United Way of Rhode Island Honors Merrill W. Sherman with Tocqueville Society Award

PROVIDENCE, RI – For years, Merrill W. Sherman’s name has been synonymous with giving back to the Rhode Island community and helping others. On May 8, United Way of Rhode Island (UWRI) honored Sherman with its highest honor, presenting her with the prestigious Tocqueville Society Award during a celebration at the Rhode Island Country Club.

For more than 15 years, Merrill has been generous with both her time and resources as a member of UWRI’s Tocqueville Society. In addition to her dedication as a donor, she has served on UWRI’s Board of Directors and its Community Advisory Board, lending her expertise and knowledge of the community to help guide initiatives that positively change the lives of others.

During her professional career, Merrill led the creation of Bank Rhode Island, the second largest de novo bank in American history. She spent years as Chief Executive Officer and President of Bancorp Rhode Island, Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiary, Bank Rhode Island. Prior to Bank Rhode Island, she served as President and CEO for two other New England banks, and also spent 17 years practicing law at a major Providence firm.

As a result of her professional and personal accomplishments, Merrill has received numerous recognitions including Providence Business News’ “Rhode Island’s 25 Most Influential Business Leaders of the Past 25 Years” in 2011; U.S. Banker’s “25 Most Powerful Women in Banking” in 2010; and March of Dimes, Rhode Island Chapter’s “Citizen of the Year” for 2007. She is also a member of the Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame.

Additionally, Merrill lends her time and talent to the educational, civic and philanthropic communities through her leadership of several institutions. She serves on the Board of Trustees of Blue Cross/Blue Shield Rhode Island, the Board of Trustees of Rhode Island School of Design (Former Chair), the Board of Trustees of the Providence Foundation (Executive Committee), the Board of Trustees of Johnson & Wales University, and the Board of Trustees of Crossroads Rhode Island (Former Chair). She is also a member of the Rhode Island Commodores.

UWRI’s Tocqueville Society was established in recognition of Alexis de Tocqueville, a political thinker and historian whose work focused on creating social equality. Its members are notable for their outstanding generosity to UWRI, donating $10,000 or more to the organization’s annual campaign and aligning their values with UWRI’s efforts in the areas of Education, Income, Housing, and the critical safety-net services available through United Way 2-1-1 in Rhode Island.

About United Way of Rhode Island

United Way of Rhode Island has been working to improve the quality of life in Rhode Island communities for over 80 years. UWRI’s mission is to mobilize the caring power of the community to improve the lives of people in need and address the issues Rhode Islanders care most about. For more information, visit www.LIVEUNITEDri.org.

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