Lots of ways to grow business in Rhode Island

Our speaker, Elizabeth (Liz) Tanner, Executive Vice President of Client Services for the RI Commerce Corporation, said her agency is all about helping RI businesses to grow and out-of-state firms to locate or re-locate here.

 

For example, its Procurement Technical Assistance Center educates firms about doing business with the state; its financing program provides financing to promising businesses which do not meet commercial bank lending requirements; its Renewable Energy Fund finances renewable energy and energy efficiency projects; its international program educates businesses about doing business in international markets; its tax programs educate businesses about tax incentives and credits.

 

Measuring success is always difficult in a service business. The Commerce Corporation tracks new contacts (826 this year), customer satisfaction (4.7 out of 5), and coming soon will be a “new jobs created” number.