PAWTUCKET – Providence Business News on Thursday celebrated four decades of providing business journalism to Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts at its 40th Anniversary Gala at the Centreville Bank Stadium.
PBN, founded by the late Robert C. Bergenheim and his son, Roger C. Bergenheim, published its first print edition on May 5, 1986. Iowa-based company Woodward Communications Inc. acquired PBN from Roger C. Bergenheim in December 2023.
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Over the years, PBN has evolved to producing print news, online news, virtual and live events, special awards programs and digital newsletters supporting both established businesses and those just getting off the ground.
As an entrepreneur, Michael Cabral understands the importance of networking and exposure and PBN’s events provide a valuable opportunity for both. Co-founder of Frogs Videography, which launched in April 2024, he makes a point of attending the panel discussions and other events. PBN boosted his business with coverage earlier this year which directly translated into new clients and projects.
“We had a gentleman cold call us and say, ‘we found you from the PBN article’,” Cabral said.
Robert Chatham of Slater Technology Fund on the other hand, has been a subscriber for as long as he’s been in Rhode Island – about 25 years, he said.
“If business is a sport, it’s like reading the sports pages,” he said of the paper. “It’s local, it’s current and it’s about the people you know.”
In a time when print journalism faces a slew of challenges, Chatham said that PBN has done a good job of adapting to the information age and managing the transition to a greater internet presence.
Approximately 225 people attended Thursday’s gala, including local business leaders, government officials and current and former PBN staff members.
Attendees were also given a complimentary copy of PBN’s 104-page 40th anniversary special commemorative book. The publication includes a 40-year timeline of defining news events, a graphical tale of the region’s economy and an in-depth conversation with prominent business community members, among other features. It will also be published as part of the Aug. 14-20 print edition of PBN.
Thursday’s event also included a formal awards presentation recognizing 40 “Driving Forces,” local business individuals selected by PBN staff who have made substantial contributions to the business community. Each were highlighted in the 40th anniversary book.
The Driving Forces are:
- Kristen Adamo, Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau CEO and president
- Iftikhar Ahmad, R.I. Airport Corp. CEO and president
- Brian Britson, Amgen Rhode Island vice president of operations
- Elizabeth Catucci, Partnership for Rhode Island executive director
- David N. Cicilline, Rhode Island Foundation CEO and president
- Arnold B. Chace Jr., Cornish Associates LP founder and managing partner
- Brenda Clement, HousingWorks RI executive director
- Marc A. Crisafulli, I-195 Redevelopment District Commission chairman, Bally’s Corp. Rhode Island board chairman and Nixon Peabody attorney
- Christian Cowan, University of Rhode Island Research Foundation executive director; Polaris Tech Bridge executive director
- Patrick Crowley, Rhode Island AFL-CIO president
- Colleen Daley Ndoye, Project Weber/RENEW executive director
- Anne S. De Groot, EVA Therapeutics, founder and president
- Barnaby Evans, WaterFire Providence executive artistic director
- John Fernandez, Brown University Health CEO and president
- Edward O. Handy III, The Washington Trust Bancorp Inc. and the Washington Trust Co. chairman and CEO
- Ross J. Gittell, Bryant University president
- Brett M. Johnson, Rhode Island FC co-founder and chairman
- David Joyner, CVS Health Corp. chairman, CEO and president
- Sally E. Lapides, Residential Properties Ltd. CEO and president
- Steven J. King, Quonset Development Corp. managing director
- Peter Marino, Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island CEO and president
- Arnell Millhouse, yconic CEO
- Marc B. Parlange, University of Rhode Island president
- Cortney Nicolato, United Way of Rhode Island Inc. CEO and president
- Joseph R. Paolino Jr., Paolino Properties LLC managing partner
- Christina H. Paxson, Brown University president
- Farouk Rajab, Rhode Island Hospitality Association CEO and president
- Marc Perlman, Ocean State Job Lot CEO
- Malcolm Roberts, FM chairman and CEO
- Michael Sabitoni, Laborers’ International Union of North America general secretary treasurer; Rhode Island Building and Construction Trades Council president
- Edmund “Ted” Shallcross III, Amica Mutual Insurance Co. CEO and president
- Nicholas Schorsch, Heritage Group co-founder and CEO
- Thorne Sparkman, Slater Technology Fund managing director
- William C. Tsonos, Beacon Bank Rhode Island market president
- Bruce Van Saun, Citizens Financial Group Inc. chairman and CEO
- Karl Wadensten, VIBCO Inc. president; R.I. Commerce Corp. board member
- Dr. Michael Wagner, Care New England Health System CEO and president
- Michelle Wilcox, Crossroads Rhode Island CEO and president
- Laurie White, Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce president
- Martha L. Wofford, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Rhode Island CEO and president
The presenting sponsor of the PBN 40th anniversary gala was Munroe Dairy. Partner sponsors were Gallo Thomas Insurance, Navigant Credit Union and United Way Rhode Island.
UPDATE: Anne S. De Groot’s title corrected to EVA Therapeutics, founder and president.
Veer Mudambi is the special projects editor of the Providence Business News. He can be reached at mudambi@pbn.com.
