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 Your Rhode Island Business- From Fishing to Finance

The Governor has gotten a reputation as a big bag of wind. In fact, he thinks that there is enough wind power potential in Rhode Island to power 15-percent or more of the state’s electricity. There are plans for a Rhode Island Power Authority (RIPA) to be created as a quasi-governmental organization to finance and help promote renewable energy such as wind power and hydroelectric power.

Also the State Government is promoting tech-innovative companies such as a recently awarded company, Andera, which employs 26 people in the state, and makes it possible for banks to have customers open bank accounts online in ten minutes, in a process that formerly could take days.

There is also a State initiative for a Charter for “Geo-tourism”. Geo-tourism charters are a program of the National Geographical Society. Geo-tourism emphasizes tourism focused on the environment, and the well being of residents of each place.

The largest city and capital of Rhode Island is Providence, with 176,000 people and 1.6 million in its metropolitan area in R.I. and Massachusetts. Other large cities include Warwick, Cranston, Pawtucket and East Providence.

Hasbro, the toy manufacturer has an office in nearby Pawtucket R.I. GTECH, which is headquartered in Providence, is a provider technologies and services, with a technology center in West Greenwich R.I. and other national and international locations. CVS Pharmacy has its headquarters in Woonsocket R.I.

The Fortune 500 conglomerate Textron and Fortune 1000 company Nortek Incorporated are both headquartered in the city, and GTECH's world headquarters has recently been moved to downtown Providence. Citizens Bank is also headquartered in Providence.

The city is home to the Rhode Island Convention Center, which opened in December 1993. Along with a hotel, the convention center is connected to the Providence Place Mall, a major retail center, through a skywalk.

Providence also has a seaport that can handle petroleum and other cargo. Colleges and Universities in Providence include Brown University, the ivy league school, Providence College, a Catholic School and the University of Rhode Island.