About Us

The CEO Council of Rhode Island

Where Rhode Island CEOs Come to Think — And Decide


Team       |       History       |       News       |       Videos

What Defines The CEO Council

Structured to Work Where You Do — The CEO Council of Rhode Island is grounded in the realities of operating a business based in this market and connected through The CEO Council, a network of state chapters that bring a broader national perspective.

Chief Executives Only — Membership is limited to Rhode Island–based chief executives — CEOs, Presidents, Executive Directors, and Managing Partners — with full responsibility for the performance of their organizations.

Peer-Level Conversations — Members are seated with peers who operate at a similar level — similar scale, similar responsibility, similar decisions — enabling candid, high-value dialogue among peers.

Purpose — To provide a confidential, CEO-only environment where chief executives gain broader perspective and clarity to make the best decisions in an increasingly complex environment.

Mission — To be the sanctuary where chief executives gain unbiased perspective and insight from peers, enabling them to move with greater clarity and speed and achieve the results they desire — both professionally and personally.

Our Standard — To be the place where CEOs can engage with confidence in candid, off-the-record conversations about the leadership decisions that shape organizations, the economy, and the future of the regions they serve.

Our Leadership Team

Robert Fiske

Founder & Chief Executive Officer

Chairman of the Board

Brief Bio

Robert Fiske is the Founder & CEO of The CEO Council, a CEO-only leadership forum where chief executives engage in substantive, off-the-record dialogue to think, test, and decide on the issues that shape their companies, their industries, and the broader economy.

He brings over three decades of executive leadership experience, having served as a CEO, president, managing partner, Fortune 500 executive, and trusted advisor to chief executives across industries.

Robert has built his career around convening high-performing CEOs in environments that elevate thinking, sharpen decision-making, and drive organizational performance.

He is currently leading the expansion of The CEO Council into a national platform, establishing a new standard for CEO-level engagement, insight, and leadership development.

email Website LinkedIn

Denise Nemchev

Principal & Director

Leadership Team | Board of Directors

Brief Bio

Denise Nemchev is a seasoned chief executive with over 30 years of leadership experience across global manufacturing and technology organizations.

She has served as CEO of Milsco Manufacturing and tvONE, and as President of several business units within Nortek and Stanley Black & Decker, where she led complex global operations and played a key leadership role in post-acquisition integration initiatives.

Denise has also served on multiple corporate boards, bringing an operator’s perspective to governance, strategy, and leadership.

She holds an MBA from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a BS in Mechanical Engineering from MIT.

As a Principal and member of the leadership team, Denise brings a decisive, results-oriented leadership approach and deep expertise in scaling organizations, P&L leadership, strategy, and operational execution to The CEO Council.

email Website LinkedIn

Mark Strozik

Principal & Director

Leadership Team | Board of Directors

Brief Bio

Mark Strozik is a senior executive with over 30 years of experience across public and private companies, including 14 years in the C-suite.

He has held senior leadership roles including Sr.VP at Summer Infant and Global Head of Human Resources at The Rockport Company (Adidas), where he worked closely with boards and executive teams to drive organizational performance and alignment.

Mark has also served on the Board of Directors of Ti-Sales bringing deep expertise in organizational effectiveness and team performance.

He holds a BS in Business & Psychology from Clarkson University, earned SPHR and SCP credentials in Human Resources, and is a professionally trained and certified executive coach (PCC, ICF)

 As a Principal and member of the leadership team, Mark brings a practical, experience-based approach to leadership effectiveness, aligning teams, and navigating complex organizational challenges.

email Website LinkedIn

Cheryl Haynes

Principal & Director

Leadership Team | Board of Directors

Brief Bio

Cheryl Haynes is a senior executive  with over 25 years of experience in human capital strategy and organizational leadership in financial services and Fortune 500 companies.

She has served as Sr.VP of Human Resources at Blue Hills Bank. Head of HR for RBS Citizens’ Business Services Operations America, and in senior HR leadership roles at State Street, MetLife, and CVS Health.

Cheryl brings deep expertise in aligning leadership, culture, and organizational structure to drive performance and scale organizations.

She holds a MS from Northeastern University and a BS from Bryant University, along with SPHR and SHRM-SCP certifications and executive coaching credentials.

