PBN Best Places to Work Awards 2023

PARTNER SPONSORS

WORK RI BEST

★

PLACES TO AWARDS 2023

PARTNER AND GIFT SPONSOR

ENTERPRISE COMPANY #1: THE WASHINGTON TRUST CO.

LARGE COMPANY #1: THE BEACON MUTUAL INSURANCE CO.

SMALL COMPANY #1: BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF RHODE ISLAND

MIDSIZE COMPANY #1: SHAWMUT DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION

Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick congratulates the winners of the Providence Business News Best Places to Work 2023 awards. We are honored to be included among companies that understand the importance of employee wellbeing and constantly strive to foster a positive and productive work environment. Your dedication to excellence and continued diligence is inspiring, and we applaud your tremendous efforts!

Navigant Credit Union is proud to serve as a sponsor for Providence Business News’ Best Places to Work Awards. Year after year, this event shines a spotlight on Rhode Island’s business community’s collective commitment to employee-friendly values and organizational culture. We congratulate each of this year’s honorees for your well-deserved recognition, and we look forward to celebrating with you all.

AWARDS 2023

PARTNER & GIFT SPONSOR MESSAGE

Neighborhood congratulates this year’s Best Places to Work winners! We are proud to be a sponsor of this special award and to be recognized alongside you. Our shared commitment to creating a strong and supportive workplace where employees feel valued and empowered to do their best work, is reflected in this recognition. A big thank you to our employees who inspire us to be a “Best Place to Work” each and every day through their dedication and talents.

FROM THE EDITOR

Stanley Tree Service is proud to be recognized as one of Rhode Island’s Best Places

To Work in 2023 and the first arbor care provider to make the list! Our 100% employee owned company offers tree care solutions to residential, commercial, municipal, and utility customers throughout the Northeast. Learn more about our family at www.stanleytree.com

Workplace bonding still matters

HAPPY, HEALTHY EMPLOYEES produce the best results. It’s a truism that became more challenging for both workers and employers to prioritize in the workplace during the COVID-19 pandemic.

All 67 companies recognized in this year’s annual Best Places to Work program understand the importance of company culture, flexible scheduling and employee wellness programs. But working to sustain, and in many cases enhance, those things during a global health crisis has been a work in progress since 2020 for even the best of the best.

While flexible scheduling and remote work are here to stay for most employers, bringing workers together both in and out of the workplace also remains a priority.

That includes renewed emphasis on and appreciation for long-standing social events such as ice cream socials, club events, spirit week and other bonding opportunities that are hard to replicate via Zoom.

This year’s employee appreciation week at The Washington Trust Co., this year’s winner among enterprise companies, felt like a reunion for many workers who hadn’t been around each other since the start of the pandemic, according to CEO Edward O. “Ned” Handy III.

And employers such as The Beacon Mutual Insurance Co., this year’s winner among large companies, are still investing in workplace improvements that include new fitness equipment to bring staff together.

Happy, healthy employees want to work, whether at home or the office, and smart employers never stop investing in that.

We’d like to thank our returning partner sponsors Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick Ltd., Navigant Credit Union and R1 Indoor Karting LLC (also a gift sponsor) and new partners Starkweather & Shepley Insurance Brokerage Inc., Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island and Stanley Tree Service Inc.

Congratulations to all of the 2023 Providence Business News Best Places to Work recipients. We are honored and privileged to be amongst the Rhode Island Businesses that strive towards fostering and empowering workplace development. We applaud you all for making Rhode Island a Best State to work year after year!

R1 recognizes the thoughtfulness each nominated company has demonstrated in their relationship with employees. You set an example for others, and the continuous effort you make will ensure success for your business. We see the devotion you have earned and are grateful each time you allow us to help teambuilding be more fun.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ENTERPRISE COMPANIES | P. 6-10

The Washington Trust Co. | AAA Northeast | Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island | Amgen Rhode Island | Amica Mutual Insurance Co. | University Orthopedics Inc. | Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island

LARGE COMPANIES | P. 12-18

The Beacon Mutual Insurance Co. | Gilbane Inc. | Starkweather & Shepley Insurance Brokerage Inc. | Fall River Five Cents Savings Bank | BankNewport | R.I. Housing and Mortgage Finance Corp. | Rite-Solutions Inc. | Navigant Credit Union | Embrace Home Loans Inc. | Dominion Diagnostics LLC | Narragansett Bay Commission | Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick Ltd.

MIDSIZE COMPANIES | P. 20-33

Shawmut Design and Construction | Sansiveri, Kimball & Co. LLP | Edward D. Jones & Co. LP | Marasco & Nesselbush LLP | Baystate Financial | Hinckley, Allen & Snyder LLP | New England Construction | CBIZ & MHM | DiSanto, Priest & Co. | Partridge Snow & Hahn LLP | Swarovski Optik North America Ltd. | Custom Computer Specialists Inc. | InsureMyTrip | The Providence Mutual Fire Insurance Co. | Coastline EAP/ Rhode Island Student Assistance Services | Kahn, Litwin, Renza & Co. Ltd. | RIPIN | Falvey Insurance Group | Landings Management LLC | United Way of Rhode Island Inc. | The Town Dock | Marcum LLP | Delta Dental of Rhode Island | Carey, Richmond & Viking Insurance | Westerly Community Credit Union | Stanley Tree Service Inc. | Greenwood Credit Union | Sweenor Builders Inc. | Citrin Cooperman & Co. LLP | Pariseault Builders Inc. | Automated Business Solutions Inc.

SMALL COMPANIES | P. 34-42

Michael Mello Editor

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Rhode Island | South County Smiles | AVTECH Software Inc. | Brave River Solutions Inc. | Healthcentric Advisors Inc. | Compass IT Compliance LLC | Rhode Island Foundation | Building Enclosure Science LLC | RIKB Design Build | Duffy & Sweeney Ltd. | DarrowEverett LLP | CIC Providence LLC | Vertikal6 | Envision Technology Advisors LLC | KSA Marketing | Connectivity Point Design & Installation LLC | Province Mortgage Associates Inc.

High employee spirit creates the right ‘trust’

BY MELANIE KALMAR | Contributing Writer

“EMPLOYEE FEST” is one of the most highly anticipated events The Washington Trust Co. holds each spring. But this year’s celebration felt more like a reunion.

With the COVID-19 pandemic behind them, Washington Trust employees celebrated their peers who earned awards for lengthy careers at the bank, engagement in the community and, for the four employees who won “Spirit of Washington Trust” awards, living the brand. Spirit awards come with a $1,000 donation made by the bank’s charitable foundation in the employee’s name to a charity of their choice.

“People were so happy to be together,” said Edward O. “Ned” Handy III, chairman and CEO of the Westerly-based financial institution. “Many of them hadn’t seen each other in three years, other than on a screen.”

Leading up to Employee Fest at Washington Trust is Employee Appreciation Week. The company holds five days of fun activities, from decorating workspaces according to a theme to playing various games.

At Washington Trust, employee appreciation is not limited to springtime. It’s engrained in the corporate culture.

“We can ask people to care about the core values of our culture, but if the company doesn’t seem to care about people, it falls flat,” Handy said. “Our [human resources] team has done an unbelievable job keeping employees healthy, engaged and mindful of each other. They make everyone feel like they’re valued and cared for.”

A high level of dedication for getting the job done, collaborating with teammates to solve problems and staying customer-focused at all times is shared by each of the bank’s 555 employees across 24 branches in Rhode Island.

Washington Trust, the country’s oldest bank, founded in 1800, still creates many new ideas, according to Mary Noons, the bank’s

president and chief operating officer.

“We stay on top of what’s going on and we don’t rely on the fact that we’ve been around forever,” Noons said.

Staying safe and healthy during the pandemic was the starting point of the bank’s hybrid work schedule, which continues today.

“If we need them to come in, they come in,” Handy said. “Otherwise, we’re happy to have people work in a comfortable environment that’s helpful to them.”

True to its values, the bank also takes a balanced approach to hiring by promoting from within and adding new hires from the outside who bring fresh perspectives with them to the institution.

For the past 25 years, the bank has held monthly wellness challenges, featuring dietary, physical fitness or mental health topics. The bank partners with Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island, Fidelity Investments Inc. and The Beacon Mutual Insurance Co. to provide content, webinars and in-person

#1

The Washington Trust Co.

EMPLOYEES IN R.I. 555 CHAIRMAN AND CEO Edward O. “Ned” Handy III

events. Whether the goal is to practice mindfulness 15 minutes a day or walk a mile each morning, employees track their progress while focusing on self-care.

Giving back is part of the bank’s corporate culture. Employees team up to send Valentine’s Day cards to older adults at senior living communities, clean up beaches, volunteer at the bank’s communitywide document “shredit” events and Rhode Island Mentoring’s Dancing with the Stars competition. There are always different opportunities available to volunteer in the community and the bank’s Reach for the Stars program provides incentives to employees for doing it. Staff members log in the hours they’ve donated to different charities and redeem those “stars” for logoed gift items from an online catalogue.

Washington Trust also feels it’s important to look like the communities it serves, Handy said. A couple years ago, Washington Trust formed a diversity, equity and inclusion strategy and, more recently, created a 15-member diversity council representing a group of employees from different backgrounds. The council, Handy said, helps leadership think through every element of DEI inside and outside of the company, from best practices for hiring employees and engaging with the community to building equality among employees and customers.

“We have a great group of volunteers,” he said. “We try to keep it a nonexecutive, grassroots effort.” n

‘We’re happy to have people work in a comfortable environment that’s helpful to them.’

EDWARD O. “NED” HANDY III

The Washington Trust Co. chairman and CEO

BAY DAY: The Washington Trust Co. employees support the Save The Bay Inc.’s International Coastal Cleanup initiative at Napatree Point in Westerly. COURTESY THE WASHINGTON TRUST CO.

APPRECIATING EMPLOYEES: AAA Northeast holds various initiatives during a given year to celebrate employees, such as company breakfasts and dinners.

AAA Northeast

EMPLOYEES IN R.I. 1,332

CEO AND PRESIDENT John A. Galvin

QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY Ron Arigo

Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer

What fun activities does your company offer employees to participate in? Our club has longstanding traditions of celebrating and appreciating employees. Major companywide events include an appreciation breakfast (spring), Employee Appreciation Day (summer), and elegant service milestone dinners (fall). Throughout the year, employees can engage in contests, raffles, celebrations and team spirit days.

How would you describe the culture of your workplace? We find opportunities for our employees to make a difference, innovating through testing and learning, and embracing diversity, ensuring equity and promoting inclusion. Our environment is one where our employees feel a sense of involvement, empowerment, value and, most importantly, belonging.

What modifications have you made to your workplace to support employee wellness? We offer a mental health rebate designed to support employees’ mental/emotional well-being. This can be used on items such as counselor or coaching appointments, yoga or meditation classes, massage and spa services, acupuncture, relaxation apps, etc. n

#3

Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island

EMPLOYEES IN R.I. 794

CEO AND PRESIDENT Martha L. Wofford

QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY Martha

How has your company adapted programs and services in response to challenges such as workforce shortages and staff burnout? The biggest change we have made is to enhance flexibility, enabling associates to work remotely and to have more decision-making ability with their days. We have found that to maintain connection in a hybrid world, we need to be more intentional, and have been hosting more events in our office at the team, divisional and organizational level.

What modifications have you made to your workplace to support employee wellness? In addition to our well-established Rhodes to Wellbeing program, we are now focusing on recognizing the caregiving that our teammates are delivering to family members and other loved ones. How do you support community service work by your employees?

Through our BlueAngel program, we inform employees about volunteer opportunities year-round. Blue Across Rhode Island, our annual companywide day of service when our associates fan out across the state to work side by side with local nonprofits, is now in its 12th year and is our favorite day of the year. n

ROCKING OUT: Amgen Rhode Island employees dress up for its Solid As A Rock 1980s-themed gala.

