Events Calendar

FEB 19, 2026 RI Accel Advisory Board Experience

ThursdayGet Answers to a Strategic Challenge from other CEOs

Accel DeepDive

Join a small group of peers to help find solutions to the strategic challenge another chief executive is currently facing.
7:30 a.m. - Coffee, breakfast snacks, and introductions
8:00 a.m. - Meeting begins promptly at 8am and adjourns at 10am.

JAN 20, 2026 RI CEO Wisdom Exchange

TuesdayThe impact non-profits have on the RI economy & RI businesses,
and what CEOs can do about it

Cortney Nicolato, CEO of United Way Rhode Island

DEC 11, 2025 US Online CEO Wisdom Exchange

ThursdayLeading the Unleadable—How to Manage Mavericks, Cynics, Divas, & Difficult People

Alan Willett, Co-Owner, Exceptional Difference and author of Leading the Unleadable

This online/Zoom CEO Wisdom Exchange will include three 30 minutes segments
4:00pm – FireSide Chat with Alan Willett
4:30pm – Breakout Roundtable Discussions
5:00pm – Q&A with Alan Willett

NOV 13, 2025 RI CEO Wisdom Exchange

ThursdayEmployee Retention, Loyalty, & Engagement

Brian Popiel, Financial Expert, SPF Wealth

How CEOs are increasing retention by empowering their employees to make informed financial decisions that help them achieve financial wellness

OCT 9, 2025 RI CEO Wisdom Exchange

ThursdayWhat CEOs Need to Know about the Local & National Economy

Leonard Lardaro, Professor of Economics at URI & Publisher of
the Current Conditions Index (CCI) for Rhode Island

Learn what is currently changing and what major changes may be ahead

SEP 11, 2025 RI CEO Wisdom Exchange

ThursdayRising Employee Health Care Costs—What You Can Do

Josh Rydberg Senior Vice President at Brown & Brown

AUG 21, 2025 RI Accel Advisory Board Experience

ThursdayGet Answers to a Strategic Challenge

Accel DeepDive

Join a small group of peers and engage in a DeepDive to find solutions to the strategic challenge another chief executive or you are currently facing

AUG 9, 2025 RI Member Only Social

SaturdayExclusive—CEO Council Members Only (significant others welcome)

WaterFire

Catered reception, beverages, boat rides, & private conversations
WaterFire Circle Venue opens at 6:30pm
WaterFire Lighting at Sunset 7:54pm till midnight

JUN 12, 2025 RI CEO Wisdom Exchange

ThursdayGrowing Through Mergers & Acquisitions

Rick Grundy, CEO, AVTECH
Bruce Messier, CEO, Butler & Messier Inc.
Brad Shear, CEO, Potter League for Animals
Mike Sweeney, Co-Chair, Stevens & Lee New England

A panel of CEOs with merger and/or acquisition experience
discuss what worked, unexpected challenges, and what they
wish they had known before the merger or acquisition

MAY 15, 2025 RI Accel Advisory Board Experience

ThursdayGet Answers to a Strategic Challenge

Accel DeepDive

Join a small group of peers to help find solutions to the strategic challenge another chief executive is currently facing

MAY 8, 2025 RI CEO Wisdom Exchange

ThursdayGenerative AI in Small & Medium Businesses

Rick Norberg, CEO of Vertikal6

What CEOs need To know about using AI to increase productivity & gain competitive advantage.

APR 10, 2025 Online CEO Wisdom Exchange

ThursdayCurrent and potential future economic environment in RI and what RI CEOs can do to help their organizations grow and prosper

Elizabeth ‘Liz’ Tanner Rhode Island Secretary of Commerce

How the State of Rhode Island working to create the conditions for businesses in all sectors to thrive and how businesses can best access state services and support.

MAR 13, 2025 RI CEO Wisdom Exchange

ThursdayBusiness Resilience

Donna Childs, CEO Prisere

Strategies that Minimize the Impact of Business Disruptions

JAN 9, 2025 RI 2025 Rhode Island CEO Summit

ThursdayPreparing for Economic Changes & Challenges in 2025

Bruce Van Saun, CEO, Citizens Financial Group

DEC 5, 2024 RI CEO Wisdom Exchange

ThursdayCreating a Winning Culture & Clam Chowder

Todd Blount, CEO, Blount Fine Foods

OCT 10, 2024 RI CEO Wisdom Exchange

ThursdayDifferent Generations in the Workplace—Recruiting, Engaging, & Retaining

Nishita Roy-Pope, CEO of Tribe Academy

Includes a Q&A Session with a panel from different generations:
- Paris Cooke-Brown - Student, Brown University
- Spencer Berryman - Early Career, Citizens Bank
- Tamara Tardy - Mid-Career, UiPath
- Victoria Armstrong - Senior Leader, Loftware

SEP 21, 2024 RI Member Social

SaturdayExclusive—Members Only, with significant others welcome

WaterFire

Catered reception, beverages, boat rides, & peer conversations

AUG 22, 2024 RI CEO Wisdom Exchange

ThursdayGenerative AI

Todd Knapp, CEO of Envision Technology Advisors
Jim Rowan, Head of Deloitte’s Strategy and Analytics Practice