As a Principal and member of the leadership team, Cheryl brings a disciplined, experience-based approach to leadership alignment and  organizational effectiveness to The CEO Council.

email Website LinkedIn

The CEO Council of Rhode Island

Jason Mundy

CEO Council Peer Board Chair

CEO Roundtable Moderator

Certified Executive Coach

Brief Bio

Jason Mundy is a FocalPoint and Trust Edge Leadership Institute certified executive and business coach, operating advisor, and business consultant with over 25 years of B2B technology marketing leadership experience in high-growth startups and Fortune 100 companies including EMC and Dell.

Jason specializes in helping leaders of small & medium-sized technology, manufacturing and professional services firms grow revenue through innovative sales, marketing and leadership strategies, and executive coaching services.

Jason earned an MBA from Boston University and a BS in Engineering from URI.

He currently serves as an business leadership coach and consultant.

email Website LinkedIn

Jane Fontaine

CEO Council Peer Board Chair

CEO Roundtable Moderator

Certified Executive Coach

Brief Bio

Jane Fontaine is an accomplished HR executive and executive coach with more than 25 years of experience driving organizational growth through people strategy and authentic leadership.

She has served as Senior Vice President of People & Culture and Vice President of Human Resources across financial services, healthcare, and consulting industries, guiding organizations through mergers, integrations, and cultural transformation.

Jane holds an MBA in Organizational Development, an MHA in Healthcare Administration, and an M.S. in Management.

She is SPHR-certified and an ICF certified executive coach, partnering with leaders to create engaged, high-performing teams.

email Website LinkedIn

Paul Stavrand

CEO Council Peer Board Chair

CEO Roundtable Moderator

Business Advisory & Coach

Brief Bio

Paul Stavrand is a business leader, advisor, coach and trainer with more than 25 years of experience as a consultant or leader at Gap, Merck, BD, United, The Princeton Review, and other companies.

He now partners with senior leaders to clarify bold objectives and design actionable, milestone-driven plans that deliver significant outcomes.

Paul leverages a proprietary framework to analyze organizational strengths and pinpoint critical gaps across strategy, culture, and operations—then orchestrates solutions that align teams, empower leaders, and propel targeted growth.

Paul earned a BS from Cornell University and an MBA from Columbia Business School.

email Website LinkedIn

Anne Mulhall

Event Registration &

Administration

 

Brief Bio

Anne Mulhall has over 23 years experience as a small business owner.

She is a veteran of the NYC and LA entertainment industry with experience in acting, producing, and casting.

In 2001, Anne founded LDI Pro—a casting company based in RI—which has cast for notable figures like Woody Allen and Wes Anderson, with projects including "Moonrise Kingdom" and "Brotherhood."

Anne's community involvement includes roles with the RI PBS Community Advisory Board, Senior Agenda Coalition, Charter Revision Advisory Committee, Phoenix Rising Equine Rescue, and hospice volunteering.

email Website LinkedIn

The CEO Council of Massachusetts

Kam Unninayar

CEO Council Peer Board Chair

CEO Roundtable Moderator

Certified Executive Coach

Brief Bio

Kam Unninayar is a certified executive coach with over 25 years corporate leadership and business transformation experience in Healthcare, BioTech and Consumer Goods.

She has served in leadership roles in Thermo Fisher Scientific, Colgate-Pamolive, PepsiCo and Citibank.

Kam specializes in empowering leaders with tools for success in complex, diverse, and inclusive workplaces—helping her clients develop increased awareness, influence, and resilience.

She earned a MS from Harvard University and a Graduate Certificate in Executive Coaching from William James College. She is also a licensed Certified Public Accountant.

Kam currently serves as an Executive and Leadership Coach.

email Website LinkedIn

Dwight Clarke

CEO Council Peer Board Chair

CEO Roundtable Moderator

Certified Executive Coach

Brief Bio

Dwight is an industry agnostic coach who possesses over 30-years of corporate experience in finance, marketing, and HR.

He has served in leadership positions in JPMorgan Chase, MasterCard, Takeda, TJX and Fidelity Investments.

Dwight was born in the UK, raised in Jamaica, and called NYC home for many decades; this diversity of experience enhances Dwight’s ability to work with people of all backgrounds and perspectives.