COURTESY AMGEN RHODE ISLAND

#4

Amgen Rhode Island

EMPLOYEES IN R.I. 1,020

CHAIRMAN AND CEO

Robert A. Bradway

QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY Brian Britson

Vice President of Site Operations

What modifications have you made to your workplace to support employee wellness? We have a free 24-hour state-of-the-art fitness center staffed by some of the best personal trainers; we have a massage therapist; we have a robust employees assistance program that Amgen pays 100% of the cost should staff need access to behavioral health programs; and we also provide nutritional services, amongst others.

What role does diversity, equity and inclusion play in your hiring and promotion decisions?

Employee resource groups participate in the recruitment process and help us diversify our interview panels. In partnership with Skills for Rhode Island’s Future, Amgen hires first-generation college students from diverse communities across the state for future careers in the biotechnology industry. Amgen actively recruits by participating in college and university career fairs. How do you support community service work by your employees? We partner with nonprofits, schools and local colleges to make a difference in the development of young people. Each staff member has eight paid hours off per year to volunteer in a community service. Several of our leaders are board members of local nonprofits. n

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5

Amica Mutual Insurance Co.

EMPLOYEES IN R.I. 1,769

CEO AND PRESIDENT Edmund “Ted”

Shallcross III

QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY Edmund “Ted”

Shallcross III

What three words best describe your staff?

Empathetic, ethical, inclusive.

How has your company adapted programs and services in response to challenges such as workforce shortages and staff burnout? We offer monetary incentives such as retention, referral and signing bonuses. An employersponsored employee assistance program that provides counseling for marital, parental or financial problems, and/or other necessary assistance.

What fun activities does your company offer employees to participate in? Office Olympics, walking challenges, virtual trivia, cookouts and ice cream socials. Team bowling and 5K races are also popular activities. Amica promotes group fitness activities, such as on-campus summer basketball tournaments and free outdoor group fitness classes. What role does diversity, equity and inclusion play in your hiring and promotion decisions? We host diversity, equity and inclusion sessions via Handshake to attract potential candidates to work for us. We have a Peer-to-Peer 12-month mentorship program for employees who are part of underrepresented groups. n

TRUE BLUE: Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island volunteers sort donations at the Rhode Island Community Food Bank during the company’s 11th annual Blue Across Rhode Island day of service.

COURTESY BLUE CROSS & BLUE SHIELD OF RHODE ISLAND

L. Wofford

HOLIDAY GIVING: Amica Mutual Insurance Co. employees, with an assist from Santa, continue a tradition of holiday giving with a Penny Social, which raised more than $7,000 to benefit Meals on Wheels of Rhode Island.

COURTESY AMICA MUTUAL INSURANCE CO.

COURTESY AAA NORTHEAST

#2

WORK OF ART: In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, University Orthopedics Inc. hosts a Paint Night for its employees.

COURTESY UNIVERSITY ORTHOPEDICS INC.

How has your company adapted programs and services in response to challenges such as workforce shortages and staff burnout? Strong focus on employee engagement and retention. Ensure we stay competitive with compensation and benefits. Have enhanced benefits based on employee feedback. Provided a higher-thannormal salary budget and increases in the last two years and employees retention/thank-you bonuses.

What fun activities does your company offer employees to participate in? This year we are hosting our first “Family Fun Day” in the summer. This has been highly requested by our employees and we will host this event for all employees and their family members, which will include food trucks, gamess and a lot more for all to enjoy.

What role does diversity, equity and inclusion play in your hiring and promotion decisions? Our goal is to attract and promote talented, great people from all backgrounds and for them to feel that this is an inclusive place where their different perspectives and backgrounds will thrive. n

#7

Neighborhood

Health Plan of Rhode Island

EMPLOYEES IN R.I. 618

CEO AND PRESIDENT Peter Marino

QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY April Garcia

Human Resource Business Partner

What three words best describe your staff? Passionate, committed, collaborative.

How has your company adapted programs and services in response to challenges such as workforce shortages and staff burnout?

We leverage virtual recruitment and a hybrid orientation model to support the onboarding of new employees; “Flexible Fridays” and ad hoc telecommuting, which allow employees flexibility; a meditation room, gym and the Calm app to reduce anxiety and stress.

What modifications have you made to your workplace to support employee wellness? We have added no-cost wellness benefits, including an on-site fitness center, walking paths around our campus, and webinars for physical and mental health. Our wellness program encourages employees through goal-setting and incentives.

Do you have a preference for promoting existing staff or hiring from outside and why? Promoting existing staff has helped to retain talented employees who are already familiar with the organization; boost employee morale and motivation as they see opportunities for growth; and reduce the costs and risks associated with hiring new employees. n

BEST PLACES TO WORK - ENTERPRISE COMPANIES

SPIRITED AFFAIR: Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island employees and mascot Dr. Care Bear get into the spirit at an Employee Appreciation Week pep rally.

COURTESY NEIGHBORHOOD HEALTH PLAN OF RHODE ISLAND

A healthy environment shining brightly

BY MELANIE KALMAR | Contributing Writer

ACCIDENTS IN THE WORKPLACE put businesses and their employees in a difficult position emotionally, financially and physically. With compassion and understanding, the team at The Beacon Mutual Insurance Co. helps make filing a workers’ compensation claim as stress free as possible.

“I always say to people, if you walk around our claims department and listen to our adjusters talk on the phone, you can tell they care for the people [they’re assisting],” said Brian Spero, CEO and president of the Warwickbased insurance company. “We’re helping other Rhode Islanders. It’s not some uncompassionate call center somewhere outside of Rhode Island. That claims adjuster has a special connection to the injured workers.”

Founded in 1992, Beacon is the state’s largest writer of workers’ compensation insurance. The company assists businesses that have a choice of insurers and those that are limited to Beacon due to the inherently dangerous work they do or their poor track record.

Spero and Shannon Broadbent, Beacon’s associate vice president of human resources, describe the Beacon team as an exceptional workforce that is very engaged and compassionate. The employees’ positivity is contagious, Spero said, and makes everyone around them feel energized.

Culture is extraordinarily important to the leadership team. Five years ago, when Spero came aboard as CEO, they created two strategic plans. One focused on business and the other on culture. “I truly believe internally and externally that there is a direct link between internal culture and performance,” Spero said. “We get extraordinary results because we have extraordinary people.”

Beacon also has a wellness committee aimed at helping employees make time for physical, emotional and financial wellness activities. Beacon also recently remodeled its state-of-the-art fitness facility. The workout

area has equipment and a variety of group exercise classes to choose from, such as yoga, strength training, spinning and Zumba.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Beacon team created a “well-being at home” guide with webinars about mental health and financial well-being, as well as virtual sessions featuring mindfulness exercises and at-home workouts. Beacon staff also made time to participate in various fun activities such as virtual bingo, a nonfinancial poker tournament and an online Italian cooking show hosted by Spero. To make employees’ lives easier, Beacon additionally offered flexible work arrangements, allowing staff to put their children on and off the bus or attend special events – a perk that continues today at the company.

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The Beacon Mutual Insurance Co. EMPLOYEES IN R.I. 155 CEO AND PRESIDENT Brian Spero

“The results, in terms of hiring, have been good,” Spero said. “When you look at our workforce now compared to maybe five years ago, it’s much more diverse. It’s younger and that does bring a special energy to the company.”

A big supporter of community service work, Beacon provides employees eight hours of paid time off annually to volunteer at local nonprofits and opportunities to help different types of organizations throughout the year. Employees support initiatives related to animals, children, the environment and other causes. Beacon’s charitable foundation makes monetary contributions to more than 100 charities throughout the state.

As proponents of continuing education, the company promotes from within. Beacon offers employees opportunities for continuing education and provides tuition assistance for professional development, undergraduate and graduate studies.

Additionally, Beacon’s onboarding program lasts for a year and emphasizes learning, relationships and forming connections throughout the company, Broadbent said. Employees learn about the different roles and responsibilities in the organization, participate in a coffee hour meet-and-greet with all of the company’s vice presidents and have lunch with Spero.

“If you have employees that work in a great place, it’s going to be noticeable to people outside of the company who deal with them,” Spero said. “We are always complimented by the people we deal with on how happy our employees are with what they do and how it makes a real difference in how they do their job.” n

‘If you have employees that work in a great place, it’s going to be noticeable to people outside of the company.’

BRIAN SPERO

The Beacon Mutual Insurance Co. CEO and president

TIDYING THINGS UP: Staffers from The Beacon Mutual Insurance Co. volunteer to clean up Fort Adams State Park in Newport.

COURTESY THE BEACON MUTUAL INSURANCE CO.

IN CHARACTERS: Gilbane Inc.’s accounting team celebrates Halloween by dressing in costumes.

What three words best describe your staff? Caring, entrepreneurial, integrous.

EMPLOYEES IN R.I. 172

QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY Tara Crawford

Marketing Manager

What fun activities does your company offer employees to participate in? Our employee resource groups support community and inclusion through the development of fun team-building and social activities, as well as learning opportunities, and centered around cultures, societal changes and personal growth.

What modifications have you made to your workplace to support employee wellness? Our wellness program is focused on supporting employees’ total well-being: occupational safety, mental/emotional wellness, financial well-being and physical wellness. Broadening our focus helps our employees achieve and maintain their best life at work and at home with their family and/or friends.

What role does diversity, equity and inclusion play in your hiring and promotion decisions? A diverse workforce brings important perspectives for developing new approaches to engage clients and communities. Our Diversity Council sets the overall direction for inclusion and diversity efforts at Gilbane, including hiring, workforce diversity, inclusive work culture, economic inclusion, and supplier diversity and racial equity. n

#3

Starkweather & Shepley Insurance Brokerage Inc.

EMPLOYEES IN R.I. 162

CEO AND PRESIDENT Lawrence E. Keefe

QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY Florence Duperry Vice President of Human Resources

What three words best describe your staff? Integrity, innovation, commitment. What modifications have you made to your workplace to support employee wellness? We have taken a three-pronged approach to wellbeing: physical, mental and financial. We have developed a yearlong series of events to support our associates in these three areas. Examples of the events include sessions on saving for retirement and an in-person event with a highly sought-after speaker presenting on resilience. Do you have a preference for promoting existing staff or hiring from outside and why? We think with all companies, promoting from within is preferred. In 2023, we have had an enhanced focus on personal and professional development of our associates. Supporting associates as they reach their professional goals is important to us. Describe a new employee benefit(s) or initiative(s) your company has launched in the past 12 months. We launched a formal mentorship program in 2023. Historically, many associates have served informally as mentors. Our goal was to reach as many associates as possible who were interested in their own development and to support others. n

PROUD OF WHO WE ARE

WE HAVE DONE IT ONCE AGAIN...

Amgen was proud to be named by Providence Business News as a Best Place to Work in Rhode Island for the 16th time. It’s a direct result of creating an environment that enables our workforce to realize its utmost in professional and personal growth while we continue to successfully fulfill our mission to serve patients. As we see it, we owe our workforce nothing less.

COURTESY GILBANE INC.

#2 Gilbane Inc.

CEO AND PRESIDENT Thomas Laird Jr.

BEATING BREAST CANCER: Starkweather & Shepley Insurance Brokerage Inc. employees participate in the annual Gloria Gemma Foundation 5K for Breast Cancer Awareness in Providence.

COURTESY STARKWEATHER & SHEPLEY INSURANCE BROKERAGE INC.

SHINING BRIGHTLY: Fall River Five Cents Savings Bank employees pose behind a lighted sign of the bank’s name.

COURTESY FALL RIVER FIVE CENTS SAVINGS BANK

Fall

#4

River Five

Cents Savings Bank

EMPLOYEES IN R.I. 235

CEO AND PRESIDENT

Anne P. Tangen

QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY Anne P. Tangen

How has your company adapted programs and services in response to challenges such as workforce shortages and staff burnout? We make efforts to solicit help from other departments, encourage employees to use their paid time off, insurance wellness benefits, and treat our teams to lunch to build a team environment and show our appreciation.

