National Alumni Association Election
May 2023
Greetings Providence College Alumni:
It is a privilege to present to you the candidates for vice president for election to the 2023-24 Providence College National Alumni Association Council. As the association’s president-elect and chair of the nominating committee, I am delighted that these accomplished, committed, and enthusiastic alumni have come forward as candidates.
As part of the election process, we asked each candidate to supply biographical information, including details about how they have remained connected to Providence College. The candidates also provided a reflection on the association’s mission and their thoughts on how they will serve the alumni population if elected.
Ballots have been distributed to all alumni who have donated any amount to Providence College during the immediate past or current fiscal year. All ballots are due no later than June 22, 2023, and the results will be announced and posted on our alumni web page in July.
My sincerest thanks to the two candidates for their leadership and interest in continuing to serve Providence College.
Earnest (Earl) Smith, Jr. ’92
Vice President
National Alumni Association Council
George Mason ’84
Residence/Hometown: Little Compton, RI (Current), Naugatuck, CT (Hometown)
Education: Providence College – B.A. in History, Minor in Russian (1984); Boston University – MBA Finance (1988)
Employment: Deputy Administrator – RI Worker’s Compensation Court, Chief of Staff for Senate Majority Leader Dan Connors ’98, Senior Policy Advisor for RI Senate & Governor Lincoln C. Almond, Director of Policy & Legislation for RI Attorney General Patrick Lynch, Vice President – Unregulated Energy Divisions, Adjunct Professor (SCE teaching Finance and Investments 1985-1987, Ryan School Business teaching Business Studies Capstone and Strategic Management 1997-2021) – Providence College, Director of Business Development and Corporate Acquisitions – Coastal Corporation
PC Volunteer Positions: National Alumni Association Council (Member at Large), Career Services Shadowing Volunteer, 1G Mentor, Career Counselor (Business, Law, and Government)
Honors, Recognitions and Awards: Chief Justice Williams Supreme Court Achievement Award, 2008 National Land Trust of the Year Award
PC Student Involvement: Resident Assistant, Rugby Club, Ski Club, Rec Sports, Scuba, co-founder and coach of PC Women’s Rugby Club
Community Involvement: RI Agricultural Land Preservation Commission (Chair), Little Compton Agricultural Conservancy Trust (Chair), RI Land Trust Council (Board Member), RI Industrial Finance Corporation (Board Member), Little Compton Planning Board, Honor Flight (Volunteer and Sponsor), YES-RI (Volunteer), Immigrant Workers’ Rights Outreach (Volunteer)
Family: The Hon. Jeanne E. LaFazia (Wife), Bella and Brady (2 rescue dogs)
“How will your candidacy help promote the mission of the National Alumni Council?”
Providence College has always had a special place in my heart. As a first-generation college-bound, Catholic school-educated student from a devoutly Catholic blue-collar family, Divine Providence led me to this special relationship. Unlike the other colleges I was accepted to, PC was the place that “felt like home” and still is to this day. This “second home” was and still is a place where I can grow intellectually, emotionally, and last but certainly not least, spiritually.
Upon graduation, I was fortunate to have had an earlier generation of PC mentors who guided me. I also witnessed from them the importance of paying it forward and helping others in the PC family.
I have been fortunate to have taught here as an adjunct for a total of 26 years. During that time and still to this day, I help former students with career advice, networking, and business consulting advice as a small way to give back. I enjoy doing the same for the PC students who sign up for the shadowing program or may be referred to me by faculty.
When I was first invited to join the NAAC, I was extremely honored to be able to engage our alumni and future Friars. As co-chair of the awards committee, I helped steer the group towards a more diverse nomination and selection process and was gratified to see such successful outcomes from the committee’s hard work.
Moreover, as a NAAC member, I am privileged to be working with likeminded individuals whose love and commitment to Providence College is second to none. As Vice President, I would seek to further promote the inclusivity that makes PC so special while seeking to help engage the next generation of young alumni who, in time, will continue the NAAC’s excellent work.
Brian McManus ’90
Residence/Hometown: Fairfield, CT (Current), Hamden, CT (Hometown)
Education: Providence College – B.A. in History (1990); Quinnipiac University - J.D. (2023)
Employment: Connecticut Community for Addiction Recovery (CCAR), Program Manager – Jail Diversion Recovery Coach Program and Department of Correction Recovery Coach Program
PC Volunteer Positions: National Alumni Association Council (Member at Large), Fairfield County Alumni Network (Volunteer), 2022 Careers with a Cause (Panelist)
Honors, Recognitions and Awards: 2022 National Multiple Pathways of Recovery – Colorado Springs, CO (Presenter); Recovery Coach Academy UK – United Kingdom 2022 (Guest Panelist)
PC Student Involvement: Student Congress – Student Representative to the Providence College Corporation (1989 – 1990), Friar’s Club (1988 – 1990), Office of Alumni/Development – Student Worker (1988 -1990), Intramurals
Community Involvement: Operation Hope of Fairfield (Board of Directors), Fairfield Police Behavioral Health Network (Community Partner), The Phoenix CT (Volunteer), United States District Court for the District of Connecticut – Restorative Justice Program (Community Partner), Fairfield Public Library (Board of Trustees 2009 – 2010)
Family: Kerry Ryan McManus ’90 (Wife), Katherine, Maeve & Claire (Daughters), Alexandra Gerry ’14 (Niece) and Zach Gerry ’16 (nephew)
“How will your candidacy help promote the mission of the National Alumni Council?”
As a first-generation American and college student, attending and graduating from Providence College opened many doors for me. I was fortunate to attend PC through scholarships and the generosity of PC. The chance to support the school and its mission through serving on the PC National Alumni Association Council Executive Board is my way of giving back. It’s an opportunity to repay a debt so that future young men and women can have those same doors opened for them.
PC taught me lessons of service, gratitude, and resiliency. As a member of the NAAC Executive Board, I will seek to use these lessons to promote the unique Dominican character of Providence College. The lessons I learned during my time at Providence College profoundly affected me.
Additionally, I will continue to develop the relationships that I have made with my fellow alumni, students, faculty, and administration of the College and to build new associations. The relationships I made at PC remain and thrive to this day — they are among the most important in my life. If elected, I plan to work to foster the deep attachments, familiar to so many of us, that have been developed because of our time at Providence College. (Editing credit to former Cowl Editor in Chief Kerry Ryan McManus ’90)
