PBN Summit

R.I. COMMERCE SECRETARY Elizabeth M. Tanner, second from left, discusses the state's economic picture at Providence Business News' Economic Trends Summit on Wednesday morning at the Providence Marriott. Also participating in the panel discussion is, from left, William C. Tsonos, Bank Rhode Island CEO and president; Thomas Sweeney, owner and principal of Sweeney Real Estate & Appraisal; Marianne Raimondo, dean of the Rhode Island College School of Business; and Kristen Adamo, president of the Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau. The discussion was moderated by PBN Editor Michael Mello, far right. / PBN PHOTO/MIKE SKORSKI

PBN summit: A soft landing for economy that’s still ‘fragile underneath’

PBN Summit 01/24/2024

PROVIDENCE – The likelihood of a recession, once thought inevitable, will be forestalled or fail to materialize, at least within the next 12 to...

DIVERSE DISCUSSION: Christin Zollicoffe, far right, vice president of chief belonging and equity officer at Lifespan Corp., speaks during Providence Business News’ 2023 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Summit and Awards program on Dec. 7. Also on the panel are, from right, Amy Walsh, executive director of commercial banking and diverse business regional executive for JPMorgan Chase & Co.; Jenny Bautista Ravreby, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island diversity, equity and inclusion manager; Kevin Matta, board president for Diversity & Inclusion Professionals Inc. and senior director of people and culture for United Way of Rhode Island Inc.; Talia Brookshire, Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island’s chief diversity officer; and Shameen Awan, vice president of talent management and DE&I assistant vice president at Amica Mutual Insurance Co.  PBN FILE PHOTO/MIKE SKORSKI

Summit panel: Burnout a danger in workplace DEI efforts

PBN Summit 12/22/2023

Professionals working in the area of improving diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace have made lots of progress over the years, but it...

CHRISTIN ZOLLICOFFE, far right, vice president of chief belonging and equity officer at Lifespan Corp., speaks during Providence Business News’ 2023 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Summit and Awards program on Thursday. Also on the panel are, from right, Amy Walsh, executive director of commercial banking and diverse business regional executive for JPMorgan Chase & Co.; Jenny Bautista Ravreby, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island diversity, equity, and inclusion manager; Kevin Matta, board president for Diversity and Inclusion Professionals and senior director of people & culture for United Way of Rhode Island Inc.; Talia Brookshire, Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island’s chief diversity officer; and Shameen Awan, vice president of talent management and DE&I assistant vice president at Amica Mutual Insurance Co. / PBN PHOTO/MIKE SKORSKI

PBN Summit: Diversity, equity and inclusion not only about metrics, but cultural transformation

PBN Summit 12/07/2023

WARWICK – When it comes to increasing workplace diversity, it's not about reaching a destination but continuing a journey of improvement. That’s according to participants...

HELP NEEDED: Dr. Michael Wagner, left, CEO and president of Care New England Health System, discusses the health services industry in Rhode Island, including workforce development, with other panelists at Providence Business News’ Fall 2023 Health Care Summit on Oct. 25. Others on the panel include, from left, Brown University’s Dr. Scott Rivkees, Dr. Raj Hazarika from Point32Health Inc. and John Fernandez, CEO and president of Lifespan Corp. Moderating is PBN Editor Michael Mello, standing.  PBN PHOTO/MIKE SKORSKI

For hospital executives, solving labor shortages a top task

PBN Summit 11/10/2023

When asked whether the lingering workforce shortages are affecting access to care, Rhode Island’s health care leaders had a clear answer. “Yes, period, end of...

VALUE CONSCIOUS: Samantha Rosenthal, second from the right, associate professor in Johnson & Wales University’s Department of Health Science, speaks during a panel discussion on value-based care models at Providence Business News’ Fall 2023 Health Care Summit on Oct. 25. Also on the panel are, from left, Eric Swain, vice president of sales and account management for UnitedHealthcare of New England Inc.; Dr. Farah Shafi, executive vice president and chief medical officer of Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island; Dr. Kristin Russell, chief medical officer of Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island; and Corey McCarty, senior vice president and general manager of CCA Health Rhode Island.  PBN PHOTO/MIKE SKORSKI

Value-based care may be a remedy, panelists say

PBN Summit 11/10/2023

To Eric Swain, the shift toward value-based care models is one of the health care industry’s most exciting developments amid growing quality and affordability...

FUTURE SHOCK: Arnell Milhouse, second from right, founder and CEO of CareerDevs Inc., speaks during the PBN Cybersecurity & Tech Summit on Oct. 12. Milhouse sees massive changes coming because of artificial intelligence, but many of the changes will be positive, he says. With Milhouse on the panel are Jeffrey Wilhelm, left, founder and CEO of Infused Innovations Inc., and Timothy Henry, seated right, assistant professor and researcher at Rhode Island College. Christopher Parisi, standing, founder and president of marketing firm Trailblaze Inc., moderates.  PBN PHOTO/MIKE SKORSKI

Firms hesitating on AI are falling behind, PBN summit panel says

PBN Summit 10/27/2023

With artificial intelligence rapidly advancing, businesses in Rhode Island will have no choice but to invest in the technology tools to ensure they survive. The...

BE PREPARED: Linn F. Freedman, second from right, explains the importance of assembling a strong cybersecurity plan during a panel discussion at PBN’s Cybersecurity & Tech Summit on Oct. 12. With her on the panel are, from left, Douglas Tondreau, associate professor of computer science at Johnson & Wales University; Rick Norberg, founder and CEO of Vertikal6 Inc.; and Robby Gulri, engineering solutions expert at RapidScale Inc. Moderating is Normand Duquette, standing at right, Starkweather & Shepley Insurance Brokerage Inc. senior vice president.  PBN PHOTO/MIKE SKORSKI

Ready for the hackers? Many companies are woefully unprepared

PBN Summit 10/27/2023

By the time the average data breach is detected by an organization, hackers have already been in the system for 256 days on average...

TALKING POINT: State Rep. Scott A. Slater, second from left, speaks during one of the panel discussions at Providence Business News’ The Business of Cannabis Summit on Sept. 7. Also participating was, from left, Kelly Wishart, chief operating officer of Coastline EAP; Drew Richards, director of Marcum LLP; Benjamin Rackliffe, partner at Pannone Lopes Devereaux & O’Gara LLC; and Kristyn M. Glennon, first vice president and Bank Secrecy Act/anti-money laundering officer of BayCoast Bank.  PBN PHOTO/MIKE SKORSKI

Workplace still a place of confusion on cannabis

PBN Summit 09/15/2023

Both employers and employees have continued to grapple with the role of cannabis in the workplace as Rhode Island’s recreational market continues to develop. “We’ve...