What fun activities does your company offer employees to participate in? Each year we host an employee appreciation event with food, music, games and prizes. It is the one night of the year that we all gather just to celebrate each other. This event is highly attended (typically 90% of employees attend). We also host family-friendly events such as Take your Child to Work Day, a children’s holiday party and Halloween trick or treat.

Describe a new employee benefit(s) or initiative(s) your company has launched in the past 12 months. This year we started an Angel Fund. Through this fund, any employee can nominate another for a $1,000 grant. In four months, we have seen nominations for loss of a spouse, health battles and other life-altering hardships. n

We are Rhode Island's community foundation.

Pamela Adams

Angie Ankoma

Bridget Baratta

Chris Barnett

Monica Benson

Ricky Bogert

Adrian Bonéy

Margaret Botelho

Nicole Bucci

Lou Capracotta

David Cicilline

Sharon Collier

Arianne Corrente

Wendi DeClercq

Nicole Delos

Lisa DiMartino

Colleen Donham

Sean Festa

Danielle Germanowski

Carmen Greene

Kiki Greene

Connie Grosch

Dale Halburian

Zaida Hernandez

Jamie Hull

Alison Jackson

Bruce Keeler

Daniel Kertzner

Lisa Maddox

Kathleen Malin

Inés Merchán

Katie Murray

Zach Nieder

With a special thank you to Neil Steinberg, who will always belong on this list.

Paula O’Brien

Lauren Paola

Venita Parham

Christine Pellegri

Jenny Pereira

Jill Pfitzenmayer

Bryant Phillips

Jen Reid

Kelly Riley

Ian Ross

Joe Santos

Donna Sowden

Karen Sylvia

Elgin Tagger

Bazl Taliaferrow-Mosleh

Keith Tavares

BUILDING A FUTURE: BankNewport employees help construct a home for Habitat for Humanity.

COURTESY BANKNEWPORT #5

BankNewport

EMPLOYEES IN R.I. 308

CEO AND PRESIDENT

John F. “Jack” Murphy

QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY Alexandra Sousa

What fun activities does your company offer employees to participate in? BankNewport has a “Hoopla” committee that supports engagement activities and programs throughout the year. Examples of these activities are our annual Employee Appreciation Week and annual Employee Rally, where employees are recognized for their performance and contributions to BankNewport. How do you support community service work by your employees? BankNewport’s commitment to the community through its All In Volunteer Program gives employees the flexibility to volunteer 10 hours a year during their regularly scheduled work time to support a community organization of their choice.

Do you have a preference for promoting existing staff or hiring from outside and why? We understand the importance of offering our employees career opportunities and strive to promote from within whenever the opportunity arises. Managers are encouraged to speak to employees about their career aspirations and help guide employees in their career development, preparing them for any positions that may open. Promoting from within is always good for morale and shows commitment to our employees. n

#6

R.I. Housing and Mortgage Finance Corp.

EMPLOYEES IN R.I. 230

CEO AND PRESIDENT

Carol Ventura

QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY James Comer Deputy Executive Director

What three words best describe your staff? Dedicated, passionate, mission-driven.

What fun activities does your company offer employees to participate in? We offer regular wellness sessions and staff appreciation events revolving around company achievements, employee milestones and cultural holidays. What role does diversity, equity and inclusion play in your hiring and promotion decisions? Diversity, [equity] and inclusion are primary to our organization’s mission. This year R.I. Housing partnered with Professional Diversity Network to centralize our job distribution and media outreach platform to networks.

How do you support community service work by your employees? Our staff members find that service to the community brings meaning to both their work and their personal lives. We offer various community service opportunities for our staff to participate, from donating food to the food pantry during holiday months, volunteering for Habitat for Humanity and providing career advice to youths at Boys & Girls Clubs of Rhode Island. n

Associate Vice President and Human Resources Generalist

TASTY TREATS: Staff members from the R.I. Housing and Mortgage Finance Corp. enjoy ice cream as part of the institution’s Ice Cream Social. COURTESY R.I. HOUSING AND MORTGAGE FINANCE CORP.

FRIENDLY GATHERING: Rite-Solutions Inc. believes that people perform better when they are an integral part of a living, breathing organization.

COURTESY RITE-SOLUTIONS INC.

#7

Rite-Solutions Inc.

EMPLOYEES IN R.I. 300

CEO AND PRESIDENT

Dennis McLaughlin

QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY Dennis McLaughlin

What fun activities does your company offer employees to participate in? We have a fantastic holiday party, a summertime company birthday party, golf tournament and quarterly events. We also have a myriad of teams that employees can join, such as the green team, an events team, and a culture team, a community outreach team, a veterans group and others.

How would you describe the culture of your workplace? Our saying is that Rite-Solutions employees are “One of F.E.W. – Friends Enjoying Work.” We have a very friendly and supportive work environment. It’s our belief that people perform better when they are an integral part of a living, breathing organization, not just a cog in the wheel. We believe that people are more productive when they enjoy what they’re doing and are personally aligned to the task at hand.

Describe a new employee benefit(s) or initiative(s) your company has launched in the past 12 months. Rite-Solutions strives for “Best of Breed” benefits. We are constantly enhancing our benefit package to provide the best benefits to our employees at a low cost. We also have reduced benefit deductions for certain plans in which the company is picking up a larger portion of the total premiums. n

What three words best describe your staff? Dedicated, caring, resilient.

What fun activities does your company offer employees to participate in? We do raffles and giveaways: daily/weekly ticket giveaways (concerts, sporting events), large ticket items raffled at all employee meetings (TVs, extra vacation week, major concert tickets, etc.); wellness day: including health screenings, vendors and raffles (fitbit, gym equipment, nutribullet, etc.) Also, team leaders are encouraged to host team-building events such as game nights, potlucks, dinners out, Block Island getaways and a dinner at a team member’s home.

What role does diversity, equity and inclusion play in your hiring and promotion decisions? The values of diversity and equality are a guiding force behind our hiring practices, our philanthropic efforts, and the lending products and programs we offer to our members.

How do you support community service work by your employees? We have an internal committee called V-Force, which organizes volunteer outings for employees. These outings give employees an opportunity to get away from the office for a time and give back to the communities we serve. n

VIVA LAS VEGAS: The Navigant Credit Union team gets festive at its annual employee meeting NCU’s Casino Night. COURTESY NAVIGANT CREDIT UNION

ORANGE CARPET TREATMENT: A group of new hires enjoys their Orange Carpet onboarding experience at Embrace Home Loans Inc.

#

EMPLOYEES IN R.I. 220 CEO Dennis Hardiman

QUESTIONS

BY Dennis Hardiman

How would you describe the culture of your workplace? Engaged, connected, caring and collaborative. Our values are achievement, community, courage, empowerment, fulfillment, innovation and love. They are referred to and represented by all regularly.

What modifications have you made to your workplace to support employee wellness? We conduct small group trainings in discussions on building emotional intelligence and resilience. Additionally, we will begin this quarter offering a similar program in understanding and responding to difficult emotions such as anxiety.

What role does diversity, equity and inclusion play in your hiring and promotion decisions? We established a couple of years ago an initiative that includes dedicated staff to advance diversity and equity at Embrace. The initiative has not only led to a more diverse workforce but consequently a more capable management team.

How do you support community service work by your employees? Besides celebrating our company’s anniversary each year with a week of companywide participation in community service, we pay employees for up to 100 hours of community service per year. n

EXCELLENT OUTING: Dominion Diagnostics LLC’s Circle of Excellence winners gather at Castle Hill Inn in Newport in September.

What three words best describe your staff? Loyal, hardworking, creative.

How has your company adapted programs and services in response to challenges such as workforce shortages and staff burnout? We have a hybrid work model for functions that can work remotely. Shift pay differentials, annual bonus opportunities for all employees and employee engagement programming are offered throughout the year.

What fun activities does your company offer employees to participate in? We hold lab week celebrations, contests, meals served by senior leadership, raffles and wellness events.

How would you describe the culture of your workplace? High-quality, growth-oriented, fast-paced and information-driven.

Do you have a preference for promoting existing staff or hiring from outside and why? We try to promote from within wherever possible. Hiring the right people is hard, so when there is a chance to promote an existing, qualified employee that has a strong performance track record, it builds retention and fosters career ladders. n

COURTESY EMBRACE HOME LOANS INC.

9 Embrace Home Loans Inc.

ANSWERED

ELECTRIFIED: Staffers at the Narragansett Bay Commission charge an electric vehicle as part of its commitment to renewable energy.

COURTESY NARRAGANSETT BAY COMMISSION

#11

Narragansett Bay Commission

EMPLOYEES IN R.I. 267

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Laurie Horridge

QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY

James McCaughey

Deputy Director

What three words best describe your staff? Dedicated, loyal, passionate.

What fun activities does your company offer employees to participate in? We hold various fun events for our staff. Among them are holiday parties, safety slogan contests and employee appreciation days recognizing them for their efforts.

How would you describe the culture of your workplace? We consider ourselves progressive, open-minded, and environmentally and socially conscientious.

What modifications have you made to your workplace to support employee wellness? We offer generous health benefits to our staff. We have an on-site gym at our facility and we recently established a wellness health awards program. How do you support community service work by your employees? We have allowed for paid workday participation in community service activities. We also have offered financial support, including grants, to community programs. n

BOWLED OVER: Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick Ltd. employees gather for the firm’s annual bowling event.

COURTESY CHISHOLM CHISHOLM & KILPATRICK LTD.

#12 Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick Ltd.

EMPLOYEES IN R.I. 284 PARTNERS Robert Chisholm, J. Scott Kilpatrick, Zachary Stolz, Mason Waring, Bradley Hennings, Jenna Zellmer

How has your company adapted programs and services in response to challenges such as workforce shortages and staff burnout? We continue to offer firmwide outings for employee fun, camaraderie and increased morale.

What fun activities does your company offer employees to participate in? Each week we have a firmwide Zoom meeting called Fireside Chat with segments such as “Pet introductions” and “Raffle Tuesdays.” CCK Day is our employee appreciation day, where we celebrate the accomplishments of the year. We have events such as step competitions, occasional catered lunches in the office and photo booths at events. What modifications have you made to your workplace to support employee wellness? We encourage the use of a free wellness application, an employee assistance program, friendly stepoff competitions to increase activity, and fresh fruit daily. Our on-site wellness rooms are equipped with massage chairs, happy lights and diffusers. This year we added a third wellness room, specifically for nursing parents. n

QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY Robert Chisholm, J. Scott Kilpatrick, Zachary Stolz, Mason Waring, Bradley Hennings, Jenna Zellmer

BEST PLACES TO WORK - LARGE COMPANIES (based on

companies with 150-499 regional employees)

Building up a healthy, valuable culture

BY ERICA MOURA | Contributing Writer

BEING IN THE RIGHT FRAME OF MIND on a construction site is on equal footing as properly building any new facility. Shawmut Design and Construction fully understands this concept.

In addition to the usual job training about harness, ladder and electric safety during Shawmut’s annual safety week this past May, the Providence-based construction and general contractor introduced a group dedicated to addressing the mental health crisis in the construction industry. About 50 employees from across the company are a part of Shawmut’s mental health and wellness leadership group, which is poised to propose initiatives and programs targeted at helping its employees, according to Chris Maury, Shawmut’s Rhode Island senior director.

Shawmut also launched an online suicide awareness training program, which is available to all its employees. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, those working in construction have a significantly higher rate of death by suicide than the general population.

Safety, Maury said, is embedded into Shawmut’s core values.

“We care about everyone getting home safe every day,” Maury said. “It’s our No. 1 priority. We believe in building a team diverse in people, ideas and experiences – driving meaningful change not only at Shawmut but throughout the industry and into our communities.”

