 Studio Rios is an architectural firm servicing Rhode Island, Southern Massachusetts, and Eastern Connecticut. It is locally owned & operated out of Barrington, RI by Hector Rios. Hector came to East Bay RI 27 years ago to attend Roger Williams University, fell in love with the area and never left. Hector is passionate about providing highly customized service. “I sit down with all my clients and have a free one-on-one consultation to determine what their needs are.” He takes time to collect photos, magazine clippings, or pictures of family heirlooms to get a feel for his clients style so he can make sure his designs match their personal aesthetic. When he is not busy designing, Hector & his wife Gail (a "feisty red-head from upstate NY") regularly go ballroom dancing. Married for 30 years, Hector notes the secret to a successful marriage is to always have a date night. He describes their relationship as "The Ricky & Lucy of the new millennium." Most people think architects are too expensive and their work is unattainable. Because of this Hector makes sure to lay out a clear scope of work & pricing schedule in the first consultation with a client. He realizes sometimes the process can be overwhelming and often people need some help and guidance along the way. Hector finds joy in the personal connection with his clients. Some of his favorite moments he shared with me were attending a clients open house after a project is complete, or getting Christmas cards from families he's worked with. “If I get invited back for dinner or a housewarming party, I know I've done my job well”. Hector also finds joy in being outdoors. He regularly cycles 60-80 miles enjoying the scenic East Bay region. And you can often find him & Gail out and about in town eating and drinking at local restaurants. Studio Rios Architecture, LLC
P.O. Box 140 Barrington, RI 02806 401-487-6438 www.studio-rios.com Email: [email protected]
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 By Dena Davis PR & Marketing Team The Bayside Family YMCA is a charity committed to strengthening the health and wellness and transforming lives in the communities of Barrington, Bristol, Riverside and Warren. For over 50 years, the Y has responded to community needs with programs and activities focused on youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. YMCA members are able to participate in health and wellness programs, utilize child care and be part of a community of diverse and engaged individuals working together to support each other. Our goal is simple- to strengthen the health and wellness and transform the lives of people in the communities we serve. Bayside’s Focus on Youth Development The Y has long been known for programs that keep kids safe and engaged. At the Bayside Family Y- we offer a variety of youth programs that teach skills • Swim Lessons- The Y is the nationally-recognized leader in aquatic safety. We provide over 100 swim lessons each week for ages 6 months- 90! These lessons are focused first on preventing drowning and then on skill development. • Child Care • Summer Camp • Teen JOIN (for families who have a child with excess weight) are all evidence-based programs designed to help individuals and families meet pressing health needs. • Camp iAm (in partnership with The BAY Team – East Bay’s Prevention Coalition) Community Partnerships The Bayside Y is proud to be a strong community partner. Working together with local school departments, municipalities, businesses and non-profits leverages our resources and strengthens our communities. Some examples of groups the Bayside Family Y partners with are:
Social Responsibility • As part of our commitment to social responsibility, we believe that membership in the YMCA should be open to all individuals and families regardless of their ability to pay. In order to fulfill this commitment, we conduct an Annual Support Campaign to raise awareness and money for the YMCA Financial Assistance (YFA) program. This program subsidizes membership and program fees for YMCA members, and is at the core of our mission.
 By Beth Carter
PR Team Member When you first meet Dr. Ronald G. Shapiro, he will tell you that he has two missions in life - making an impact on the next generation and having fun. What may not be as clear at first glance is that he has an impressive background having earned a PhD from Ohio State University, having taught at several colleges, being recognized as a Fellow in several professional organizations and having served 23 years working for IBM in various capacities. Through his Education by Entertainment programs Ron creates content that makes learning fun for a wide variety of groups including businesses, schools, and academic institutions. He designs programs that emphasize one's strengths but also discusses how one compensates for weaknesses. Surprisingly a 75-90 minute program can have thirty different activities, even using game show formats. This successful model incorporating lots of things to do has kept all his audiences engaged - at any age! The activities are so much fun that Ron is also pleased to offer them as part of a social event such as a birthday celebration!!! Ron is a careful observer of people as well. He is always working on ways to improve his programs or tweak them for different audiences. He feels that in general most people react too quickly and it is important to see the value of slowing down and really learning. Ron encourages people to think differently by asking interesting questions like "what do you do at a green light?" immediately after asking them spell SPOT fast five times (many people think "red light" because they are not given the time to process the question correctly). Check out Ron's monthly articles in the Rhode Island Small Business Journal (RISBJ) for more examples of his learning activities. Ron's meets new clients mostly through professional organizations and word of mouth. He enjoys interacting with students, parents, teachers, psychology professionals, engineers, as well as corporate leaders to make learning more enriching and memorable which in turn makes for a more positive environment for all.  