People on the Move: BankRI, NAIL and Residential Properties All Make Additions
GoLocalProv Business Team
People on the Move: BankRI, NAIL and Residential Properties All Make Additions
GoLocal's People on the Move is an update on new hires and promotions across southern New England. If your organization has an announcement, email it to us at [email protected].
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A Rhode Islander at heart
After graduating from Roger Williams University and beginning his own jet ski rental business, Gerard kicked off his real estate career in the 1980s buying, renovating, and selling multi-family houses in Providence. He eventually owned and operated over 200 rental units in Rhode Island before relocating to Washington, D.C. where his wife, Trish, had taken a new job. In just a few years, he launched his own brokerage, UrbanLand Company. Focused primarily on serving new condominium developers, Gerard expanded the brokerage to a full-service firm with 25 agents operating in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. Seeking a new lifestyle after the success of UrbanLand, Gerard and Trish returned to the beauty and character of Rhode Island. “I started my real estate career buying, fixing, renting, and selling multi-family properties in Providence, Newport, and Kingston in the eighties,” DiRuggiero noted. “At that time, it was hard not to admire RPL for their moxie, starting a real estate company when mortgage rates were 15%, and for building a cool, new office property on Wickenden Street. Now that I’m back in RI, Residential Properties is still going strong and is the brokerage I want to affiliate with!”
His deep knowledge of the real estate process has allowed a range of clients to realize their goals, from those buying their first home to developers mounting major plans. “I’ve marketed numerous projects literally from the ground up and brokered many land sales, including assemblage of parcels,” DiRuggiero said. “I’ve generated compelling project names and identities, calculated budgets and timelines, created campaigns, and propelled sales to the finish using the best marketing technology across web, video, and print.”
An expert with an eye for detail
An avid gardener, dog lover, live music fan, and budding homemade pizza chef, Gerard is brimming with excitement for his new life in Rhode Island. His wife Trish, who grew up in Portsmouth and got her law degree in Boston, also spent 15 years in the real estate business and knows it well. Their two daughters are in their mid-twenties and happily pursuing their own careers in Washington and San Francisco.
For Gerard, a life well lived includes a thriving career. He now looks forward to a fresh new chapter after decades of success, having participated in an impressive amount of real estate with intelligently executed development, building, and delivery to consumers. “New construction is a particular interest of mine, having worked with numerous developers over the years,” DiRuggiero added. “I pride myself on being available, creative, and detailed-oriented. Truly, at this point in my career, I want to share my expertise and my businessman's eye for value with my clients.”
For more information about Gerard, please visit GerardDiruggiero.ResidentialProperties.com.
BankRI has bolstered the team in its cash management division, hiring financial veteran Vanessa Zampini as VP, Cash Management Manager. Throughout her career, Vanessa has acquired a wealth of experience, having held nearly every business- and customer-facing position in a bank branch.
In her role at BankRI, Vanessa is responsible for managing a wide range of cash management services, including sales, solutions implementation, business supports, technical assistance, and customer service. In service of clients and prospective customers, she works closely with all departments of the Bank, including Commercial Lending, Retail Banking, and Operations.
Prior to BankRI, Vanessa was VP of Commercial Services and Government Banking with Centreville Bank. Previously, she worked for Washington Trust, including more than a decade in branch management. In total, Vanessa has spent more than 30 years in banking.
“Vanessa brings not only tremendous experience to our team, but also an unmatched approach to customer service, which is invaluable when developing personalized financial solutions for clients,” said William Tsonos, EVP, Director of Commercial Banking for BankRI. “She’s a great addition and will be an asset to helping our customers meet their cash management goals.”
Vanessa is a member of the Rhode Island Government Finance Officers Association (RIGFOA), and the RI Tax Collectors Association. She lives in Smithfield with her husband, and they enjoy winter sports with their adult children and grandkids.
NAIL Communications, an award-winning creative agency, has expanded its team with Cameron McCormack as film Producer and Director, according to Partner Brian Gross. McCormack will be working on the Lifespan, IGT, and Preservation Society of Newport accounts, among others, in addition to helping shape key marketing initiatives and leading the film production practice at the agency.
“Bringing Cameron onboard has completely elevated our creative services at Nail,” said Gross. “Having an in-house film production capability will give our creatives and our clients more flexibility as well as increase our opportunities to produce better work.”
McCormack joins Nail from Quiet Frame, a production company that focuses on narrative films. There he held the role of Creative Director where he collaborated with a plethora of brands spanning the healthcare, CPG, and real estate industries. Prior to Quiet Frame, he worked as an Assistant Video Production Manager at Plymouth EDTV in Massachusetts.
“What drew me to NAIL was their unfaltering creativity,” said McCormack. “The work this team creates has heart, and that’s rare in advertising these days.”
McCormack has directed films that have been selected to appear in several esteemed film festivals, including Beaufort International Film Festival, Joedance Film Festival, Dam Short Film Festival, and Austin International Film Festival. He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Film Production at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.