Knowing there are shortages of people interested in trades, Maury said, Shawmut is actively working on recruiting future workers from an early age with the hopes that it will alleviate employee shortages and burnout. Also, Maury said workers recently visited William E. Tolman High School in Pawtucket to encourage 160 students to join the trades, and specifically construction.

Close to two years ago, the company

launched a partnership with Roger Williams University with the goal of diversifying the construction and engineering industry. Shawmut gave three underrepresented students majoring in construction management or engineering four-year scholarships, paid internships, opportunities for professional development and a stipend toward living costs.

Within the company, building efforts toward diversity, equity and inclusion have been years in the making. Those efforts include formal mentor programs, as well as establishing systems to evaluate compensation throughout the company to ensure equitable and fair pay, Maury said.

For Maury, who has been at the company for more than 20 years, part of what makes Shawmut special is the staff, which he describes as dedicated, collaborative and which has incredible integrity.

“Construction is a challenging business but when you work with great people, it makes it a fun business,” he said.

#1 Shawmut Design and Construction

EMPLOYEES IN R.I. 75 CEO Les Hiscoe

For the last seven years, Shawmut has offered flexible work hours for its employees. Shawmut Flex, as the program is known, allows employees to create schedules that work for them and their position, Maury said.

According to Shawmut’s website, all employees are given the opportunity to work longer but fewer days throughout the week, work in shifts, or work full time during the busy season while working part time during the off-season. Employees primarily in the office can work remotely and can shift their work hours. People working on sites can opt to primarily cover overtime or fill in for people who may have called out for the day.

Shawmut employees are also encouraged to volunteer and as a benefit, the company offers a paid volunteer day. Maury noted the company encourages employees to be involved in their communities and local organizations such as Rhode Island’s Architecture, Construction and Engineering Mentor Program, known as ACE.

It is not all work and no play at the office. There’s usually a putting challenge, or a miniature golf tournament at the office. Outside of the offices, there are plenty of organized social events, such as axe throwing. These events, Maury said, are organized by the social committee.

“I think we really work together and look out for each other,” said Maury, who added it’s not unusual for employees to put down whatever task to help another team, share ideas and brainstorm. n

‘We believe in building a team diverse in people, ideas and experiences.’

CHRIS MAURY

Shawmut Design and Construction

Rhode Island senior director

MENTALLY STRONG: Shawmut Design and Construction recently created a mental health and wellness leadership group to propose new mental health initiatives within the company.

COURTESY SHAWMUT DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION

SUMMERTIME: Sansiveri, Kimball & Co. LLP team members relax with lawn games and enjoy the sun at the company’s annual summer outing at Goddard Memorial State Park in Warwick.

& CO.

#2

EMPLOYEES IN R.I. 52

PARTNER Jason DaPonte

QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY

What three words best describe your staff?

Knowledgeable, compassionate, dedicated.

What fun activities does your company offer employees to participate in? For those who enjoy sports, we have a golf league that employees are invited to participate in on Thursday afternoons, an employee pickleball league that is held on Wednesday afternoons, and last summer we had an employee summer softball league. We also have an events committee that plans many other fun events throughout the year, including picnics with yard games, employee appreciation luncheons, and happy hours.

What modifications have you made to your workplace to support employee wellness? One of the primary modifications we have made to our workplace to support employee wellness is our focus on healthy, family-friendly work schedules. They include remote work options, very flexible hybrid work arrangements, and a formal alternative career program with flexible work schedules to afford employees the opportunity to continue to advance their career within the firm while working reduced or non-traditional work hours. n

TRUE VALUES: Edward D. Jones & Co. LP employees have four core values: client focus, respect for individuals, a long-term, quality investment philosophy and a spirit of partnership.

COURTESY EDWARD D. JONES & CO. LP

#3

Edward D. Jones & Co. LP

EMPLOYEES IN R.I. 58

FINANCIAL ADVISER AND REGIONAL LEADER John Leary

What fun activities does your company offer employees to participate in? In celebration of its centennial in 2022, Edward Jones hosted special events, offered opportunities to share the celebration with clients and communities, and created connections to philanthropic and community efforts.

How would you describe the culture of your workplace? We have four core values in which it is grounded – client focus, respect for individuals, a long-term, quality investment philosophy and a spirit of partnership. A partnership not only in spirit but also in structure, and more than half of the firm’s associates own part of the firm today through our limited partnership opportunity.

QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY Elise Goldstein Consultant

What role does diversity, equity and inclusion play in your hiring and promotion decisions? When we create a sense of belonging, we attract, hire and retain more talented people with diverse experiences and perspectives. That cultivates an environment of openness, creativity, innovation and trust. We also sponsor monthly “Courageous Conversations” for our associates in the home office and network of branches, which give everyone an opportunity to share their lived experiences, be heard and understood. n

Thank you

COURTESY SANSIVERI, KIMBALL

LLP

Sansiveri, Kimball & Co. LLP

MANAGING

Jason DaPonte

to our team for your hard work, dedication and continued commitment to our mission, vision and values.

A NOSE FOR COMMUNITY: Marasco & Nesselbush LLP staffers wear red noses for the annual national Red Nose Day initiative to end child poverty.

Nesselbush LLP

EMPLOYEES IN R.I. 70

PARTNERS

QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY Francesca Raheb

What three words best describe your staff? Empathetic, hardworking, passionate. How has your company adapted programs and services in response to challenges such as workforce shortages and staff burnout? We continued a hybrid in a post-COVID-19 world. We increased staff outings and family day events, and provide opportunities to earn extra paid time off. We provided summer Fridays and early release days.

CUP CRAZY: Baystate Financial Services LLC employees help fundraise and volunteer at Boston Children’s Hospital’s annual Corporate Cup event. COURTESY BAYSTATE FINANCIAL SERVICES LLC

#5

Baystate Financial Services LLC

EMPLOYEES IN R.I. 68 OWNER AND MANAGING

PARTNER

Dave Porter

QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY Dave Porter

What three words best describe your staff? Engaged, caring, fun.

How has your company adapted programs and services in response to challenges such as workforce shortages and staff burnout? Each associate details what their definition of success is. Understanding this as an employer limits turnover and promotes collaboration.

What fun activities does your company offer employees to participate in? We have quarterly off-site events to celebrate the goals we are achieving, family fun days, staff appreciation week, summer party, holiday party and more. What modifications have you made to your workplace to support employee wellness? We participate in charitable walks, bring in a massage therapist to work with staff, and encourage team members to utilize our benefits package by adding a discounted gym membership.

Experience Manager

Describe a new employee benefit(s) or initiative(s) your company has launched in the past 12 months. We continually review our benefits package so we can provide top-quality benefits and initiatives at a cost-effective rate. n

What fun activities does your company offer employees to participate in? We participate in softball and soccer leagues. We also hold a company dodgeball tournament and enjoy happy hours, axe throwing and darts.

How would you describe the culture of your workplace? Outstanding! People before profit and trying to show every day that we care. How do you support community service work by your employees? Each associate gets three paid days per year to spend volunteering at any 501(c)3 organization of their choosing. We also make a donation to said charity in their name. We encourage them to share their experience with us.

Do you have a preference for promoting existing staff or hiring from outside and why? We always look within our organization first. n

COURTESY

COURTESY HINCKLEY ALLEN & SNYDER LLP

#6

Hinckley, Allen & Snyder LLP

EMPLOYEES IN R.I. 98

MANAGING PARTNER

Patrick

A. Rogers

QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY Megan McCormick

Chief Human Resources

What three words best describe your staff?

Committed, loyal, team-oriented.

How has your company adapted programs and services in response to challenges such as workforce shortages and staff burnout?

The firm has continued to provide exceptional benefits programs and generous paid time off to assist partners, attorneys and staff to maintain a reasonable work-life balance. The firm has offered support through our employee and family assistance program and various webinars and training courses to help avoid burnout.

What fun activities does your company offer employees to participate in? We have a monthly pizza party; Friday breakfast treats; staff appreciation events and gifts; monthly office socials; viewing parties for professional sporting events; an end-of-summer staff celebration; Jeopardy competitions; and others.

What role does diversity, equity and inclusion play in your hiring and promotion decisions? Our firm hires and promotes the most qualified individual for each position. We value diversity and equity and strive to be an ethical, inclusive and educated workplace. Recruiting from a diverse pool of candidates means a more successful and collaborative workforce. n

#

7

England Construction

New

EMPLOYEES IN R.I. 52 CEO AND PRESIDENT Matt Sluter

QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY Matt Sluter

What modifications have you made to your workplace to support employee wellness? Recently, we rolled out a mental health initiative to include monthly wellness newsletters, a wellness workshop, reimbursement for therapy and even a mental health app called Headspace for employees to utilize. We also have a Peloton at our office and participate in companywide 5Ks. Lastly, we offer healthy snacks and seltzer water in our breakroom.

What role does diversity, equity and inclusion play in your hiring and promotion decisions? We are steadfast in our efforts to create a safe and unified workspace. This includes asking questions during the interview process around diversity, equity and inclusion. Every person who walks through our doors or onto one of our job sites needs to feel welcome and respected.

Do you have a preference for promoting existing staff or hiring from outside and why? We believe that our greatest asset is our people. New England Construction is focused and dedicated to growing our own. We are able to do this by providing employees with a roadmap for their success with individualized career development plans. n

COURTESY MARASCO & NESSELBUSH LLP

#4 Marasco &

Joseph Marasco and Donna Nesselbush

Client and Culture

FUN RUN: Hinckley, Allen & Snyder LLP staffers support the American Heart Association with the annual Lawyers Have Heart 10K, 5K and Family Fun Walk.

TRAINING DAY: The New England Construction team poses for a photo before one of its team trainings in 2022. Last year, the company offered 27 programs for its employees to support their professional development.

NEW ENGLAND CONSTRUCTION

GOING FOR GOLD: DiSanto, Priest & Co. employees compete in the Rhode Island Society of Certified Public Accountants’ Accounting Olympics.

COURTESY DISANTO, PRIEST & CO.

#9

DiSanto, Priest & Co.

EMPLOYEES IN R.I. 84

MANAGING DIRECTOR

Scott

ANSWERED BY

David Bussius

Managing Director

How has your company adapted programs and services in response to challenges such as workforce shortages and staff burnout? To promote work-life balance, we provided employees with a complete home office technology setup to ensure productivity and promote flexibility. We added four “wellness days” to our paid-time-off program. We implemented a generous subsidy for wellness-related activities. How would you describe the culture of your workplace? We value our employees, provide them with opportunities for personal and professional growth, and expose them to a variety of work. Leadership genuinely cares about employees and wants them to be fulfilled personally and professionally.

What role does diversity, equity and inclusion play in your hiring and promotion decisions? We value diversity and inclusion as a business imperative, integrating it into our culture. Our commitment includes combatting racism and discrimination, while creating an environment that leverages and respects individual differences and similarities. n

MANAGING PARTNER

Emilio Colapietro

QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY Emilio Colapietro

How has your company adapted programs and services in response to challenges such as workforce shortages and staff burnout? We rely on our strong culture, which promotes fairness and work-life balance through our hybrid work environment to successfully attract talent and manage staff burnout. We are very accommodating to our employees’ family issues, which has been core to employee retention.

What fun activities does your company offer employees to participate in? The firm’s culture is fun. The summer outing, Thirsty Thursdays, holiday party, volleyball, ice cream events, etc., all loudly proclaim “not only do we do superior work but we also know how to have fun!”

How would you describe the culture of your workplace? Our culture is built on a collaborative, team-oriented environment where employees thrive from a desire to excel and not a fear of failure.

Do you have a preference for promoting existing staff or hiring from outside and why? The firm has a strong preference in promoting from within since our employees receive significant training, development and mentoring during their career and already embrace our strong firm culture. n

YEARLY CELEBRATION: CBIZ & Mayer Hoffman McCann PC’s team gathers during its Year in Review celebration at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass.

