2023 -- H 5529
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S TATE OF RHODE IS LAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023
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H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N
CONGRATULATING BRAD READ ON HIS 25TH ANNIVERSARY AS THE EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF SAIL NEWPORT, INC.
Introduced By: Representatives Abney, Carson, Shekarchi, Blazejewski, Chippendale,
Kennedy, Tanzi, Fenton-Fung, Ajello, and Cortvriend
Date Introduced: February 14, 2023
Referred To: House read and passed
WHEREAS, Brad Read, the Executive Director of Sail Newport, grew up in Seekonk and 1
sailed out of the Barrington Yacht Club as a youngster. He was a three-time College Sailing All-2
American from Boston University and was named the 1986 Collegiate Sailor of the Year. In his 3
distinguished sailing career, he is an 8-time World or North American champion as a helmsman 4
and has won a dozen East Coast and National Championships; and 5
WHEREAS, Mr. Read has worked as an afterguard on numerous racing yachts and also 6
worked as the one-design sales and service manager at North Sails Media. He is a frequent guest 7
speaker and interviewee with the local and trade press, and has served as a Guest Editor for 8
Sailing World Magazine since 1994; and 9
WHEREAS, For the last twenty-five years, Mr. Read served as the Executive Director of 10
Sail Newport, where he guides and directs the nonprofit organization that is dedicated to ensuring 11
public access to the sport of sailing by providing custom programs for schools and municipal 12
organizations, all for adults and youngsters benefit; and 13
WHEREAS, Under Director Read’s leadership, Sail Newport also manages numerous 14
local, regional and international regattas. He led the team that won the Newport and Rhode Island 15
bid to bring the Volvo Ocean Race to Newport in 2015, with Newport being the only North 16
American stop in that race. Thanks to the overwhelming success of the race in Newport, it made a 17
return visit here for the 2017-2018 race; and 18
WHEREAS, Mr. Read’s additional accomplishments include raising funding for Sail 19
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Newport’s scholarship and financial aid programs for community families, and thanks to his 1
tireless work ethic and sterling reputation for integrity, Sail Newport was recently selected to be a 2
recipient of a $500,000 grant from the Van Beuren Charitable Foundation, which will support a 3
new education and recreation facility at Fort Adams State Park; now, therefore be it 4
RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby 5
congratulates Brad Read on his 25th Anniversary as the Executive Director of Sail Newport. We 6
thank him for all he has done for the sport of sailing, and all he has contributed to the economic 7
vibrancy of both Newport and the State of Rhode Island. We wish him many more successful 8
years at the helm of Sail Newport; and be it further 9
RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to 10
transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Mr. Brad Read, Executive Director of Sail 11
Newport, Inc. 12
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