What CEOs of small, medium, & large businesses need to know about AI and its impact on business success

AUG 3, 2024 RI Member Social

SaturdayExclusive—Members Only, with significant others welcome

WaterFire

Catered reception, beverages, boat rides, & CEO to CEO networking

JUN 20, 2024 RI CEO Wisdom Exchange

ThursdayWhat RI CEOs Need to Know about Crime that May Effect Their Business

Steve O'Donnell, retired Head of the Rhode Island State Police & FBI task force

MAY 9, 2024 RI CEO Wisdom Exchange

ThursdayHow CEOs make their companies indispensable—with
products and services that customers can't live without

James Kerr, CEO of Indispensable Consulting

MAR 28, 2024 RI 2024 CEO Summit

ThursdayPrepare to Win

Rear Admiral Peter A. Garvin, President, U.S. Navel War College
Kevin M. Graney, President; General Dynamics Electric Boat

MAR 12, 2024 RI Accel Advisory Board Briefing

TuesdayGet Answers to a Strategic Challenge

Accel DeepDive

Join a small group of peers to help find solutions to the strategic challenge another chief executive is currently facing

MAR 5, 2024 RI Accel Advisory Board Briefing

TuesdayGet Answers to a Strategic Challenge

Accel DeepDive

Join a small group of peers to help find solutions to the strategic challenge another chief executive is currently facing

JAN 25, 2024 RI CEO Wisdom Exchange

ThursdayWhat all CEOs Need to Know about Business AI—Artificial Intelligence

Todd Knapp, CEO of Envision Technology Advisors

DEC 7, 2023 RI CEO Wisdom Exchange

ThursdayHow to Best Prepare for the Economic Changes Coming in 2024

Jason Draho, Head of Asset Allocation Americas, UBS Global Wealth Management

NOV 11, 2023 RI CEO Fall Social

SaturdayHow to Best Prepare for the Economic Changes Coming in 2024

Venue: The Rhode Island Yacht Club

OCT 5, 2023 RI CEO Wisdom Exchange

ThursdayBuilding a Foundation for a Better Rhode Island

Marc Parlange, President of the University of Rhode Island

AUG 24, 2023 RI CEO Wisdom Exchange

ThursdayManaging Workforce Risk in Unpredictable Times - learn more

Robin Jones, Deloitte Principal, Workforce Transformation
Eric Cormier, Insperity Manager, HR Services

JUL 22, 2023 RI CEO Summer Social

SaturdayManaging Workforce Risk in Unpredictable Times - learn more

Venue: WaterFire Brazier Society VIP area

JUN 8, 2023 RI CEO Briefing

ThursdayWhat Successful Businesses Do Differently in Rhode Island

Cheryl Merchant, CEO of Taco Comfort Systems

APR 27, 2023 RI CEO Wisdom Exchange

ThursdayThe State of Business In Rhode Island

Daniel McKee, Governor of Rhode Island

MAR 23, 2023 RI 2023 Rhode Island CEO Summit

ThursdayThriving in Unpredictable Times

Brian Moynihan, CEO of Bank of America
Tom Burnham, Head Coach of American Magic Team—America's Cup 2024

Tom Burnham will talk about High-Impact Decision Making
Brian Moynihan will engage in a candid conversation with Steve Zubiago

FEB 18, 2023 RI CEO Winter Social

SaturdayThriving in Unpredictable Times

Venue: The Preserve Sporting Club & Residences

JAN 12, 2023 RI CEO Wisdom Exchange

ThursdayBusiness Strategies that will Maximize Success in 2023

Helena Foulkes, former President of CVS Pharmacy & CEO of Hudson's Bay

OCT 10, 2022 RI CEO Wisdom Exchange

MondayMaximizing Rhode Island Workforce Development

Matthew Weldon, Director, R.I. Dept. of Labor & Training
Shannon Gilkey, Rhode Island Postsecondary Commissioner
Angelica Infante-Green, Commissioner, R.I. Secondary Education

SEP 09, 2022 RI CEO Wisdom Exchange

ThursdayGetting to the Right Strategy for Your Biggest Leadership Challenge

AUG 13, 2022 RI Member Social at WaterFire

SaturdayGetting to the Right Strategy for Your Biggest Leadership Challenge

Venue: WaterFire - Brazier Society VIP Venue

JUN 9, 2022 RI CEO Wisdom Exchange

ThursdayWhat CEOs need to know about Cybersecurity & Breaches

Kiran Mantha, Principal, Deloitte Advisory, Cyber Risk Services
Todd Knapp, CEO of Envision Technology Advisors,
Jason Kravitz, Head of Nixon Peabody's data privacy & cybersecurity practice.

See the CEO Briefing documents & videos

MAY 5, 2022 RI CEO Wisdom Exchange

ThursdayFinding and Retaining the Right Talent in 2022

Mike Zani, CEO of The Predictive Index & author of The Science of Dream Teams

MAR 25, 2022 RI CEO Wisdom Exchange

FridayGaining Strategic Advantage in this Rapidly Changing World

Dan McKee Governor of Rhode Island
Alicia Rose, Deputy CEO of Deloitte
Ross Gittell, President of Bryant University & Distinguished Economist.