SENIOR

A. Wragg

QUESTIONS

GOOD “WILL”: Employees at Partridge Snow & Hahn LLP hold a Will Ferrell-themed Halloween party last October.

&

What three words best describe your staff? Valuable, dependable, collaborative.

SWEET CELEBRATION: Staffers at Swarovski Optik North America Ltd. gather for snacks and cake for its Employee Appreciation Day.

#11

Jay Peabody, Howard Merten

QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY Nancy Minson Office Manager

How would you describe the culture of your workplace? [The firm] is committed to building collaborative, meaningful and long-term relationships with all members of the firm, which are rooted in respect, teamwork, hard work, creativity, fun and a shared passion for excellence and pride.

What modifications have you made to your workplace to support employee wellness? We hold periodic internal wellness lunch and learn sessions. Also, the firm’s wellness incentive program provides opportunities for eligible employees to earn up to $2,000 per calendar year toward their health savings account.

What role does diversity, equity and inclusion play in your hiring and promotion decisions? The firm upholds an inviting culture to attract and retain job seekers of diverse cultural, ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. We move out of our comfort zone by diversifying our referral networks, which creates new connections, grows our network and inspires learning. n

Swarovski Optik North America Ltd.

EMPLOYEES IN R.I. 109 CEO Albert Wannenmacher

QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY Albert Wannenmacher

How would you describe the culture of your workplace? We have an inclusive workplace culture that fosters a strong sense of family. We are a team that emphasizes our core values of respect, trust, cooperation and collaboration. What modifications have you made to your workplace to support employee wellness? The Swarovski Optik Wellness Program has been awarded “Superior” by the Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island Worksite Health Program for providing on-site and remote activities that encourage participation in a healthy lifestyle and promote total well-being.

How do you support community service work by your employees? We contribute to the communities we serve to promote a greater understanding and respect for equality. During the past year the company has been a corporate sponsor for Diversity and Inclusion Professionals and Operation Stand Down Rhode Island. Employees have participated with fundraising or volunteer initiatives with AJ’s Army, Operation Stand Down, Rhode Island Society for Human Resource Management Student Mentoring Program, and Programs Committee and DAIP’s Communications Committee. n

COURTESY CUSTOM COMPUTER SPECIALISTS INC.

#12

Custom Computer Specialists Inc.

EMPLOYEES IN R.I. 54

CEO

Jay Whitchurch

QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY

Gregory Galdi

Chairman and former CEO

What three words best describe your staff?

Passionate, integrity, honest.

How has your company adapted programs and services in response to challenges such as workforce shortages and staff burnout? We have been fortunate to experience growth over the past few years. However, with workforce shortages, we want to ensure that our employees maintain a work-life balance. Our management team stays close to our employees, monitoring the hours of work and workload the employees manage and deliver to ensure there is no staff burnout.

What fun activities does your company offer employees to participate in?

This past year, we held multiple team-building events at Dave & Buster’s, escape rooms, held barbecues and attended charitable events for our clients as a team.

Do you have a preference for promoting existing staff or hiring from outside and why? Career growth and development has always been an important part of our culture. We invest in developing the skills of our employees and look to provide new opportunities for growth with training, certifications and promotions into new roles within our organization. n

COURTESY INSUREMYTRIP

#13 InsureMyTrip

EMPLOYEES IN R.I. 91

CEO AND PRESIDENT Peter Evans

QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY Suzanne Morrow Senior Vice

What three words best describe your staff? Collaborative, innovative, customer-centric. What modifications have you made to your workplace to support employee wellness? We’ve introduced or enhanced wellness programs for meditation, emotional and financial support, and family care issues.

What role does diversity, equity and inclusion play in your hiring and promotion decisions? Diversity, equity and inclusion are fundamental tenets of our culture. Everyone is respected and valued for who they are and what they bring to the work culture. In 2023 all of our new hires to date have been from diverse ethnic backgrounds.

President

Do you have a preference for promoting existing staff or hiring from outside and why? We prefer to promote from within when possible. Currently, close to 40% of our employees have received a promotion. Describe a new employee benefit(s) or initiative(s) your company has launched in the past 12 months. We introduced a service called Milkstork, which provides expedited delivery of breast milk back home for women who travel for business and are breastfeeding. n

COURTESY PARTRIDGE SNOW

HAHN LLP

#10

Partridge Snow & Hahn LLP

EMPLOYEES IN R.I. 72

PARTNERS Paul Kessimian,

COURTESY SWAROVSKI OPTIK NORTH AMERICA LTD.

ON DISPLAY: Custom Computer Specialists Inc. employees Mason Sock and Suzanne McLaughlin stand at a station promoting the company at an event.

PROMOTING DIVERSITY: InsureMyTrip’s diversity, equity and inclusion strategy is focused on talent, education, culture and service.

ON TAP: The Providence Mutual Fire Insurance Co. holds an Oktoberfest Beer & Wine tasting hosted by employees.

THE PROVIDENCE MUTUAL FIRE INSURANCE CO. #

How has your company adapted programs and services in response to challenges such as workforce shortages and staff burnout? We have allowed maximum flexibility, with 90% of staff permitted to work remotely or in the office. We created Providence Days, which are one day per month where everyone comes in for meetings and often a social event, and Department Days, which are one additional day per month where an entire department comes in to allow for in-person meetings and collaboration.

What modifications have you made to your workplace to support employee wellness? We hold annual flu clinics for all employees and members of their households. We also hold town hall meetings to review and advise employees on the health and wellness plans available.

How do you support community service work by your employees? We provide eligible employees one standard working day of paid time off per year in the form of a volunteer day during company hours to donate their time to a 501(c)3 charitable organization. The company will match up to $1,000 per year per employee in charitable donations in a matching gifts program. n

NATION’S CAPITOL: Coastline EAP/Rhode Island Student Assistance Services traveled to Washington, D.C., to meet with the state’s delegation.

COURTESY COASTLINE EAP/RHODE ISLAND STUDENT ASSISTANCE SERVICES

#15

Coastline EAP/ Rhode Island Student Assistance Services

EMPLOYEES IN R.I. 100 CEO Sarah Dinklage

How has your company adapted programs and services in response to challenges such as workforce shortages and staff burnout? We have been truly lucky this past year regarding our staffing. We have experienced stability and retention in all areas of our work, making it easier to ask staff to fill in for each other when needed.

How would you describe the culture of your workplace? Collaboration, commitment and employee initiative are key elements of our culture and inform how we continue to do our best. A deep respect for the organization’s history coupled with the understanding that change is necessary and we support each other through it. What modifications have you made to your workplace to support employee wellness? When we moved to new offices last year, we included a dedicated breakroom. It is a place where everyone could get away from their desks to eat, talk, or connect with each other – so important to creating an environment that values wellness.

QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY Kelly Wishart Chief Operating Officer

Do you have a preference for promoting existing staff or hiring from outside and why? Promoting from within is a hallmark of Coastline/RISAS history. All of the managers and directors have been direct service roles in the organization, and that perspective keeps things real. n

COURTESY

The Providence Mutual Fire Insurance Co.

EMPLOYEES IN R.I. 80

CEO AND PRESIDENT Michele Streton

QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY Michele Streton

#TeamUnited is all-in on uniting our community and resources to build racial equity and opportunities for all Rhode Islanders.

What three words best describe your staff?

Smart, passionate, entrepreneurial.

How would you describe the culture of your workplace? We have a team of smart, creative, passionate professionals who are always learning and sharing. We encourage creativity and welcome ideas that will help drive our business and assist clients. Our colleagues are strongminded, driven and always willing to go the extra mile. We put an emphasis on brainstorming; feedback and innovation; and through technology and personal relationships, our employees have found creative ways to work together and deliver the best possible service.

How do you support community service work by your employees? The firm has always encouraged our team members to become active in the community. The many organizations our team members participate in benefit from the expertise and enthusiasm that our team brings. In addition to our strong nonprofit practice of more than 275 clients, we are committed to ensuring that our communities are better places to live and work. Our team members serve on more than 100 boards of directors and as committee chairs for many of these organizations. n

#17

Rhode Island

What three words best describe your staff? Peers, dedicated, supportive.

Parent Information Network Inc.

EMPLOYEES IN R.I. 117 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Samuel Salganik QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY Samuel Salganik

What fun activities does your company offer employees to participate in? We hold free monthly staff luncheons at our offices to allow staff to come and enjoy lunch together. We hold three all-staff events per year that include different activities for staff. This past year, staff participated in a meditation session facilitated by Ocean State of Mind at our spring all-staff event. What modifications have you made to your workplace to support employee wellness? On a monthly basis, we send out emails to all staff that include various wellness activities and health recipes. We also offer our employees wellness webinars held by Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island. Most recently, our office has added an in-house gym. Describe a new employee benefit(s) or initiative(s) your company has launched in the past 12 months. We have most recently launched a new employee discount program through Access Perks. This provides our employees with access to thousands of discounts at retailers, restaurants, auto shops, hotels and more all over the U.S. n

PLAY BALL: Kahn, Litwin, Renza & Co. Ltd. employees visit Fenway Park for a Boston Red Sox game.

COURTESY KAHN, LITWIN, RENZA & CO. LTD.

#16

Kahn, Litwin, Renza & Co. Ltd.

EMPLOYEES IN R.I. 145

MANAGING DIRECTOR Paul Oliveira

QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY Paul Oliveira

SHOWING SOME SPIRIT: Rhode Island Parent Information Network Inc. employees dress in sporting attire both in the office and virtually.

COURTESY RHODE ISLAND PARENT INFORMATION NETWORK INC.

HELPING HASBRO: Falvey Insurance Group employees regularly volunteer with Hasbro Children’s Hospital, and are pictured assisting with the hospital’s Summer Cookout series.

START YOUR ENGINES: Landings Management LLC employees hold a gathering at Autobahn Indoor Speedway.

COURTESY LANDINGS MANAGEMENT LLC

#18

Falvey Insurance Group

EMPLOYEES IN R.I. 116

AND PRESIDENT

CEO

Michael Falvey

QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY Megan Bell Director

of Marketing

What fun activities does your company offer employees to participate in? We host biannual meetings that include events such as pop-up carnivals, escape rooms and bowling. In the summer, we grill by the beach and play cornhole every other week, and throughout the year we gather for virtual happy hours and celebrate holidays or events such as March Madness. How would you describe the culture of your workplace? Our culture is the most important part of our organization. As a family-owned business, tight-knit values are central and remain strong despite our growth to more than 150 employees. We encourage one another, celebrate each other’s successes and genuinely care about each other. People are our most important asset. How do you support community service work by your employees? Giving back is of integral importance to our staff and an entire company philosophy: We Give a FIG (FIG = Falvey Insurance Group) is something we live by and is our commitment to philanthropic partnerships and community involvement. Each year, our employees dedicate volunteer hours and provide goods to local charities. We also created our own annual golf tourna ment, with all the proceeds going to charity.

#19

Landings Management LLC

EMPLOYEES IN R.I. 87 PRESIDENT Christopher Bicho

QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY Christopher Bicho

What three words best describe your staff? Tremendous work ethic, hustle, compassionate. How has your company adapted programs and services in response to challenges such as workforce shortages and staff burnout? We provide flexibility with taking care of personal items, offer our employees hybrid working and we have increased resources and training. What fun activities does your company offer employees to participate in? Our annual corporate clambake outing is awesome. We also celebrate individual milestones, such as weddings, newborn babies and birthdays, and the holiday season.

What modifications have you made to your workplace to support employee wellness? Our company contributes more to the employer portion of the health care premium, lowering the employee portion.

What role does diversity, equity and inclusion play in your hiring and promotion decisions? We believe in meritocracy. We want people with positive attitudes, commitment to the organization and the motivation to

COLLABORATIVE ENVIRONMENT: Staffers from the United Way of Rhode Island Inc. work together during a recent retreat.

