PROVIDENCE – Representatives from a cross section of Rhode Island’s business and nonprofit sectors spent Thursday evening at the Graduate by Hilton Providence networking and conversing, while obtaining copies of Providence Business News’ 2026 Book of Lists at the publication’s premier event for the annual special supplement.
PBN's 39th edition of
the Book of Lists was published Friday as part of the Jan. 16 print and digital editions. The 200-page book features 128 lists highlighting businesses and top executives from various for-profit sectors, municipalities and nonprofits as well as executive profiles, highlighting top local business officials from around Rhode Island and Bristol County, Mass.
The book also features 10 “Most Influential People,” selected by PBN, who all left their mark on the local business community over the past year.
The 10 Most Influential People in the 2026 Book of Lists are:
- Brenda Clement, HousingWorks RI executive director
- Chris Cocks, Hasbro Inc. CEO
- Patrick Crowley, Rhode Island AFL-CIO president
- Valerie Lawson, R.I. Senate president
- Rachel Miller, Providence City Council president
- John J. McConnell Jr., U.S. District Court chief judge
- Peter F. Neronha, R.I. attorney general
- Christina H. Paxson, Brown University president
- Bruce Van Saun, Citizens Financial Group Inc., CEO and chairman
- Martha L. Wofford, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island, CEO and president
Gallo | Thomas Insurance, Partridge Snow & Hahn LLP and
R.I. Commerce Corp. were sponsors of the 2026 PBN Book of Lists Premier Event.
Veer Mudambi is the special projects editor at Providence Business News. He can be reached at Mudambi@PBN.com.