Lara Salamano - Providence Business News

EMPTY FEELING: Kristen Adamo, CEO and president of the Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau, stands in the barren lobby at the Crown Plaza Providence-Warwick in Warwick in March 2020, after the COVID-19 pandemic caused a massive amount of canceled trips. / PBN FILE PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

R.I. branding has been hit or miss

Entrepreneurship 11/26/2021

TOURISM When R.I. Commerce Corp. decided to hire a chief marketing officer in late 2015, it made sense – bring in a person to guide...

Tourism councils want state marketing leader with local knowledge

Coronavirus 03/29/2021

PROVIDENCE – Rhode Island’s tourism council leaders believe the state’s next chief marketing officer should be someone with local knowledge, marketing experience and a...

DRAMATIC CHANGE: Tom McGinn, captain and president, and Kristin Stone are co-owners of Providence Riverboat. After the company joined the Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau, it shifted its business model from cocktail cruises to catering to the tourism industry and nearly tripled its revenue in the first year, Stone said.  / PBN PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

Tourism: In search of coordination

Cover Story 07/26/2019

The Providence Riverboat Co. once served primarily local customers. Its boats would take groups out on the Providence River for cocktail cruises, leaving from...

Evans named to CMO role at Commerce RI

Government 05/24/2019

PROVIDENCE – Heather Evans is the new chief marketing officer of R.I. Commerce Corp., effective immediately, Commerce Secretary Stefan Pryor announced May 21. Evans most...

Evans named to CMO role at Commerce RI

Hospitality & Tourism 05/21/2019

PROVIDENCE — Heather Evans was appointed the new chief marketing officer of the R.I. Commerce Corp., effective immediately, Commerce Secretary Stefan Pryor announced Tuesday. Evans...

RACE VILLAGE: Crowds gather in Newport for the Volvo Ocean Race stopover in May 2015. The 2017-2018 race stopover marked the second time Newport served as the sole North American locale to host the around-the-world yacht race. In the first week, the race village at Fort Adams State Park saw more than 40,000 visitors. / COURTESY VOLVO OCEAN RACE/MARC BOW

Marketing and sailing rewards, but departures too in 2018

Focus 12/28/2018

R.I. Commerce Corp. last year unveiled a much-anticipated statewide tourism marketing campaign that included an updated website and digital ad initiative. Both centered on what...

Commerce CMO Salamano to return to private sector in Jan.

Government 12/14/2018

PROVIDENCE – R.I. Commerce Corp. Chief Marketing Officer Lara Salamano is returning to the private sector in mid-January, Commerce RI announced on Dec. 10. During...

LARA SALAMANO will depart her role as chief marketing officer at Commerce RI for the private sector in mid-January. / PBN FILE PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

Commerce CMO Salamano to return to private sector in Jan.

Government 12/10/2018

PROVIDENCE – R.I. Commerce Corp.’s Chief Marketing Officer Lara Salamano is leaving the administration to return to the private sector in mid-January, according to...