WARWICK – Gina Helm believes that to succeed, the environment can be just as important as the individual. “Find a company that values you,” said Helm, vice president and residential lending sales manager at Centreville Bank.
“I was at another institution for 26 years; I’ve only been at Centreville four years but from day one I felt very empowered and appreciated,” she said. “Find a company that appreciates all that you do.”
Helm was among the 24 local business industry leaders that were formally recognized Thursday for their leadership efforts across multiple sectors in Providence Business News’ 2026 Leaders & Achievers Awards program.
Fellow honorees Rebecca Twitchell and Enith Morillo shared a similar sentiment that receiving the award reflects on more than just the recipient but the relationships they have fostered.
“People want to do business with people they like,” said Twitchell, founder and president of Half Full LLC.
She and Morillo have been friends for three years after meeting at the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business program. The two of them were also honorees in the Business Women Awards, Morillo in 2023 and Twitchell in 2025.
Morillo, CEO and founder of Cadoret Global, sees events like these as an opportunity for others to make connections the way she did and enrich the state’s business community.
“[These events] elevate the work that is being done in Rhode Island,” she said. “People may be doing their own thing and doing it excellently these can create greater visibility within the [business] ecosystem.”
The honorees were among the 225 attendees at Thursday’s ceremony at Aldrich Mansion.
The 24 business professionals were chosen for this year’s program – now in its eighth year – based on their leadership, achievements and longstanding commitment to the business community. They are also recognized for their community service and mentoring efforts throughout the region.
Among the industries the honorees represented are the healthcare, education, nonprofit, financial services, hospitality, staffing, sports and entertainment, and manufacturing sectors. A special section showcasing each honoree published digitally Aug. 28 on PBN.com and will soon be part of PBN’s Aug. 28-Sept. 10 print and digital edition.
The 2026 Leaders & Achievers honorees are (in alphabetical order):
- Greg Agnone, Chestnut Hill Insurance Group and Wealth Management CEO and president
- Gail Alofsin, University of Rhode Island/Office of Strategic Initiatives associate director, corporate partnerships
- Tomas Avila, State of Rhode Island associate director of intergovernmental affairs and outreach
- Beth Bixby, Tides Family Services CEO
- Doris Blanchard, R.I. Commerce Corp. director of outreach and engagement
- Kevin Casey, Sweeney Real Estate and Appraisal vice president of sales
- William Fitzgerald, Amica Mutual Insurance Company vice president sales and client services
- Gina Helm, Centreville Bank vice president and residential lending sales manager
- Viken Jawharjian RISE Group Inc. director of information security
- Amy Kempe Community College of Rhode Island chief of staff
- Patrick LeBeau Morgan Stanley executive director
- Brooks Magratten Pierce Atwood LLP partner
- Enith Morillo Cadoret Global founder, CEO and principal consultant
- Kelly Nevins Women’s Fund of Rhode Island CEO
- Stefan Pryor R.I. Commerce Corp. secretary
- Farouk Rajab Rhode Island Hospitality CEO and president
- Larry Riggs, Pare Corporation president
- Glenn Robertelli RI Bio executive director
- Matthew Semonik Arnold Lumber Company chief operating officer
- Kim Stack University of Rhode Island executive director
- Oliver Tutt NCU Investment Solutions senior vice president and director of wealth management and financial planning
- Rebecca Twitchell, Half Full LLC founder, president
- Larry Warner, Warner ILS Group LLC founder and managing principal
- Gordon Zaniol, Shawmut Design and Construction project executive