The 3rd Annual Entrepreneurial Women To Watch Awards

RISBJ Staff | Apr 20, 2016

Every day RISBJ takes on the significant undertaking of giving voice to the Rhode Island small business community. We are a hub of information, delivering realities of the current business environment. Our writers render best practices, and we look to the business community to share and evolve together. The highlight of the year, however, is sharing compelling stories of the women who truly make Rhode Island thrive.

We celebrate the third annual Entrepreneurial Women to Watch Awards that began in 2014 as a way to honor the most confident, tenacious, professional, and sophisticated women industry leaders in our state and the incredible work they’ve been doing. RISBJ presents three award recipients for each of the following categories: Community Champion, Minority-Owned, Small Business, Solopreneur, and Startup, for a total of 15 noteworthy recipients.

Receiving over 400 nominations this year, we attentively narrowed our search to present to you 15 remarkable women, each with their own distinct stories. Each of these women show us entrepreneurship takes courage, resilience, and determination, every day. Giving voice to their journey is a tremendous honor.

We wish to congratulate the following winners of the third annual Entrepreneurial Women to Watch Awards:

Tuni Renaud Schartner, TRS Strategies Community Champion

Andrea Chait, Momentum Inc. Community Champion

Susan Pascale-Frechette, Pods Swimming Community Champion

Atabey Sánchez-Haiman, Giraffes and Robots Minority-Owned

Cindy Burke, Esq., Burke Law Group LLC Minority-Owned

Krystal Toro, SOFIT Cycle and Fitness Studio Minority-Owned

Kerrie Lanoie Sonoma, Bistro and WineBar Small Business

Gina DiSpirito, GLAD WORKS Small Business

Loren Barham, Loren Hope Designs, LLC Small Business

Kristin M. MacRae, Organizing In RI, LLC Solopreneur

Marni MacLean Karro, Jack’s Snacks, A Dog Bakery Solopreneur