The Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council (RIPEC) honored two public servants for their exceptional contributions at its 48th Annual Public Service Awards ceremony last evening. Donna A. Murray, Labor Market Information Director at the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training (DLT), received the Gary S. Sasse Distinguished Public Service Award, recognizing her outstanding work at the state level. Randy R. Rossi, former Town Manager of Smithfield, was honored with the Robert M. Goodrich Distinguished Public Service Award for his exceptional local service.
Keith D. Kelly, President of Citizens Bank Rhode Island and chair of the RIPEC Board of Directors, praised both recipients. “Policymakers, the media, and the public have relied on the labor market data produced by the DLT division led by Donna for many years,” Kelly said. He also commended Rossi’s leadership in Smithfield, noting his work on community engagement, fiscal responsibility, and sustainable development.
Murray’s division at DLT is responsible for providing crucial labor market data to the government, businesses, and the public. Rossi served Smithfield for over a decade, first as finance director and then as town manager. He is credited with securing grant funding to alleviate the tax burden on residents.
During the event, Ted Nesi, WPRI 12 Politics Editor, engaged in a Q&A session with Nathan Gonzales, Editor and Publisher of Inside Elections and Elections Analyst for CQ Roll Call. The discussion focused on the upcoming presidential election and the outlook for control of Congress. Gonzales, with over 20 years of experience in campaign coverage, provided insights into key races and election dynamics, drawing on historical trends, polling data, and personal candidate interviews.
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) assisted a What’sUpNewp journalist with the reporting included in this story.
