Nancy Lavin

PROVIDENCE – Jessica Alba and Venus Williams are the featured speakers for Fidelity Investment Inc.’s annual series of virtual workshops about women and finance, according to a news release. Alba, an actress and businesswoman, and Williams, tennis champion and entrepreneur, are among those who will share tips, tricks and personal insights during the 2023 Women Talk Money […]

Local business news for Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts

James Rizzo was recently promoted to chief commercial banking officer for the Rockland Trust Co. He joined Rockland Trust after it acquired Slade’s Ferry Trust Co. in 2008, and previously served as Rockland Trust’s senior vice president and regional commercial banking manager. He also worked as a senior vice president at Bank of America Corp. […]

TAUNTON – Bristol County Savings Bank through its charitable foundation recently donated $91,500 to 11 nonprofits in northern Rhode Island. The grants were part of a larger donation of $294,000 to 36 organizations across the bank’s footprint, including in Massachusetts. Northern Rhode Island recipients and funding amounts included: $10,000 to Big Brothers Big Sisters of […]

PROVIDENCE – A new, $27 million federal grant could hypothetically cover the cost to finish former Mayor Jorge O. Elorza’s ambitious “urban trail” network. But after the squabbles over some of the 40 miles of protected bike lanes built before Elorza left office, Mayor Brett Smiley is pressing pause. All safety and public infrastructure upgrades […]

PROVIDENCE – Citizens Bank and WJAR-TV NBC 10 are accepting applications from eligible nonprofit organizations that provide summer jobs or training to youths through their Champions in Action program. The program offers award recipients $35,000 in funding, as well as media coverage and volunteer support. Applicants must be registered Rhode Island nonprofits with operating budgets […]

PROVIDENCE – Citizens Bank small-business customers can now send and receive digital payments in real time. The bank recently announced the launch of Zelle for its small-business customers within its mobile app, allowing businesses to send or receive payments to and from customers within minutes, and from anywhere they have their phone. The offering also […]

Oscar Joaquim was recently named president of OceanPoint Marine Lending, a division of BankNewport. Joaquim comes to BankNewport after nearly three decades of work in the auto finance division of Citizens Bank, most recently as senior vice president and national sales manager. He has a finance degree from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. PBN: What […]

PROVIDENCE – Three Providence Police Department majors, all of whom attended Providence public schools as children, have been named as finalists in the search for a new city police chief, Mayor Brett Smiley announced on Tuesday. The search began at the beginning of the year after former Police Chief, Col. Hugh T. Clements decided to […]

Local business news for Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts

PROVIDENCE – Short-term rental property owners who advertise their homes through websites such as Airbnb Inc. and VRBO were supposed to be fined $250 starting Monday if they failed to sign up for a public, online registry, according to state law. But state business regulators aren’t charging anyone, despite the fact that an estimated 1,500 […]

PROVIDENCE – Bank Rhode Island recently donated just under $90,000 to 23 Rhode Island nonprofits, according to a news release. The grants aim to support organizations focused on education, human services and vivid needs for the community, the release stated. The grants included $5,000 for the Potter League for Animals, which will help support animal […]

STAMFORD, Conn. – Webster Financial Corp. continues to reap financial benefits – and some extra costs – from a $10.3 billion merger with a New York bank that closed a year ago. The parent company for Webster Bank on Thursday reported a $644.3 million profit for 2022, marking a 57.6% increase over the prior year. […]

PROVIDENCE – Efforts to keep Providence’s iconic flood barrier on top of rising waters will get a $1 million boost from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The Providence Resilience Partnership on Thursday announced that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has included $1 million in its budget to study potential climate weaknesses in the […]

WESTERLY – Rising interest rates, typically a boon for banks’ bottom lines, weren’t enough to offset inflationary headwinds for Washington Trust Bancorp Inc., which saw annual earnings fall 6.8% over the prior year. The parent company for The Washington Trust Co. on Wednesday reported a $71.7 million profit for 2022, compared with $76.9 million in […]

PROVIDENCE – Brookline Bancorp Inc. saw annual profits dip 4.9% just ahead of closing a $313 million deal to buy a New York bank. The Bank Rhode Island parent company on Wednesday reported annual earnings of $109.7 million. The 2022 report reflects earnings up until the day before the company’s acquisition of New York-based PCSB […]

PROVIDENCE – The Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank is seeking applications for its Municipal Resilience Program, according to a news release. The rolling grant program offers funding to cities and towns for eligible projects that increase their resilience against climate change. Projects are identified through a workshop process, with selected cities and towns required to provide […]

PROVIDENCE – Offshore wind developer Orsted Offshore North America is set to become the full owner of an offshore wind farm planned off the coast of southern New Jersey. Orsted on Wednesday announced it has signed an agreement to buy out New Jersey electric services company Public Service Enterprise Group’s private equity stake in the […]

SWANSEA – The insurance subsidiary of BayCoast Bank is changing its name, following a recent acquisition. Partners Insurance Group is rebranding as BayCoast Insurance, the company announced on Jan. 10. The name change comes a week after Partners acquired Fall River-based Hadley Insurit Group, PBN previously reported. “Now is the time,” Patrick D. Long, CEO […]

Meghan L. Hughes, president of the Community College of Rhode Island, was recently elected to serve on the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston’s board of directors. Hughes also serves as chairperson of the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce board of directors and has more than 30 years of experience in higher education and nonprofit work. […]