| 1/17/2013 |
Senate sets next economic summit for Thursday, Jan. 24
Focus is state business rankings, economic competitiveness
STATE HOUSE – The Rhode Island Senate will host its annual economic summit, entitled “Improving Rhode Island’s Business Climate,” on Thursday, January 24, in the Paff Auditorium on the URI Providence campus, 80 Washington Street, Providence. The forum will focus on improving the state’s business rankings and economic competitiveness.
The session will run from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Senate President M. Teresa Paiva Weed and Dr. David Dooley, President of URI, will offer opening remarks and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Daniel Da Ponte will offer concluding comments.
The first portion of the program, “Moving the Needle – State Rankings and Policy Recommendations,” will be presented by Dr. Marie Ganim, Director of the Senate Policy Office, and John Simmons of the Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council.
The second portion of the program, “A Shared Agenda for Economic Competitiveness,” will feature Michael Sabitoni of the Construction and General Laborers, Local 271, and Laurie White of the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce.
Following a working dinner, a third portion of the program, “Business Reaction to ‘Moving the Needle’,” will feature Hanna Chung, COO of Sproutel, Inc.; Michael DiBiase, Senior Vice President for State Government Relations and Public Affairs, Fidelity Investments, and Jonathan Fain, President and CEO of Teknor Apex Company.
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Hannah Chung is a design professional and COO of Sproutel, a Providence-based technology company that sells to the growing healthcare market. A graduate of Northwestern University, she has been named one of 15 Women to Watch in Tech by Inc., Magazine.
Jonathan Fain is the grandson of one of the founders of Teknor Apex. He joined the company in 1972 and is now President and CEO. Teknor Apex, headquartered in Pawtucket, is a diversified material science company.
Michael DiBiase of Fidelity Investments oversees the company’s state and local government relations, as well as government relations and public affairs activities at Fidelity’s several regional facilities.
John Simmons has served as the Executive Director of RIPEC since January, 2008. Prior to his appointment, he served as Chief of Administration for the city of Providence and was also previously the Chief Finance Officer of the City of Boston as well as the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for the Associated Industries of Massachusetts and Deputy General Treasurer for the State of Rhode Island.
Laurie White has been President of the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce since October, 2005. An honors graduate of the University of Rhode Island, where she received a BA in Journalism, she received an honorary doctorate in business administration from Johnson & Wales University and was inducted into the Community College of Rhode Island Hall of Fame in 2010. She was also the recipient of the URI Distinguished Achievement Award from the College of Arts and Sciences.
Michael F. Sabitoni is a second-generation laborer who began his career with the Laborers’ International Union of North America when he joined Rhode Island’s Construction and General Laborers’ Local Union 271 in 1988. In July, 2012, he was unanimously appointed as the Business Manager and Secretary-Treasurer of the RI Laborers’ District Council, representing more than 8,000 members in the public and private sectors.
Dr. David M. Dooley became the 11th president of URI in July, 2009. He joined the university with nearly 30 years of experience in public and private higher education.
For more information, contact:
Greg Pare, Press Secretary for the Senate
State House Room 314
Providence, RI 02903
(401) 276-5558 |
LEGISLATIVE INFO
