2016 Rhode Island District Director Award

SBA TRAVIS FINALMelissa Travis’ Never Tiring Support

For Small Businesses Shines

If you have ever met Melissa Travis, it is abundantly clear that her love of what she does and her dedication to helping the small business community in the state, are second to none. Her upbeat and cheerful attitude is infectious to all that cross her path. As the Business Sales Lead at HealthSource RI for Employers, Travis has played a vital role in making the state exchange one of the premiere exchanges in the nation. From choosing providers and plans, to claiming tax credits, Melissa

Travis should always be a small business owner’s first call when it comes to anything involving the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Over the past 3 years, she has helped seemingly countless small businesses navigate the tricky waters of the ACA. She walks them through their options as it pertains to setting up plans that works best for employers and in turn, their employees. Her ability to connect with so many small employers, and truly understand their business’ needs is unique. Every business owner she meets, she is able to make them understand that she is there to help them.

Travis has routinely partnered with the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Rhode Island District Office to provide small businesses with seminars and panel discussions about the ACA. Every time an opportunity has arisen to partner with the SBA or other entities around the state, she has been the first to respond and say “whatever needs to be done, I’m in.” More times than can be counted, she has been called upon to put an event together at the last minute, and each and every time she has pulled together a fantastic event at a great location and packs the room.

Her tireless work ethic and dependability are what helps make HealthSource RI for Employers so effective in working with the small businesses in the state. The efficiency of the exchange can be attributed, in large part, to Travis. Her “never say die” attitude and persistence is a great example of the entrepreneurial spirit that runs through the veins of all the small businesses owners she works with. It would be a unconquerable challenge to find someone who works as hard as Melissa Travis does, and Rhode Island is a much better place for small businesses because of the work she does.

For her demonstrated commitment to assisting the small business community of Rhode Island, the U.S. Small Business Administration is pleased to present Melissa Travis with the 2016 Rhode Island SBA District Director Award.

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Avatar About the Author: The Rhode Island Small Business Journal is a printed monthly magazine and an online resource for the aspiring and start-up entrepreneur and small business owner.

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