COURTESY UNITED WAY OF RHODE ISLAND INC.

#20 United Way of Rhode Island Inc.

EMPLOYEES IN R.I. 75 CEO Cortney Nicolato

QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY Millicent BudlongSpringer

MIDSIZE COMPANIES

HATS OFF: Staffers at The Town Dock wear new company hats at the company’s facility.

COURTESY THE TOWN DOCK

What three words best describe your staff? Dynamic, empathetic, passionate.

What fun activities does your company offer employees to participate in? “Sunshine” Club, in which members spread the sunshine, and sponsored events such as Summer Family Picnic, May Breakfast, Heritage and Professional Day events, Walk United and more.

How would you describe the culture of your workplace? We are passionate about each other and our mission. We may all have slightly different why’s, but we make waves together.

What modifications have you made to your workplace to support employee wellness? We have a wellness room, which can be used to step away and take a moment of respite. It is equipped with a massage chair, as well as space for yoga mats or stretching.

What role does diversity, equity and inclusion play in your hiring and promotion decisions? Justice, equality, diversity and inclusion work is centered in everything we do. From ensuring diverse and inclusive pools in hiring processes, to looking at the diversity of our staff, we are active in the work every day. n

#21

The Town Dock

EMPLOYEES IN R.I. 55

CEO

Ryan Clark

QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY Holly Clark

Vice President of Human Resources

What three words best describe your staff? Hardworking, dedicated, compassionate. How has your company adapted programs and services in response to challenges such as workforce shortages and staff burnout? We offer further training, development, and promotion of existing staff. We also have partnered with local agencies to assist with placement for positions.

What fun activities does your company offer employees to participate in? We hold annual events such as the holiday party with dinner, dancing, raffles and a photo booth, and our annual summer outing, which was held at the zoo with lunch. We also do a monthlong celebration of employee appreciation with snack bags, custom cookies, virtual Plinko with giveaways, and a food truck.

How do you support community service work by your employees? During the year we sponsor local nonprofits and encourage our employees to participate in volunteering in activities such as gathering and organizing gifts for the Galilee mission and warm shelter around the holidays. n

A NIGHT OUT: Marcum LLP staffers gather for a holiday party.

COURTESY

#22

Marcum LLP

EMPLOYEES IN R.I. 117

CHAIRMAN AND CEO

Jeffrey Weiner

QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY Mia Frigo

Human Resources Administrator

What modifications have you made to your workplace to support employee wellness? We recently rolled out Mental Health Mondays for Mental Health Awareness Month in which we send out resources and tips on prioritizing your mental health. We also implemented a summer flex program in which employees can adjust their schedule to take more time off in the summer to disconnect and spend time with their friends and family.

How do you support community service work by your employees? Associates are heavily involved in the Marcum Foundation, which raises funds and volunteers for select charities through special events, associate giving and other initiatives. We also have an employee giving program in which Marcum matches 100% of donations from associates who donate a portion of their paycheck.

Describe a new employee benefit(s) or initiative(s) your company has launched in the past 12 months. We just launched a Summer Flex Program, which encourages our associates to flex and work compressed workweeks (Monday-Thursday) along with No Meetings Fridays. n

COURTESY

#23

Delta Dental of Rhode Island

EMPLOYEES IN R.I. 119 CEO AND PRESIDENT Joseph Perroni

QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY Joseph Perroni

How would you describe the culture of your workplace? We are committed to providing quality dental programs through strong leadership, hard work and a continued investment in our community. Nearly half of our employees have worked at Delta Dental for 10 years or more, which is a testament to our commitment to our employees and our dedication to creating a workplace culture that fosters growth, development and collaboration.

How do you support community service work by your employees? Year after year, our employees find time to volunteer their talent, passion and expertise to organizations and causes in need. Our Matching Gift Program helps strengthen the impact of the charitable donations our employees make to the organizations and causes that matter most to them. We also allow employees who volunteer outside of work hours to bank an hour of time off for every hour spent volunteering.

Describe a new employee benefit(s) or initiative(s) your company has launched in the past 12 months. We recently established a policy for flexible daily work schedules, allowing employees to adjust daily work hours by one hour on each end of the core operational hours. n

Human Resources Manager

MARCUM LLP

WALKING FOR A CAUSE: Employees from Delta Dental of Rhode Island participate in the American Heart Association’s Heart Walk.

DELTA DENTAL OF RHODE ISLAND

PET PROTECTORS: A group of Carey, Richmond & Viking Insurance employees visit the Potter League for Animals in Middletown.

COURTESY CAREY, RICHMOND & VIKING INSURANCE

#24

EMPLOYEES IN R.I. 50

PRESIDENT V. David Andrade

QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY V. David Andrade

What fun activities does your company offer employees to participate in? Our activities committee works hard all year to deliver fun activities for our employees. In addition to celebrating birthdays, we have a Super Bowl tailgate party, Easter egg hunt, May Day breakfast, pumpkindecorating contest, and various treats and raffles throughout the year. We also have our annual summer outing for employees and their families and a holiday party.

What role does diversity, equity and inclusion play in your hiring and promotion decisions? We recognize that diversity is good for business and a critical driver of growth. We hire and promote the most qualified person for the job, consistent with our business objectives.

How do you support community service work by your employees? Full-time employees have paid community service to volunteer on projects that benefit the community. Our charitable giving committee actively seeks out causes to support financially and with volunteerism. n

COURTESY WESTERLY COMMUNITY CREDIT UNION

#25

Westerly

Community Credit Union

EMPLOYEES IN R.I. 75

CEO AND PRESIDENT Stephen J. White

QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY Stephen J. White

What three words best describe your staff? Caring, energetic, motivated. How do you support community service work by your employees? As part of our WCCU Cares initiative, all team members are encouraged to get involved with community service. That can be in the form of serving on nonprofit boards, volunteering at food banks, participating in financial literacy programs, and organizing/ participating in walks to support causes such as the American Cancer Society and Alzheimer’s Association.

Do you have a preference for promoting existing staff or hiring from outside and why? Our preference has been to promote existing staff when possible. We have an internal metric of at least 50% of promotions be filled internally. First, we want our team members to know that if they develop professionally and perform well that they will have an opportunity to advance. Additionally, it helps ensure that we as an organization are putting in the time and effort to help our team members grow and succeed. n

Carey, Richmond & Viking Insurance

SUPPORTING ANTHONY: Westerly Community Credit Union employees participate in a Belly Button 5K Walk, an event created by one of its employees and his wife in memory of their son, Anthony, who died due to a rare birth defect.

#26 Stanley Tree Service Inc.

EMPLOYEES IN R.I. 95

FOUNDER AND CEO Stanley Zuba

QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY Stanley Zuba

What three words best describe your staff? Dedicated, loyal, family.

How has your company adapted programs and services in response to challenges such as workforce shortages and staff burnout? Hiring enough help is always a challenge. We will always develop an employee to their maximum potential. Our company also has multiple layers of management that always has one another’s back. Everyone is on the same team.

What role does diversity, equity and inclusion play in your hiring and promotion decisions?

Stanley Tree Service, operating in a traditionally male-dominated industry, has evolved into a company with a workforce of both men and women from many different cultures. Our workplace culture allows and encourages people to develop to their full potential.

How do you support community service work by your employees? We encourage heavily employees to participate in events both on and off the clock. As a company, we routinely supply equipment and materials to support employees participating in events. n

CANDY LAND: Senior staff members at Greenwood Credit Union dress up as their favorite candies at the office.

COURTESY GREENWOOD CREDIT UNION

#27 Greenwood Credit Union

EMPLOYEES IN R.I. 75 CEO AND PRESIDENT Frederick Reinhardt

QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY Frederick Reinhardt Marketing Manager

How has your company adapted programs and services in response to challenges such as workforce shortages and staff burnout? We granted employees an additional vacation day. We provided $100 gift cards to employees right before Thanksgiving. We also gave a surprise $1,000 bonus to all employees to lessen the financial impact caused by inflation. What fun activities does your company offer employees to participate in? We provided more than 60 employee engagement activities over the course of the year. Some include Halloween costume contests, a Red Sox Opening Day food truck celebration, a May Day breakfast served by senior managers, and a Monthly Birthday Breakfast hosted by the CEO.

How would you describe the culture of your workplace? Employees give of themselves in selfless ways. Our employers care about the well-being of our customers. Our employees care about each other – pitching in to help whenever needed. Our employees care about the community. We volunteer at local not-for-profit organizations. n

HOLIDAY LIGHTS: Stanley Tree Service Inc. staffers participate in a Good Night Lights event for Hasbro Children’s Hospital in Providence.

COURTESY STANLEY TREE SERVICE INC.

BUILDING THEIR SKILLS: Sweenor Builders Inc. team members pose for a photo after a training session in its custom millwork shop.

COURTESY SWEENOR BUILDERS INC.

#28

Sweenor Builders Inc.

EMPLOYEES IN R.I. 60

CEO AND PRESIDENT

Jeff Sweenor

QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY Molly

Stach Director of Marketing

What three words best describe your staff? Dedicated, hardworking, talented.

How has your company adapted programs and services in response to challenges such as workforce shortages and staff burnout? Sweenor University aims to solve the industry problem of labor force issues by promoting the trades to young people and giving them the opportunity to find a home in the trades while refining their skills. We aim to change the perception surrounding the industry through education, motivation and opportunities for continual professional growth.

How would you describe the culture of your workplace? The work culture here is one of collaboration and respect. All employees of Sweenor Builders strive to deliver extraordinary results, experience and value.

SUPER SLEUTHING: The staff at Citrin Cooperman & Co. LLP participate in an escape room activity.

COURTESY CITRIN COOPERMAN & CO. LLP

#29 Citrin Cooperman & Co. LLP

EMPLOYEES IN R.I. 71

ADVISORY SERVICES

PRACTICE LEADER AND MANAGING PARTNER Richard DeRienzo

QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY Jennifer Schembari

Human Resources Director

What fun activities does your company offer employees to participate in? We had partners serve breakfast as part of our Pancakes with Partners initiative. We also hold various other fun events, such as happy hours, bowling, trivia night, a Cinco de Mayo event, an administrative professional day and sweet treats. How would you describe the culture of your workplace? We work hard and play hard. We also have an open-door policy at all levels and encourage employees to ask questions. What modifications have you made to your workplace to support employee wellness? We host Mindfulness Mondays, which are meditation sessions. We also conduct presentations on mental health and hold a wellness day by providing healthy snacks to our employees.

Do you have a preference for promoting existing staff or hiring from outside and why? We promote from within and the levels are clearly defined so you know what you have to do to get to the next level. We have a coach to help employees rise within our ranks. n

LADIES FIRST: Female employees at Pariseault Builders Inc. work on-site at the Achievement First High School site in Providence.

#30

Pariseault Builders Inc.

EMPLOYEES IN R.I. 76 PRESIDENT Brian Casey

What three words best describe your staff?

Passionate, talented, proud.

What fun activities does your company offer employees to participate in? We hold companypaid lunches to celebrate new team members, new or completed projects, promotions and employee and company achievements; ice cream socials; potluck holiday celebrations; catered quarterly happy hour meetings; golf outings; company holiday dinner party; wellness activities and challenges.

How would you describe the culture of your workplace? We’re more than a collection of professionals delivering legendary service; we’re family with a collaborative nature, listening to understand, seeking to learn and bringing it every day.

What modifications have you made to your workplace to support employee wellness? Flexibility with work hours and time-off benefits; promotion of our employee assistance program, including communication of weekly wellness sessions to boost emotional health and wellness; promotion of Virgin Pulse wellness platform and Wellness Wednesday webinars; and yoga class offerings. n

SAFE

THE

Automated Business Solutions Inc. employees participate in this year’s Mothers Against Drunk Driving walk to raise awareness about drunk driving.

COURTESY AUTOMATED BUSINESS SOLUTIONS INC.