Warren has long been a foodie attraction, and now wine connoisseurs can delight with the addition of Merienda Tapas, Cicchetti & Wine Bar. This hot new restaurant is a fitting add-on to Water Street’s eclectic restaurant scene. Located at 125 Water St., formally The Old Nathanial Inn, Merienda’s is a perfect place for a romantic bite to eat with a loved one; yet also provides a comfortable atmosphere to catch up and relax with friends. This is the first restaurant and wine bar featuring authentic tapas and cicchetti style-dishes, with an accompanying savory yet affordable wine list - five different European wines available at just $25 a bottle. Craig Corsetti, executive chef and owner, has years of experience in the industry holding various positons all over the world. He’s worked in the kitchens of Florence, Italy, and under James Beard Award winning chefs is Washington, D.C. Pair that up with his 18 years of experience at The Newport Vineyards and it’s no wonder Merienda’s is such a delectable place. His passion for authentic cuisine and extensive knowledge of wine is evident in this charmingly unique venue. For those of you who don’t know – I didn’t either – cicchetti is a Venetian term meaning savory snacks or small side dishes, typically served in a bar or informal restaurant. Similarly, tapas means small Spanish savory dishes, typically served with drinks at a bar. What this translates to is that there’s a great new spot to try delicious small plates paired with thoughtfully selected imported wines or craft beer. So get out there, try something new and support your local businesses. Tell Craig that the East Bay Chamber of Commerce sent you. Cheers!
 First impressions mean a lot, especially in a business setting. When you first meet Yulian, you know by her smile and genuine enthusiasm that she is very engaging and dedicated. She has a unique background and is not your typical personal financial consultant.
Yulian's educational background focused on biology, clinical laboratory work, and nursing. When she came to the Untied States from China, she worked for over 16 years at Women and Infants' Hospital in several different roles. Although she finds the work gratifying, Yulian started at World Financial Group because she wanted a better opportunity with a better retirement plan. "For my entire life, I have always worked hard for money, but now I wanted to learn how to make my money work hard for me." Not only is Yulian providing consultant to her clients but she also wants to introduce opportunity to people willing to work with her. They can grow the business together to help more people achieve financial independence. She gives presentations in which she talks about her life's experiences, and how she can relate to those who do not have a retirement plan or large savings. Her goal is to change the way people perceive their finances, which means being open to opportunities to educate themselves and feeling more comfortable talking about their financial future. World Financial Group's motto is "no family left behind," and Yulian is determined to reach as many people as possible. "I want my clients to have a piece of mind with their savings!" Yulian is always willing to help people, especially in the financial services area. With a smile and perseverance, she truly believes that "together, we can each achieve more. " Justin Lombardo is the Assistant Vice President, Branch Manager at Bank 5 in Bristol, RI. He is a lifelong Rhode Islander; educated in the Barrington school system then went on to continue his education graduating from Rhode Island College. Justin got into the banking industry in 2007 and never looked back. He began as a banker and has worked all the way up to Assistant Vice President. He started off at Citizens Bank then held positions at Santander before finally ending up at Bank5 where he’s worked for over a year now.
Most people around here just know the Bank5 building as the old Wendy’s but after visiting I can tell you it’s so much more! While surrounded by a state of the art facility Justin lights up when talking about his daily operations. Bank 5 puts an emphasis on being a local bank with a community focus and this is very fitting to Justin’s personal interests. "We sponsor, volunteer and give donations to many local events such as St. Elizabeth’s Parish, East Bay Pantry in Bristol annual golf tournament, St. Mary’s of the Bay Church Food Pantry in Warren, the Lincoln Soccer Club in Bristol, the Bristol Harbor Festival Blessing of the Fleet, Barrington Little League, Bristol Yacht Company, Bristol-Warren Art Night, and the Bristol Halloween Walk-a-Bout," said Justin. "As well as Volunteer Warren." Justin won this feature by attending a business after hour’s event and had his business card selected at random. Make sure you attend our next event for an opportunity to win a feature.  By Stephanie Osborn PR Team Debbi-Jo Horton has been an entrepreneur for over 40 years. She is a CPA with an international tax practice, and most recently became an independent Nerium Senior Director. Her passion for skincare began when she first learned about the Nerium skincare and wellness line from one of her tax clients. In 2012, a client asked her to do a 7 night trial of the night cream. After 7 days Debbi-Jo found that her crow's feet were gone, and she's been hooked ever since. DJ started her Nerium business part-time in April of 2013. By June of 2014 she had become a senior director and earned a car. Today she has a team of 14 people. Nerium allows DJ many benefits and opportunities. One of the benefits of this business is that she gets to travel. She has been to many places including most recently St Louis and Dallas. DJ loves helping other people look and feel better about themselves. Nerium has a targeted line of skincare products for anti-aging as well as dietary supplements for health, wellness and anti-aging. One surprising fact about DJ's business is that 50% of brand partners are men and slightly over 50% of Nerium customers are men!
