy. He said the basis for manufacturing growth “is still in place,” and the industry will come back by the end of 2021 “as strong as ever.” - William F. Hatfield, Bank of America Corp. Rhode Island market president. Bank of America was one of the state’s early partners for Rhode Island’s $45 million Back to Work program, as well as a significant local Paycheck Protection Program lender. Additionally, Hatfield joined other local community leaders in promising more investment to combat racial and economic inequality in Rhode Island.
Hatfield said Rhode Island has been impacted significantly by the health crisis, but he views 2021 as a year of opportunity for the state to work its way to “get back on track.”
“We have the opportunity to do that,” he said. “The role of the banking industry has a very critical role in making that happen. We all have to step up and continue to support our clients and customers, making sure they have access to the capital they need to move forward.” - Joseph R. Paolino Jr., Paolino Properties LP managing partner. Paolino, a former Providence mayor, played a leading role in highlighting building safety for tenants and visitors during the pandemic. He donated to the city two buildings and a parking lot for conversion to a school and plans to open a new downtown hotel.
- Christina H. Paxson, Brown University president. Paxson heavily advocated on a national level for colleges to safely reopen classes in September 2020 after having the campuses closed back in the spring. She also pushed for Brown’s decision to fully fund a $10 million endowment to support Providence public schools.
Paxson said the pandemic has created a situation in which low-income students and students of color are “less likely” to apply for college now, and work needs to be done to get those students back in the educational pipeline. She also said colleges have learned that they can offer education remotely, noting that student satisfaction with remote classes is higher now than it was last year.
“It got us thinking about possibly reaching out and helping many more students than we currently are,” Paxson said, “and improve the quality of education.” - Gov. Gina M. Raimondo. Raimondo, who is slated to become the U.S. secretary of commerce for the Biden administration, was the top leader throughout the pandemic. She balanced both the health and economic crises the state is facing, and also oversaw new job-training and grant programs to support impacted businesses and workers.
- Karen A. Santilli, Crossroads Rhode Island CEO and president. A leading voice for more affordable housing in the state, Santilli called for a permanent funding stream to combat the crisis. She also ensured the homeless had access to COVID-19 testing and directed Crossroads funding for rental relief.
Santilli said she is “cautiously optimistic” for 2021, citing a new federal administration hoping to control the virus and with vaccines being rolled out. She also said she hopes to see a system in which service providers and state government put forth programs that create more housing.
“That’s the only solution to end homelessness, whether we are in a pandemic or not,” she said. - Neil D. Steinberg, Rhode Island Foundation CEO and president. On top of what the nonprofit funder regularly distributes annually, Steinberg led the foundation to commit millions of dollars for COVID-19 relief and address racial disparity. Steinberg said Thursday Rhode Island Foundation delivered $20 million specifically for COVID-19 relief. Steinberg also advocates for improving public education in Rhode Island, and the organization created a long-term plan to address it.
Steinberg said society is in it “for the long haul” to recover from the pandemic, so people have to “keep pulling together.”
“We’re still supporting the nonprofit community; we’re still addressing the vulnerable populations,” he said. “We need to continue our focus going forward.” - Dale Venturini, Rhode Island Hospitality Association CEO and president. Venturini advocated heavily for the hospitality industry that was severely impacted by the pandemic. She hosted virtual meetings with top government officials, offered association members free training and created a relief fund for jobless hospitality workers.
Venturini said the state’s hospitality industry “desperately needs” additional federal funding, in addition to the new PPP funding programs recently announced, citing many restaurants, particularly small, family-owned ones, that are on the verge of closing permanently.
“These people have put their life savings into their restaurants,” Venturini said. “They are the backbone of our communities, and we need to give them the tools to get back in 2021.”
Tufts Health Plan was the presenting sponsor for the 2021 PBN Book of Lists Premier Event. Partner sponsors for the event were R.I. Commerce Corp., Gallo | Thomas Insurance, Partridge Snow & Hahn LLP, HarborOne Bancorp Inc. and CliftonLarsonAllen LLP (formerly Blum, Shaprio & Co. LLP).
(CORRECTS TO $45 million Back to Work program in fourth bulleted bio.)
James Bessette is the PBN special projects editor, and also covers the nonprofit and education sectors. You may reach him at Bessette@PBN.com. You may also follow him on Twitter at @James_Bessette.