#31

Automated Business Solutions Inc.

EMPLOYEES IN R.I. 51 PRESIDENT Michael Ardry

QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY David Aulisio Vice President of Business Development

What fun activities does your company offer employees to participate in? We hold barbecues, bowling outings, and bingo and card nights for employees. For fitness, we have an exercise room and do Zumba in the parking lot.

How would you describe the culture of your workplace? We provide security and a sense of belonging. There is open communication, making each person within the family feel important, valued, respected and esteemed. ABS employees are talented, determined and excellent at what they do.

What role does diversity, equity and inclusion play in your hiring and promotion decisions? We proactively support adults with special needs and members of the LGBTQ communities. That is reflected in our current personnel, in which everyone has an opportunity to contribute, thrive and feel appreciated.

Describe a new employee benefit(s) or initiative(s) your company has launched in the past 12 months. Through our Emerging Leaders Club, we have identified the “young leaders” within our organization. They meet as a group once per month and discuss strategies and how they can be influential for positive change within our company. n

COURTESY PARISEAULT BUILDERS INC.

QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY Brian Casey

BEHIND

WHEEL:

Personalized Insurance Solutions

Rest insured, We have you covered

BEST PLACES TO WORK - MIDSIZE COMPANIES (based on companies with 50-149 regional employees)

Community service extends to the office

BY ERICA MOURA | Contributing Writer

WHEN BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF RHODE ISLAND noticed its employees were holding on to accrued time off because they worried about needing it for emergencies, the Providence-based nonprofit decided to change the policy, according to CEO Katje Afonseca.

Instead of employees accruing time off, paid time off is front-loaded at the beginning of the year. Afonseca says she hopes the change will encourage everyone to proactively plan their vacations to rest and recharge.

For Afonseca, caring for the well-being of 36 Big Brothers Big Sisters employees is crucial to establishing a toxic-free work culture where the staff is mission driven, compassionate and fun. It’s not unusual to see someone exercising in the on-site gym, or a parent watching their child on a monitor play with games and toys in the youth room or hear laughter echoing through the hallways.

“Our office vibrates with laughter whenever anyone is there,” Afonseca said.

The work culture in the nonprofit’s office is so vibrant that, at times, people from outside the nonprofit question whether it’s a façade, but Afonseca assures everyone it is authentic. According to her, Big Brothers Big Sisters is dedicated to ensuring the environment is a peaceful and happy one.

To help get a pulse of how employees are feeling, the nonprofit sends out a survey every four weeks asking for suggestions to improve the work environment. One response resulted in filling the snack bins with something other than healthy items – chocolate.

Through its employee-led wellness committee, Big Brothers Big Sisters also encourages team bonding and employee well-being by hosting social events. The committee organizes ice cream socials, game days events, a

reading club, walking groups, a spirit week, twinning day and even chair yoga.

“We get excited for those things,” said Tina Santos, director of marketing.

In addition to having a room in the office dedicated to keeping children and teens entertained if they need or want to join their guardian at work, the nonprofit also allows employees to take eight hours to volunteer at the children’s school. Afonseca noted the benefit extends to employees who want to help in their niece’s, nephew’s or grandchild’s classrooms.

During performance review meetings, managers will check in on the employee’s overall well-being while creating a plan to ensure each employee has a path to reach their career goals.

When an employee expresses a career goal, the manager will actively mentor the employee. The plan may include signing up for classes or buying topic-specific books, both of

#1

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Rhode Island

EMPLOYEES IN R.I. 36 CEO Katje Afonseca

which are reimbursable through Big Brothers Big Sisters, Afonseca said.

Another benefit that sets Big Brothers Big Sisters apart from many nonprofits is the pay. The nonprofit uses the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s living wage calculator as a baseline for salaries. By paying a living wage, Afonseca said Big Brothers Big Sisters can hire and retain dedicated workers and hold them to a high standard of work at the organization.

Plus, BBBS hopes to close pay disparities. But that’s just an action item as part of its justice, equity, diversity and inclusion mission – also known as the JEDI mission. The organization has been working for several years on this mission, even working with a consulting firm, Huckel Inclusive, to ensure it is using best practices.

“We are the people serving our vulnerable population and we need to pay the people who work in nonprofits well,” Afonseca said.

With the help of an $8,500 grant from the Rhode Island Foundation, Santos said the organization is set to launch a JEDI committee that will be tasked with helping the organization achieve its goals for a diverse, equitable and inclusive environment throughout its offices and charitable and volunteer programs.

“It’s always been a priority for us because we always look to hire and promote people that reflect the population that we serve,” Afonseca said. n

Big

Brothers Big Sisters of Rhode Island CEO

‘Our office vibrates with laughter whenever anyone is there.’

KATJE AFONSECA

CAMPING OUT: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Rhode Island employees hold an all-staff retreat held at Camp Meehan in Notte Park in North Providence.

COURTESY BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF RHODE ISLAND

PARTY TIME: South County Smiles staffers gather together for a festive cookout.

COURTESY SOUTH COUNTY SMILES

#2 South County Smiles

EMPLOYEES IN R.I. 39

ANSWERED BY Alyssa Bromley Marketing and Operations Manager

What three words best describe your staff? Collaborative, compassionate, light-hearted. How has your company adapted programs and services in response to challenges such as workforce shortages and staff burnout? In response to workforce shortages and staff burnout, we’ve embraced flexible schedules, including three-day workweeks, hybrid remote work options and the integration of remote teams. These strategies foster work-life balance, enabling our team to spend quality time with family while maintaining service standards.

What fun activities does your company offer employees to participate in? We embrace fun with team activities such as summer cookouts, spirit week, bowling nights, festive Christmas parties, team dinners and fitness challenges. These activities reinforce our commitment to a joyous work atmosphere and foster strong bonds among our team.

Do you have a preference for promoting existing staff or hiring from outside and why? We prefer promoting existing staff. This aligns with our core values of continuous growth and servant leadership. It allows us to nurture talent, reward dedication and maintain our unique office culture. n

DRESSED UP: Some AVTECH Software Inc. staff members enjoy a holiday potluck and Ugly Sweater contest.

COURTESY AVTECH SOFTWARE INC.

#3

AVTECH Software Inc.

EMPLOYEES IN R.I. 35 CEO AND PRESIDENT

Michael Sigourney

What modifications have you made to your workplace to support employee wellness? We pay 100% of the health and dental coverage for all of our employees and their families. We include coverage that provides convenient telehealth options and fun “health competitions” to encourage healthy behavior.

If a company is only as good as the people who work there, it’s no wonder we’ve been named among the best. We thank our employees for making Amica Insurance such a special company.

QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY Richard Grundy President

What role does diversity, equity and inclusion play in your hiring and promotion decisions? We respect different ideas and perspectives and encourage diversity of thoughts. We see the potential in everyone on our team and nurture their personal and professional growth. We recognize that everyone on our team has different backgrounds and experiences that provide unique and meaningful perspectives. All members of our team should feel empowered to use their unique skills and values to make a positive impact on our company and our products.

Describe a new employee benefit(s) or initiative(s) your company has launched in the past 12 months. We’ve recently expanded our benefits programs to respond to the changing needs of our team. We’re currently launching an education reimbursement plan that has strong interest from our team. Sick time now accrues from year to year. n

OWNER

Dr. Joseph C. DiSano

QUESTIONS

RACE DAY: Brave River Solutions Inc. staffers celebrate after performing well in a go-kart race at R1 Indoor Karting Inc. in Lincoln.

COURTESY BRAVE RIVER SOLUTIONS INC.

#4 Brave River Solutions Inc.

EMPLOYEES IN R.I. 31

PRESIDENT James McAssey

QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY James McAssey

What three words best describe your staff? Creative, passionate, dedicated.

What fun activities does your company offer employees to participate in? Lunch is provided every Thursday. We have a monthly birthday party for the employees who have a birthday that month. We have a summer/fall outing, and a holiday party that usually consists of fun activities, a yankee swap, and food and drinks.

How would you describe the culture of your workplace? We have a collaborative environment. We work hard and play hard and strive to be professional but not stuffy. In a services business, our people are everything, and we treat them with respect.

What modifications have you made to your workplace to support employee wellness? We provide ergonomic setups, including stand-up desks for those who prefer them. We have healthy snacks and encourage everyone to take breaks and walks. We have offered yoga and meditation classes. Do you have a preference for promoting existing staff or hiring from outside and why? We believe that a combination of promoting internal staff and hiring team members with other experiences provides the best mixture for creativity and collaboration while maintaining our culture. n

LUNCHTIME: Healthcentric Advisors Inc. holds a holiday lunch at the office.

COURTESY HEALTHCENTRIC ADVISORS INC.

#5

Healthcentric Advisors Inc.

EMPLOYEES IN R.I. 34 CEO AND PRESIDENT

H. John Keimig

QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY Kara Butler

Chief Human Resource Officer

#6

Compass IT Compliance LLC

EMPLOYEES IN R.I. 24

OWNERS Jerry Hughes, William DePalma

QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY William DePalma

What fun activities does your company offer employees to participate in? We do many activities with our staff. Some of them include go-cart racing and axe throwing, a barbecue and cornhole tournament at the office, bowling at BreakTime Bowl and Bar, holding an annual golf event at Lake of Isles Golf Course and treat staff to Bruins or Celtics games at TD Garden.

How would you describe the culture of your workplace? A group of smart, hardworking professionals committed to their work that enjoy having a good time in and out of work.

What modifications have you made to your workplace to support employee wellness? We reinforce the importance of eating healthy and staying active. For example, we support employees and their families to participate in local 5Ks supporting the R.I. State Police and local disabled military veterans. In addition, there’s a walk-at-lunch initiative to get fresh air and exercise.

Describe a new employee benefit(s) or initiative(s) your company has launched in the past 12 months. We have rolled out an updated health plan keeping expenses the same for employees. Also, we have rolled out a Norton LifeLock subscription for each employee and their families. n

What three words best describe your staff? Dedicated, experienced, caring.

What modifications have you made to your workplace to support employee wellness? We offer a robust employee assistance program that’s open to all family members; all employees start with 22 days of paid personal leave, along with seven extended sick days; this allows associates to have ample time off when needed to focus on fun, family and well-being. In addition, we offer wellness benefits to help cover wellness subscriptions, gym memberships and fitness equipment.

Do you have a preference for promoting existing staff or hiring from outside and why? We are always in favor of internal promotion to acknowledge hard work and existing staff relationships. Being a small company, it is often difficult to create a career ladder, so it is important to take advantage of internal promotion opportunities when we can.

Describe a new employee benefit(s) or initiative(s) your company has launched in the past 12 months. We’ve increased our focus on supporting continued education for all our associates. We have a certification study group for our associates working toward the same certification. n

MEETING THE NEEDS: The Rhode Island Foundation works collaboratively to financially contribute to various causes in support of the community.

COURTESY RHODE ISLAND FOUNDATION

#7

Rhode Island Foundation

EMPLOYEES IN R.I. 49

CEO AND PRESIDENT David N. Cicilline

QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY Chris Barnett

Senior Communications and Marketing Officer

What three words best describe your staff? Dedicated, passionate, team-oriented.

How would you describe the culture of your workplace? Our culture is service-oriented, mission-driven and performance-focused. As Rhode Island’s community foundation, we understand the responsibility we have to meet the needs of all Rhode Islanders – and our team works tirelessly at a very high level to do just that.

What role does diversity, equity and inclusion play in your hiring and promotion decisions? Diversity and inclusion play a very important role in our hiring and promotion decisions. Our goal is for the foundation team to reflect the entire community we serve, with an eye toward building trusting relationships across the diverse cross-sections of the people, institutions, organizations and sectors that we interact with, while embracing the cultural diversity of the state. Do you have a preference for promoting existing staff or hiring from outside and why? Promoting from within enables us to reward outstanding performance and to capitalize on existing institutional knowledge and buy-in on our mission. We can’t always do it, but the advantages have value to us, as well as to the communities we serve. n

ON THE LANES: Members of the Compass IT Compliance LLC team enjoy a company outing at BreakTime Bowl and Bar in Pawtucket. COURTESY COMPASS IT COMPLIANCE LLC

FIRST SERVE: Building Enclosure Science LLC staffers play some pingpong at a recent office holiday party.

