NEWPORT – Tuni Schartner, owner of business-growth advisory firm TS Consulting, was hired as director of entrepreneurship and innovation with Innovate Newport.
Innovate Newport is a collaboration of the city of Newport, Newport County Development Council, the nonprofit arm of the Newport County Chamber of Commerce, and the Economic Development Foundation of Rhode Island.
According to a press release from Innovate Newport, Schartner will lead branding, develop partnerships and programming, and manage partnership-building as part of an 18-month contracted position.
Innovate Newport is renovating the historic Sheffield School into a technology incubator and co-work facility for startups and established companies, with an expected completion early next year.
“I can’t think of a more qualified candidate who has the well-rounded background of starting and managing a co-work facility in southern Rhode Island,” said Erin Donovan-Boyle, executive director of the Newport County Chamber of Commerce. “We are thrilled to be a partner in the Innovate Newport project and look forward to relocating our offices into this beautiful space.”
“I am eager to take on this exciting project and to have the responsibility of advancing an innovation/entrepreneurship ecosystem at the facility and in the Greater Newport region … which will have a long-lasting positive impact on the growth of the entire state’s economy,” said Schartner in a statement.
Innovate Newport is partnering with Boston-based WorkBar, an operator of co-work facilities, to help manage staff training, member services and community building, as well as programming and promotion for the co-working space.
Susan Shalhoub is a PBN contributing writer.