Cheryl Snead, CEO and president of Banneker Industries, long one of Rhode Island’s top women business executives and a strong advocate for women and minorities in business, died Monday after complications from a recent surgery. She was 59.
Snead was the founder of Banneker, a North Smithfield-headquartered supply chain firm she nurtured from humble beginnings to include three locations in the U.S. employing 55.
An inspirational leader, Snead was prominent in the community, serving on the board of Amica Insurance and as a trustee of Bryant University, which granted her an honorary doctorate in 2006. She was also a board member of the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council, the largest certifier of women-owned businesses in the nation.
This story was first reported by Providence Business News.