COURTESY BUILDING ENCLOSURE SCIENCE LLC

#8

Building Enclosure Science LLC

EMPLOYEES IN R.I. 31

CEO Michael Kenney

QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY Sheri Machado

Associate Vice President of Human Resources

How has your company adapted programs and services in response to challenges such as workforce shortages and staff burnout? Our company monitors the current workload, and we are aggressively hiring to match our rapid growth. We have also introduced an employee assistance program for all staff and families.

What fun activities does your company offer employees to participate in? We make a point to plan fun activities for our employees each quarter. Activities include golf events, bowling, sporting events, summer outings, office parties and spending a day at the arcade.

Do you have a preference for promoting existing staff or hiring from outside and why? Building Enclosure Science encourages professional growth across the entire organization and prefers to promote existing staff. We encourage responsibility and recognize when individuals are ready to move to the next step. Describe a new employee benefit(s) or initiative(s) your company has launched in the past 12 months. Our company has updated our benefit offering. New coverage includes life, critical illness, accident, pet insurance, and a flexible spending account. We have added two additional holidays to our paid time off and enacted new policies, including paid parental leave. n

MEETING CLIENTS’ NEEDS: The RIKB Design Build team manages every aspect of a project from idea to completion to ensure every remodel exceeds its clients’ expectations.

COURTESY RIKB DESIGN BUILD

#9

RIKB Design Build

EMPLOYEES IN R.I. 34

OWNER AND PRESIDENT Tanya Donahue

QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY Tanya

Donahue

What three words best describe your staff? Dedicated, team-oriented, fun.

What fun activities does your company offer employees to participate in? We host Friday pizza parties and quarterly social outings, providing employees with ongoing learning opportunities and incentives. Finding creative ways to recognize our team is important and we do that through gas cards, restaurant gift certificates, lunches, spa days and more.

How would you describe the culture of your workplace? We offer professional growth with a continuing education and certification annual allowance. All employees have a stake in the company’s success through our profit-sharing program. Through our recognition program, we honor employees in various ways – their outstanding efforts through gas cards, restaurant gift certificates, team lunches, acknowledgements and more.

How do you support community service work by your employees? We host complimentary educational seminar events at our design center, in which we accept donations of nonperishable goods to the Rhode Island Community Food Bank. n

RED ALERT: In February, Duffy & Sweeney Ltd. employees gather to celebrate the firm’s commitment and charitable donation to the American Heart Association by wearing red.

What three words best describe your staff? Impactful, professional, fun.

HAPPY MEALS: Lunch was catered in for DarrowEverett LLP associates for its Employee Appreciation Day, giving them the opportunity to eat together and share some laughs.

COURTESY DARROWEVERETT LLP

#11

DarrowEverett LLP

EMPLOYEES IN R.I. 23

CO-FOUNDERS AND MANAGING PARTNERS

Robert

QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY

Gerald DeMaria II Director of Administration and Finance

What fun activities does your company offer employees to participate in? We hold various events and activities. Among them are monthly employee birthday celebrations, an end-of-summer outing, impromptu after-work gatherings and holiday-themed lunches.

What modifications have you made to your workplace to support employee wellness? We added a dedicated wellness room in 2019 to our office space. We hold an annual Wellness Week focused on the health and wellness of our entire staff. We also conduct monthly meditation sessions.

How do you support community service work by your employees? Multiple times a year we offer all employees the ability to participate in firmsponsored community service initiatives.

Do you have a preference for promoting existing staff or hiring from outside and why? We always prefer to promote from within when our needs match the skills and experience of current employees. n

EMPLOYEES IN R.I. 35 CHAIRMAN

Zachary Darrow

QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY Chad Gottlieb

Chief Growth

Officer

What fun activities does your company offer employees to participate in? We organize annual company retreats where everyone is invited to attend for relaxation and getting to know one another, and we hold an annual holiday party in the same spirit.

How would you describe the culture of your workplace? It’s creative and cohesive because we all need each other to produce the work our clients expect. We’re also not robotic or pretentious in our approach. We care about our clients, and they recognize that.

What modifications have you made to your workplace to support employee wellness? Our health plan offers an employee assistance program, we have given staffers stress balls for tough deadlines, and we also have organized fun events, including free coffee for the month of May or an ice cream social day in the summer.

Do you have a preference for promoting existing staff or hiring from outside and why? Those who grow with the firm often have the best chance for earning leadership roles, though we have had some outsiders join us and still be successful as well. It’s a little bit of both. n

COURTESY DUFFY & SWEENEY LTD.

#10 Duffy & Sweeney Ltd.

Duffy, Michael Sweeney

HOOPING AROUND: CIC Providence LLC staffers enjoy some hula-hooping during their annual Field Day event in Providence.

#12

CIC Providence LLC

EMPLOYEES IN R.I. 17

GENERAL MANAGER Stacey Messier

QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY Stacey Messier

What fun activities does your company offer employees to participate in? We create activities for our clients every week that staff either lead or may participate in. We also create activities just for staff, including our staff-led Fun Club, in which we do cornhole and hula-hooping, team potluck dinners, marching in the Rhode Island Pride parade and even a little karaoke. How would you describe the culture of your workplace? Inclusive, thoughtful, flexible and respectful. We pride ourselves on creating a culture where everyone can bring their true selves to work and feel supported when things get challenging.

What modifications have you made to your workplace to support employee wellness? We continue to experiment with different program offerings such as our partnership with the Aloft Hotel and use of its gym, in-house massage therapy, meditation and movement.

What role does diversity, equity and inclusion play in your hiring and promotion decisions? Diversity, equity and inclusion is core to our hiring process. We strive to have representation across marginalized identities and to have a staff that mirrors the demographics of Providence. n

SCARY SIGHT: Vertikal6 team members decorate their cubicles and come to work in costume for Halloween.

COURTESY VERTIKAL6

#13 Vertikal6

EMPLOYEES IN R.I. 48 CEO Rick Norberg

QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY Rick Norberg

What fun activities does your company offer employees to participate in? Our activities committee prioritizes fun! It plans numerous in-office and after-hours events throughout the year, such as catered monthly lunches, bowling, team bonding exercises, summer barbecues, birthday/work anniversary parties and more. How do you support community service work by your employees? We support numerous local nonprofit organizations through both information technology services and sponsoring local partner events. Our team volunteers extensively and donates IT equipment whenever possible. Our CEO, Rick Norberg, is also on various boards such as the Narragansett Council of Boy Scouts of America and on the advisory board for Junior Achievement of Rhode Island. Do you have a preference for promoting existing staff or hiring from outside and why? Our promote-from-within philosophy has had a great impact on retention and is our preference. A large majority of our experienced technical staff began their careers as Level 1 technicians at our service desk. Many of our client success team members started in junior positions and grew into more-senior roles. n

SEASON OF GIVING: Envision Technology Advisors LLC employees wrap gifts during its annual Adopt A Family Wrapping Party.

COURTESY ENVISION TECHNOLOGY ADVISORS LLC

DRESSED FOR SUCCESS: KSA Marketing employees don Halloween costumes at the office.

COURTESY KSA MARKETING

#14

Envision Technology Advisors LLC

EMPLOYEES IN R.I. 46

FOUNDER AND CEO

Todd S. Knapp

QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY Jonathan Browning Marketing Director

How has your company adapted programs and services in response to challenges such as workforce shortages and staff burnout? Envision has a special focus on digital culture and it’s something we consult on for clients. We work to streamline and optimize communications platforms and processes to make it easy to work from anywhere. We organize fun events that remote employees can participate in. What fun activities does your company offer employees to participate in? We have dinner get-togethers, outings to places such as the local pinball arcade, an annual summer outing and barbecue, Halloween costume contests and charity events such as our wrapping party for gifts for needy families.

What modifications have you made to your workplace to support employee wellness? We have a fully stocked ice cream fridge, snacks and drinks, pingpong and pool tables, and a yoga area. We offer personalized speakers for employees. We’re also very pet friendly.

What role does diversity, equity and inclusion play in your hiring and promotion decisions? It is central to our hiring and promoting process. We believe in the value of a diverse workforce. n

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#15

KSA Marketing

EMPLOYEES IN R.I. 15 FOUNDER Katie Schibler Conn

QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY Laurie Lewis Director of Culture

How has your company adapted programs and services in response to challenges such as workforce shortages and staff burnout? We proactively monitor individual well-being and overall team morale on a weekly basis. If an individual is struggling, leadership works together to connect with them personally and develop a plan to provide support such as mentoring/ coaching, time off and adjustments in workload. How would you describe the culture of your workplace? We love healthy tension at KSA. We’re a bold group of thinkers with different opinions that share, discuss and debate. It’s all part of our curious ways and diverse backgrounds. We’re professionals, but we might cuss. Ultimately, it all comes back to our commitment to seeing each other and our clients grow, while having as much fun as we can in the process. What role does diversity, equity and inclusion play in your hiring and promotion decisions? As a woman-owned agency, diversity and inclusion are part of our DNA. We are intentional in our efforts to recruit and include diverse candidates from our job descriptions, candidate screening process and hiring decisions. n

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FAST FOOD: Employees at Connectivity Point Design & Installation LLC enjoy a pizza lunch at the office.

COURTESY CONNECTIVITY POINT DESIGN & INSTALLATION LLC

#16

Connectivity

Point Design & Installation LLC

EMPLOYEES IN R.I. 30

OWNER AND PRESIDENT

QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY

Tanya Estes

Talent and Recruitment Manager

What role does diversity, equity and inclusion play in your hiring and promotion decisions? We try to find the best candidates that will increase our workforce’s range of skills, talents and experiences to better serve our customers.

How do you support community service work by your employees? We offer an employee appreciation program that allows you to earn points for prizes when doing community service work. We like to promote community involvement and allow paid time to complete community service. Do you have a preference for promoting existing staff or hiring from outside and why? We promote hiring within the company always first. We strive for our employees to always want more and to succeed with the company.

Describe a new employee benefit(s) or initiative(s) your company has launched in the past 12 months. Our WAVE 2.0 employee appreciation program. Quarterly social gatherings for networking and making new connections in a more relaxed environment. We provide food, drinks and prizes all while being paid to participate. Our employees love this new program. n

GIVING BACK: Part of Province Mortgage Associates Inc.’s mission is giving back to the communities it lives in and serves by working with and donating to a variety of nonprofits on a yearly basis.

COURTESY PROVINCE MORTGAGE ASSOCIATES INC.

#17

Province Mortgage Associates Inc.

EMPLOYEES IN R.I. 54 PRESIDENT David Currie

QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY David Currie

What three words best describe your staff? Dedicated, elite, family.

How has your company adapted programs and services in response to challenges such as workforce shortages and staff burnout? From potluck events in the office and food trucks to connecting for special events such as we had at the Bonnet Shores Beach Club in 2022, we make it a point to have fun together and bond as a team. We consistently take the opportunity to recognize a job well done with our monthly Shining Star for operations and Mortgage Advisor of the Year and other specialty awards for our sales professionals.

How do you support community service work by your employees? Part of our mission will always be to give back to communities, working with and donating to a variety of nonprofits on a yearly basis, which also includes our own charitable events. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we aligned with Be the Change/Project Hand Up, getting food into the hands of struggling families. Over the last two holiday seasons, we have worked with Elves for Elders purchasing gifts for seniors across Rhode Island and Massachusetts in nursing home facilities who are alone. n

Doug Watt

better, together

A heartfelt thank you to our employees for making us better together.

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