 By Brian Barrett
PR Team member Michelle Hughes is one of the most caring, unique, intelligent individuals I have had the pleasure to meet since relocating to the beautiful East Bay of Rhode Island. She has been an active member of the community for years and many of you probably already know her from her successful work as a Certified Public Accountant or because she is the Founder and an active member of the highly popular organization W.E.B.O.N.D. I’ve only known Michelle for a couple of months now and can’t speak highly enough of her character and personable professionalism. When speaking with Michelle you get a feeling that she genuinely cares about what you’re saying. As a member of the PR Committee I jumped at the opportunity to write this article about Michelle. We had lunch at a local restaurant and I had the privilege of learning more about what makes her so special. She is highly family oriented and glows when talking about her husband and sons. At one point in her life she was not exactly where she wanted to be and found an escape through education. While raising her first son she put herself through school and the rigorous testing to become a CPA. Although I can’t personally relate to raising a child or becoming a CPA, by all accounts they very difficult tasks to undertake. She successfully does both and so much more! She’s had multiple successful jobs on her career path and started her own accounting firm in April 2014. Her firm recently merged with RichardsTimko, P.C. where she is the Senior Tax Manager. The merge has allowed her to expand the area in which she helps small businesses, condominium associations, non-profits, and individuals with their tax/accounting needs. She was dubbed The Gardening CPA because of her love of horticulture at the beauty she creates with nature. I saw her creative mind at work first hand when coming back from lunch that afternoon. We pulled into the parking lot of her office on Metacom Ave in Warren and there was construction debris hanging out of the dumpster. Where some people might have seen an old junk door, Michelle saw the opportunity to create something beautiful. I fished the old door out of the dumpster for her and placed it in her car so she could take it home and use it in one of her art projects. Michelle Hughes is an excellent choice for all of your business/personal accounting needs and an excellent resource for opportunities to become a more active and informed member of our community.  Paper, Packaging and Panache has been a staple of downtown Bristol for over 20 years! Co-owners Linda Arruda and Susan Curtis met in a small business class during the winter of 1996 and the rest is history. With some encouragement from their professor, Susan’s love of creating greeting cards and a mutual need for a new adventure; Paper, Packaging and Panache was born. Since they first opened their doors the stationary industry has changed greatly. Influenced by advancing technology and more locations to buy greeting cards, from supermarkets to gas stations and seemingly everywhere in between, Susan and Linda knew they had to differentiate themselves. Inspired by her early years selling handmade greeting cards all over New England, Susan makes it a point to showcase local artists. They take pride in supporting local talent and providing aspiring artists the exposure many larger stores would deny. In addition to the changing stationary industry they have watched Bristol grow through the years. They’ve noticed a steady increase in tourist traffic especially in the warmer months. They note a lot of college students and their families come in and are amazed by the natural beauty found in Bristol and throughout the east bay of Rhode Island. Paper, Packaging and Panache is the local go to place for greeting cards and invitations for all holidays, events, and occasions. They have also expanded their offerings over the years and specialize in children’s toys and clothing. So next time you find yourself strolling around beautiful downtown Bristol, stop in, check out their impressive inventory, and do your part to support your local businesses. Tell them that the East Bay Chamber of Commerce sent you!
 By Beth Russell PR Team Member If you’re looking for a gift, daisy dig’ins is the place to go. Unique items can be found throughout the store. There are bath & body products, clothing, jewelry, home décor and of course beautiful flowers. It’s easy to lose yourself while admiring all the beautiful items on the shelves & on the walls. Lois Coppolino, a life-long resident of Barrington, opened the store in 1977. It started as a floral design store. In 1986 Lois and her husband, Lou built their own store. Lois prides herself on always listening to her customer’s needs. She offers quality products and each customer is greeted with a smile. In addition to the beautiful gift items, the store still operates the floral business, providing flowers for weddings or special occasions. In an effort to keep the inventory fresh and the sale items from taking up space, daisy dig’ins Off the Rack opened in Waseca Plaza last year. It began on a trial basis, but due to its overwhelming success, the store is now permanent. The store is stocked with All Sale items and like the main store, there’s a wide variety of items. After being in business for almost 40 years, Lois still loves what she does. The business has allowed her to use her creative skills and spend time with her customers, which she loves! |
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