PBN Leaders & Achievers Awards 2025
KERRI FURTADO
Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau Director of national accounts
SELLING RHODE ISLAND as a destination she truly believes in is what Kerri Furtado loves most in being the director of national accounts for the Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau.
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While Furtado grew up on nearby Cape Cod, she was drawn to the beauty of the area surrounding Rhode Island’s capital city.
“I always tell some of our visitors, ‘When you’re strolling around, look up because [the] architecture on some of our buildings is exquisite,’ ” Furtado said.
In leading the sales department, Furtado is responsible for helping secure clients for conventions and events in the area. She creates opportunities to bring meetings and conventions of all sizes to the region. These events, she says, drive significant economic impact for local hotels, restaurants and small businesses.
Furtado says that in the last fiscal year, the events and clients her team brought in directly supported more than 4,000 jobs in the area and resulted in a “direct spend” of $17 million. Bringing in events both big and small, the type of work Furtado does requires her to look toward the future, booking events through 2028.
“We make every visitor feel welcome,” she said. “I think it’s all about those continued relationships and really seeing these meetings and conventions and visitors come back year after year.”
Furtado has been rewarded for her efforts, being recognized twice with the Rhode Island Tourism Employee of the Year award by the Rhode Island Hospitality Association. Plus, she offers up the expertise gained from nearly 40 years in the industry to give back to the next generation, with volunteer efforts such as mentoring hospitality students with the Professional Convention Management Association’s New England chapter.
In the community, Furtado organizes PWCVB’s annual office food drive and donates consistently to local charities, bringing a high spirit of service to everything she does.
Whether Furtado’s working to book a 20-person event or an event holding approximately 2,000 people, the core of her work is customer service.
“It’s about bringing people together and showcasing everything that makes the Providence and Warwick area such a dynamic destination,” she said.
