Roger Williams University Welcomes Seven New Members to Board of Trustees

BRISTOL, R.I. – Roger Williams University has added seven new members to its Board of Trustees, bringing the total board membership to 28.

Jerauld C. Adams is president of North American Industries Inc., in Central Falls, R.I. He founded the real estate development and management company in 1999. It owns and manages square footage exceeding 200,000, with more than 95 tenants. He is president of the board of trustees of the Old Slater Mill Association and has been a trustee at the Adams Memorial Library since 1995. He is serving on the Rhode Island College Foundation board through 2018 and has served on the boards of the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation, Beacon Mutual Insurance Company and Hope Club. He has been on the RWU President’s Advisory Council since 2015.

Doris De Los Santos is executive director of Development, Partnership and Engagement for the Providence Public Schools. She was Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee’s director of the Office of Municipal and External Affairs. From 1992-1995, she worked for Rhode Island Housing’s Lead Program and in 1995 she joined the state Office of Housing and Communication Development. She is an advisory member and past board president for the Rhode Island Latino Civic Fund. She is a board member of Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island, Community MusicWorks, Family Service of Rhode Island and the State Martin Luther King Commission. She is on Rhode Island Parole Board.

Larry Eichler is an attorney and president of Eichler Realty Company Inc. He is a member of the bar associations for three states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Supreme Court. He specializes in real estate and corporate transactional matters. He founded, acquired and sold several businesses, ranging from a Class A baseball team to the Dutch Harbor Boatyard in Jamestown, R.I. He founded a real estate management and consultant company. He is a member of Providence’s Cherrystone Angel Group, Rhode Island’s first organized angel investment group. In 2015, he served briefly as director of strategic partnerships for Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza, and he was acting executive director of the Providence Talks education program.

Jeffrey “Jeff” Grybowski is the CEO of Deepwater Wind, where he manages the company’s portfolio of offshore wind, solar and transmission projects. He was involved in the development of the nation’s first offshore wind farm – the path-breaking Block Island Wind Farm. He has been at the forefront of shaping both the U.S. commercial structures and governmental policies necessary for this growing industry. In 2003, he served as chief of staff to Rhode Island Gov. Donald Carcieri during his first term. He practiced corporate law at Hinckley, Allen & Snyder, in Providence, and at Sullivan & Cromwell, in New York City. He is a board member of the American Wind Energy Association and Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce.

Peter A. Heard, a 1980 RWU graduate, is vice president for National Distribution, Field Management and Worldwide Distribution at The Travelers Companies Inc., in Hartford, Conn. He joined Travelers in 1984, rising through the ranks in analyst, marketing and accounts positions. He spent three years at the Industrial Risk Insurance Company. He is treasurer of the Spencer Educational Foundation, in New York City. He is founder and co-director of the Connecticut Cycling Festival and Race, in Hartford, Conn. He is a member of the RWU President’s Advisory Council, the Mario J. Gabelli School of Business Dean’s Advisory Council and the Civic Scholars Campaign Committee. He is a former member of the RWU Alumni Board.

Dr. Pablo Rodriguez, a 2017 RWU honorary degree recipient, is a clinical associate professor at Brown University’s Warren Alpert Medical School and president of Latino Public Radio. He is chair of the Women & Infants Health Care Alliance and president and CEO of Women’s Care. He is the former medical director of Planned Parenthood of RI and a past chair of the Association of Reproductive Health Professionals, in Washington, D.C. He is a well-known leader in the Hispanic community and an active participant in civic and charitable organizations. He is the former chair of the Rhode Island Foundation, the International Institute of Rhode Island, the Rhode Island Latino Political Action Committee, Rhode Island Project AIDS and the Democracy Compact. He has been called the inspiring force behind the creation of the Latino Policy Institute at RWU.

Karl A. Wadensten has been president of VIBCO Vibrators since 1994. Headquartered in Wyoming, R.I., VIBCO manufactures industrial and construction vibrators and other vibratory equipment. VIBCO is the subject of a Harvard Business School case and has been featured in lean training videos. He is an operational excellence coach, change agent and thought leader. From 2010-2011, he hosted a radio talk show on 790-AM called “The Lean Nation.” He now presents on a weekly web TV show with the same name. He is an international speaker on the subject of overcoming leadership and organizational challenges. He is a member of the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation board and a former member of the Beacon Mutual Insurance Co. board.