Doris Blanchard is known to go the extra mile to help a fledgling business get on its feet. And, when she lends a hand, it’s not just about the numbers.

With 18 years’ experience in the financial services sector, Doris is a business development consultant for DB Consulting, and works with small business owners and newly branded entrepreneurs aiming to grow or start a business. By providing financial assistance choices that suit each client, she ensures they have the right resources to run a small business successfully.

Prior to working in consulting, she specialized in small business development at Sovereign/Santander Bank – on the east side in Providence. Her banking and investment work history also includes stops at Franklin Investments and Wells Fargo Bank in San Francisco, and Citizens and Fleet Banks in Rhode Island.

Beginning and financing a new enterprise can be trying to some, and others find it downright terrifying. With Doris, the process flows easily. If anything, she is more the teacher, specially bringing each client along with the right balance of financial assistance, training, and access to resources. She allows for small business success through financial education, which gives her great satisfaction.

Blanchard, a native of Peru, speaks fluent Spanish. She uses it to her professional advantage that the business community also benefits from – volunteering to teach Business Planning: Getting Started – in Spanish – for the Center for Women and Enterprise (CWE). While during the past five years she has served the CWE and women entrepreneurs well, as either a financial consultant or facilitator for the Center, instructing clients both in How To: Obtain Bank Financing and within the Community Entrepreneurs Program, the Business Planning: Getting Started class.

Another great resource, various nonprofit organizations have taken Blanchard’s Financial Literacy workshop. And she routinely presents a financial services program to the Latina Leadership Institute.

Doris is the founder and president of the Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting (ALPFA), Rhode Island Chapter; president of Centro Cultural Andino (CCA); president and chair of the Center for Hispanic Policy and Advocacy (CHisPa); a director on the board of the United Way of Rhode Island; and a member of the Community Advisory Board.

In 2010, she received the Extraordinary Woman’s Award for Economic Development and radio station 100.3 FM’s Achievement Award.

A graduate of Rhode Island College with a degree in business administration, Blanchard is a strong advocate and very active in her local community, involved with several organizations including: Rhode Island Latino Political Action, Rhode Island Civic Fund, Latina Leadership Institute, Latino Cancer Control Task Force, Univocal Legislative Minority Advisory Coalition, and the Rhode Island Affirmative Action Professionals.

For her commitment to financial services in the entrepreneurial community, the U.S. Small Business Administration is pleased to recognize Doris Blanchard as the 2011 Rhode Island Financial Services Champion of the Year.