Honoring and Thanking Charles Kelley for His Dedicated Service as Executive Director of the Rhode Island Student Loan Authority (RISLA)

WHEREAS, Charles Kelley joined RISLA in April of 1991, and was appointed Executive Director in 1993, earning him the distinction of being the longest serving Executive Director of the Rhode Island Student Loan Authority; and

WHEREAS, In that capacity, Mr. Kelley has led RISLA to the forefront of the country’s premiere non-federal college lending institutions, directed in-house technology development of proprietary loan origination software and native mobile applications, and established the first nonprofit in the country to offer refinancing of higher education; and

WHEREAS, Highly regarded among his peers, Mr. Kelley founded and continues to sponsor the College Planning Centers of RI, and is credited with working “tirelessly to expand the variety of programs and services available to students and their families at all income levels…” all of which have afforded thousands of Rhode Island’s high school students with comprehensive college planning and financial aid services; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Kelley attended the University of Rhode Island and earned his Master’s degree in public administration from Harvard University. In addition to his work at RISLA, he has served on the Board of the Education Finance Council as well as a two-year term as Chairman, and is a Certified Public Accountant and Chartered Financial Analyst; and

WHEREAS, Active in many endeavors throughout his career, Mr. Kelley is often a featured speaker at various finance conferences, is a member of the Investment Committee and Finance Committee for South County Hospital and the Investment Committee for the South County Land Trust, and is a past mentor in Brown University’s Entrepreneurship Program: and

WHEREAS, Charles Kelley retired in January of 2026, leaving a legacy of dedicated leadership and conscientious civic service, and he is enormously worthy of our emulation and acknowledgement; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby recognizes and thanks Charles Kelley on the occasion of his retirement after three decades of dedicated service. We moreover wish him good health, fulfillment and continued success in all his future endeavors; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Mr. Charles Kelley.