 Dwight holds a graduate degree from Columbia University and received his coaching certification from the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (IPEC).

He currently serves as an executive coach and HR consultant.

email Website LinkedIn

Position Open

CEO Roundtable Facilitator

CEO Council Peer Board Chair

Certified Executive Coach

Brief Bio

Attend CEO Exchanges and guide break-out table discussions—keeping the conversation on topic with a focus on sharing best practices.

Chair a CEO Board—coordinate and moderate DeepDive™ decision support processes, working with board members set the agenda and make sure meetings remains on track, and member needs are addressed.

As a member of the leadership team—actively participate in leadership team meetings and serve as an ambassador and evangelist of The CEO Council.

Provide executive coaching services to CEO Council members and their key executives as needed.

Click on the URL icon below for the full job description

email Website LinkedIn

Position Open

CEO Council Peer Board Chair

CEO Roundtable Facilitator

Certified Executive Coach

Brief Bio

Attend CEO Exchanges and guide break-out table discussions—keeping the conversation on topic with a focus on sharing best practices.

Chair a CEO Board—coordinate and moderate DeepDive™ decision support processes, working with board members set the agenda and make sure meetings remains on track, and member needs are addressed.

As a member of the leadership team—actively participate in leadership team meetings and serve as an ambassador and evangelist of The CEO Council.

Provide executive coaching services to CEO Council members and their key executives as needed.

Click on the URL icon below for the full job description

email Website LinkedIn

Join Our Team

Our History

2006—2011

The CEO Council was founded on August 24, 2006, originally as the Chief Executives Club of Rhode Island (CEC-RI).

On September 21, 2006, with the support of Governor Donald Carcieri and several Rhode Island Chambers of Commerce leaders, 78 CEOs representing organizations ranging from small to very large enterprises attended the inaugural meeting.

Guest speakers included Governor Carcieri and Justin Menkes, leadership expert and author of Executive Intelligence: What All Great Leaders Have.

2012—2019

In 2012, operations were transferred to Rhode Island College and continued under the leadership of RIC President Dr. Nancy Carriuolo and her team.

In 2013, a Pacific Northwest chapter was launched in Portland, Oregon, as the Chief Executives Guild.

In 2016, under new leadership, Rhode Island College elected to discontinue its role in operating CEC-RI. The final meeting under RIC was held in December 2016.

2020—2021

During a period of significant disruption and uncertainty due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for direct CEO-to-CEO engagement became critical.

With the support and guidance of CEOs who had been members of CEC-RI, the organization was re-acquired and redesigned to better serve the needs of chief executives in a changed operating environment.

This evolution led to a new structure, focus, and member experience — and the organization was renamed The CEO Council.

2022—2025

The CEO Council launched its first chapter, The CEO Council of Rhode Island, in March 2022, beginning with the inaugural Rhode Island CEO Summit.

Since then, the Council has continued to convene CEOs through CEO Summits and CEO Exchanges focused on the challenges and decisions shaping organizations and the Rhode Island economy.

2026

The CEO Council is expanding with the launch of The CEO Council of Connecticut, serving the greater Hartford region.

https://CEOCouncilCT.org

2027—

The CEO Council is planning the launch of The CEO Council of Massachusetts and The CEO Council of New York.

The CEO Council will continue to expand its state chapter-based model — connecting CEOs across chapters through an expanding multi-state network.

In The News

Citizens’ Van Saun upbeat about 2025 at R.I. CEO Council gathering  (01/13/25)
 

Don’t panic: R.I. business leaders advise caution, planning  (05/09/23)
 

Where CEOs aren’t alone  (05/09/23)
 

Revived CEO Council Wants to Build Connections Between Business Leaders in Upcoming Summit  (02/27/23)
 

Rhode Island CEO Council is a Leader Amongst Leaders  (09/30/22)
 

Rhode Island CEO Council to Reconvene After 5-year Hiatus  (03/21/22)

Explore Membership

All website content
Copyright © 2006-2026 The CEO Council LLC – All Rights Reserved.

The CEO Council® is a registered USPTO trademark.
CEOx™ is trademark that has been in use since 2013 – All Rights Reserved.