All Entries Tagged With: "investment"
Executive Director of the Newport County Chamber of Commerce Hits the Road to Meet Local Business Owners
MIDDLETOWN, RI – Erin Donovan-Boyle, Executive Director of the Newport County Chamber of Commerce has begun her “E.D. Hits the Road” initiative, meeting with local business owners in each municipality in Newport County. Erin will be meeting with Chamber business owners to introduce herself, learn more about their business, and let owners express their thoughts on the business climate. She will also inform members on how the Chamber’s economic initiative, our free marketing tools, educational opportunities and networking events can help their business succeed.
Donovan-Boyle began this campaign in Portsmouth visiting Stalise, Deborah Winthrop Lingerie, Kimberly for Consistently Excellent Eyebrows, Atria, Fatigati’s Fresh Pasta, and Weatherly Tile and Stone. She will continue visiting Chamber businesses in Portsmouth throughout the month of September and then will continue on to Tiverton, Little Compton, Middletown, Newport, and Jamestown.
The campaign will take place each Tuesday afternoon through the fall. If you are a Chamber business owner who would like to have Erin Donovan-Boyle come by your business please call the Chamber staff at 401-847-1608 to schedule a Tuesday for her to visit. We look forward to our continued work within Newport County and for the Executive Director to have the opportunity to engage face to face with the business community. Please follow our journey along through our Facebook page for photos and updates.
The Newport County Chamber of Commerce is the second largest chamber in the state with about 1100 members representing over 50,000 employees and is one of Rhode Island’s largest business advocacy organizations, formed to enhance the business, civic and economic vitality of Newport County and greater Rhode Island. We help business succeed.
Much Needed Capital to be Available to Small and Minority Businesses for Providence Urban Economic Development
PROVIDENCE, RI – The Rhode Island Black Business Association (RIBBA) announces a partnership with Freedom National Bank (FNB) of Greenville to make business loans available to small and minority businesses in the Providence urban core. RIBBA was approved for $200,000 in funding last month from the Providence Community Development Block Grant program (CDBG) to offer collateral support for loans to area businesses.
Businesses located on three commercial corridors in Providence – Broad Street, Cranston Street and Elmwood Avenue will be eligible for up to 30% cash collateral from RIBBA in support of commercial loans from Freedom National Bank up to $50,000 for business development and expansion. FNB has allocated an aggregate Commitment Amount: Up to $750,000 for small business lending.
“Freedom’s Small Business Loan Department is specifically structured to provide banking services to small businesses”, said Tony Botelho, President, Freedom National Bank. “We understand that small businesses in the urban core have financing and capital needs that don’t fit the corporate model and we’re pleased to partner with RIBBA on this program.”
RIBBA’S president, Lisa Ranglin, declared, “Minority and small businesses in the urban core have generally found it difficult to access commercial loans. RIBBA’s partnership with Freedom National Bank is exciting and will enable small and minority businesses in the Providence urban core to access the capital needed to grow and thrive in place. And, we at RIBBA are very pleased that Mayor Elorza recognized and supported our position that fostering economic inclusion for small and minority businesses is key to leveraging urban core business enterprises, helping them to grow their bottom line so they can scale up and create permanent, full time jobs within the community at good wages.”
The RIBBA Urban Economic Development program is expected to open in late September.
In addition, RIBBA’s new office Grand Opening celebration is scheduled for Tuesday, September 15, 2015. The public is invited to attend the Ribbon-Cutting at 6:15pm. Address: 3 Regency Plaza, Suite 3, Providence RI 02903.
April Showers bring Spring Flowers…and TO DO LISTs!
Finally, NO MORE SNOW! Now it’s time to prepare a calendar for your “To Do List”, those items that you have to keep up with every year and those that you just didn’t tackle last year…here is another chance.
1. First step – Prioritize. I find it simple and most efficient to place the things on
top of the list that don’t need to be done by you and that might need some time to
prepare for – like getting landscape quotes for larger projects, etc…
Reaching out to contractors and requesting quotes in January/February might seem like the best idea but I find it is often more beneficial if you can wait until March/April which then allows the landscape companies to really see what their work load looks like. This is a great way to get the best price – if they’re very busy already, you can sometimes avoid the higher price-tag (quotes) and if they’re too slow – you will see that right in the estimate! Obviously, lawn care companies and landscape contractors are the ones I always try to get referrals for and usually use the ‘ones’ I know or that someone I know knows. But, regardless…always get (3) estimates!
2. Step 2 – How’s the outside of the building looking? Are all those old seams
stuck together or are they separating? Take a really close look at the
exterior/siding, you would be surprised at how often houses may look great from
a distance, but stand 12”-16” away and you begin to see it from a new light.
Good from afar, far from good! All those paint cracks on the trim, which allow
rain and moisture in need to be sealed (caulked). This is the FIRST ENEMY that
attacks the un-protected areas of your home. As that happens, don’t be surprised
as time passes if you see ants living within the moldings and corners…
3. Step 3 — Check the sill of the foundation. Does it look good? Sometimes that
foam you originally used to seal and protect becomes too brittle as it is so close to
the ground/surface, creating an opportunity for moisture to get in.
4. Step 4 — Walk around the foundation and see how the finish grade shifted. You
may need to take a rake (or shovel) to it, and once again slope it away from the
house. Allowing it to puddle against the foundation is only inviting water in.
This is something most people just do not think of checking until their carpet is
soaked in the family room located in the basement.
5. Step 5 – Roofline and chimney. Having a good set of binoculars on hand is
always a good idea to skim the exterior roof line and chimney!
6. Step 6 — How’s the driveway? Sealing and filling those cracks are important to
promote longevity of the asphalt/concrete. If you plan on seal coating the asphalt,
that is great but the rule is to not to over do it, every other year should be
sufficient. Having too much will cause flaking and contribute to cracking.
Craig DiPetrillo – DiPetrillo Properties – Planning, Investments, Construction
