Gina Fajardo has been hired as the director of marketing at Hinckley, Allen & Snyder LLP. Fajardo has more than 20 years experience in marketing and has worked to build brands in a variety of industries, including automotive and financial. more

The Providence Business News Executive Poll is a weekly survey of 70 business leaders throughout the state, representing small and large companies in a variety of industries. more

To the editor: An open letter to Gov. Lincoln D. Chafee: more

PROVIDENCE – Chairman and CEO of RBS Citizens Financial Group Inc. Ellen Alemany will retire Oct. 1 after more than five years with the Providence-based group, according to a press release from the parent company, Royal Bank of Scotland Group PLC. more

Annette W. MacLeod has been named vice president of business and data architecture at FM Global. more

Scott Pickering has been named general manager at East Bay Newspapers. more

Kathleen Ceseretti has been named director of national accounts at the Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau. more

Dr. more

Jay Farland has been named vice president, senior business lender at Bank Rhode Island. more

BOSTON – Representatives from 20 Massachusetts communities, as well as the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, Living Cities and several other organizations and agencies last week launched the Working Cities Challenge: An Initiative for Massachusetts Smaller Cities. more