Santoro is chancellor at Roger Williams U.
BRISTOL – Anthony J. Santoro, who has served as president of Roger Williams University for the past six years, last week was appointed to the newly created position of Chancellor of the University and Chief Operating Officer. Joseph H. Hagan, Ph.D., was named president and chief operating officer. Hagan joined the university a year ago as senior vice president and chief operating officer, after serving 20 years as president of Assumption College in Worcester, Mass. Santoro will remain president CEO of the Ralph R. Papitto School of Law. He became associated with the university in 1992 as founding dean of the law school.
Almond opens drive for open space bond issue
PROVIDENCE – Gov. Lincoln Almond last week announced Open Space 2000, a public awareness and information campaign aimed at getting a $50 million open space bond issue on the November ballot and winning voter approval. The bond, Almond said, would be used to purchase 31,000 acres of open space by 2010, and would accelerate the state’s plan to preserve and protect critical lands through the state. Specifically, $25 million would be used for the state acquisition program of 31,000 acres, with $800,000 set aside for planning grants up to $20,000 each to municipalities to develop comprehensive strategies to meet preservation and open space needs. Since 1995, the state has acquired 4,000 acres. Another $15 million will be dedicated toward land acquisition programs, providing 50 percent matching grants toward local park acquisitions and expansion. And the remaining $10 million will be allocate for recreational development in communities.
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Bill filed to rename Newport airport for pioneer
MIDDLETOWN – A bill has been filed in the General Assembly by state Sen. June N. Gibbs to rename the Newport State Airport, which is located here, for Robert F. Wood, who was instrumental in establishing and developing the facility. Gibbs said she was inspired to submit the bill after reading an article in a recent issue of Newport History: Journal of the Newport Historical Society, which described Wood’s effort to build and establish the island’s first airport after he returned from service with the Army Air Corps in World War II in 1946.
Citizens adds four board members
PROVIDENCE – Citizens Financial Group has announced the expansion of its board of directors from eight to 12, and made four appointments to the board. The expansion and appointments were made after Citizens completed the acquisition of UST Corp., based in Boston. The new board members are Neal F, Finnegan, outgoing chairman and chief executive officer of UST. Finnegan of Cohasset, Mass., will also serve as non-executive chairman of Citizens Bank of Massachusetts; Regina M.Pisa of Somerville, Mass., managing partner of the law firm of Goodwin, Procter and Hoar, which has offices in Boston, New York and Washington, D.C.; Edmund F. “Ted” Kelly, of Weston, Mass., chief executive officer of Liberty Mutual Group; and Jim Davis, of Newton, Mass., chief executive officer of New Balance Athletic Shoe, Inc.
Doubletree hotel on the market
NEWPORT — The Doubletree Islander Hotel, owned by G.E. Capital of Stamford, Conn., could soon be sold, general manager Mark Fallon said. Hyatt Hotels Corp. is considering buying the Goat Island property and an agreement could be reached within three months, he said. Fallon said he could not estimate a potential sale price. G.E. Capital, a subsidiary of General Electric Co., has owned the hotel for five years. The Doubletree would continue as a luxury hotel, even if its name and owner change, Fallon said. G.E. Capital paid $15.8 million for the hotel in 1994. The city says the property’s assessed value is $36.7 million.
Loan program offered to small health care groups
PROVIDENCE — Physicians and small health clinics affected by the collapse of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care in Rhode Island will be eligible for low-interest loans under a program unveiled by the state. Gov. Lincoln Almond wanted to provide the benefit to help health care providers awaiting payment from the troubled HMO. Hospitals, physicians and other creditors estimate the insurer owes them as much as $60 million.
Rhode Island worst in income disparity
PROVIDENCE – Rhode Island ranked first (or worst) in the nation in the disparity between the incomes of poor and rich, according to a survey released last week by the Poverty Institute at the Rhode Island College School of Social Work. The survey, Pulling Apart: A State by State Analysis of Income Trends was conducted by two national policy research institutes, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities and the Economic Policy Institute. According to the survey, since the late 1970s, families in the bottom 20 percent in Rhode Island saw their average incomes decrease 9 percent, while the top 20 percent enjoyed a 70.9 percent increase in income, more than double the national average.
Valley Resources reports fourth quarter loss
CUMBERLAND – Valley Resources, Inc. last week announced a net loss for first quarter of fiscal 2000 of $823,500, including $400,000 attributed to merger, compared to a net loss for the same period a year ago of $636,600. Net income for the 12-months ending Nov. 30 increased slightly to $3,999,700, compared with net income of $3,730,400 for the same period the previous year.
