It’s great to read about non-profits helping our citizens.  At tonight’s Celebration of Justice Reception, the Attorney General will present the Rhode Island Housing HelpCenter with a Justice Award in the category of Consumer Protection.

According to Richard Godfrey, Executive Director of Rhode Island Housing, “Our HelpCenter provides a safe place for advice and education when it comes to protecting both homeowners and tenants from foreclosure, or coping with the loss of a home. Here in Rhode Island, which is currently ranked 11th in the nation for foreclosure activity, distressed homeowners are at particularly high risk of predators.”

Rhode Island Housing is a self-sustaining public agency, which generates its own operating income, without state funding. Everything the agency earns is reinvested to meet the needs of the state. Together with its partners, the agency works to ensure that all people who live and work in Rhode Island can afford a safe, healthy home that meets their needs. Rhode Island Housing provides low-interest loans, grants, education, advocacy and consumer counseling to help its customers rent, buy and retain their homes. It also offers special programs to ensure that these homes are safe and healthy.

A more detailed press release on this award was posted in the Providence Business News.

I was recently interviewed by Providence Business News about my decision to become a Green Realtor and I thought I’d take this opportunity to share why I took the time to learn about green issues and become certified.

“Green” will be the way of home building and resale as we go forward.  As the cost of living goes up, people are looking for ways to save money.  Environmentally sensitive products may cost a bit more upfront, but provide consumers an opportunity to save on long-term costs. I wanted to get in on the ground floor of the Green trend.

Being Green certified enables me to better educate consumers.  I currently represent a development in South Kingstown – Ministerial Farms – which is five-star Energy Star-rated.  The developer is doing an indoor air-quality certification, and if someone wants it, they will put in geothermal heating.  I wanted to be knowledgeable about the ratings, certifications and products as well as retrofits and reselling.

The certification process made me better prepared to answer the questions that people are starting to ask, such as “What is a five-star rating and how much money can it save me?”.   I took a two-day course with the National Association of Realtors – NAR’s green designation core course. After that, I took a sustainable living elective class.  I was tested on both classes, which covered the different types of certifications, like the Energy Star and the Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design certifications (LEED).

Green is the way things are going. People are driving more energy-efficient cars and living in energy-efficient houses – it’s becoming a way of life.  People in the area are doing small things – putting in energy-efficient bulbs and adding insulation.  They are doing what they can to make their homes more energy efficient – just because the cost is so extreme to run a home.

The market for green certification is basically everywhere, any place there’s a home – Rhode Island, the United States and internationally.  We’re not going to go backwards toward a less-green future.

Visit Providence Business News to read the full article by Kevin Shalvey.

Liz Messier, Sally and I just returned from the 2009 Providence Business News Business Women Award Luncheon where Sally was honored as an industry leader.  It was lovely to be among so many successful business women, each with an intriguing story to share.  The event was held at the Providence Marriott on Orms street where we enjoyed hors d’oeuvres and gorgeous weather on the outdoor patio at Aqua, the hotel’s lounge and nighttime hot spot.

Highlights of the event included speaker and award recipient, Dr. Anne De Groot, founder and CEO of EpiVax and director of the University of Rhode Island’s new Institute of Immunology and Informatics.  De Groot was awarded for overall career achievement, though she joked that her career isn’t over yet.  De Groot also founded GAIA, Global Alliance to Immunize against AIDS.  De Groot related her 5-pronged philosophy on AIDS education to the business world, and spun the concept of “transmission” as transmission of information through mentoring.  She mentioned not only the importance of being a mentor but of having mentors and she mentioned Sally as one of her own mentors.

We would like to extend a HUGE thank you to Alexa Baggio, a Brown University senior and President and Founder of Brown University Women in Business, who nominated Sally for her award.

Please read about the Business Women honored today and congratulate them on their significant contributions to our community.

It was just announced that Sally Lapides, President and CEO of Residential Properties was a winner of the Providence Business News 2nd annual Business Women Awards!

Sally was selected as an Industry Leader in the category of Professional Services.  As an award recipient, she joins women from a variety of professional backgrounds including hospitality, finance, design, health care, social services and engineering.

The Awards program will be held on Thursday, May 21st, at the Providence Marriott.  The program will honor an Industry Leader and Woman To Watch from the following categories:  Creative Services, Financial Services, Health Care Services, Professional Services, Social Services, and Technical Services.

Dr. Anne De Groot, founder and CEO of EpiVax will be honored for overall career achievement and Susan Keller, partner at Edwards Angell Palmer and Dodge LLP, will be honored for being a mentor and ally to other business women.  The ceremony will also acknowledge 12 women who have been featured throughout the year in Providence Business News.

Click here to read the full article from Providence Business News.