About

Brian Gomes
Councilor-at-Large
City of New Bedford

Doris Gonsalves
Director, Supply Chain
HTP

Gail Gonsalves
Executive Office Coordinator
UMass Dartmouth

Rayana Grace
Arts & Culture Project Manager
SouthCoast Community Foundation

Margarita Graham
President & CEO
Reliable Bus Lines, Inc.
President & CEO
J & J Driving School & Logistics, Inc.

Helen Granger
Creative Director
High Road Marketing &
Communications

Rontell Grant
Owner/CEO
Lite Weights Fitness
Agent/Manager
Kerry Horan Real Estate

Dena Haden
Program Director
Co-Creative Center
Board of Directors
Superflat New Bedford

Hannah Haines
Creative Director, Senior Designer
mediumstudio

Dr. LaSella Hall
President
NAACP New Bedford

Wendy Hall
Executive Producer
New Bedford Festival Theatre

Joanna Hamblin
Sr. Marketing Manager
Motiv Power Systems

Pauline Hamel
Board Member
Easter Seals Massachusetts

Zoe Hansen-DiBello
Director of Innovation
NorthStar Learning Centers, Inc.

Lara Harrington
Co-Owner & Lead Trainer
Boutique Fitness

Sister Kathleen Harrington
Executive Director
John Boyd Child Care Center

Jen Hartley
General Manager
Homewood Suites by Hilton Needham-Boston

Peter Hawes
Board Member
Waterfront Historic Area League (WHALE)

Diann Haynes
Retired
New Directions Southcoast, Inc.

Lee Heald
Program Director
AHA!

Nelson Hockert-Lotz
Owner
Domino’s Pizza, New Bedford

Pamela Holmes
Board Member
Buttonwood Park Zoological Society

John Hopkins
Founder & President
Five Way Foods

Shanna Howell
Dean, New Bedford Campus
Bristol Community College

Michael Hunter
Business Development Executive
Trinity Financial, Inc.

Diane Hurley
Manager, Grants Assistance, Policy & Planning, Greater Boston Area
Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Jason Hutchens
President
Raw Seafoods

Elizabeth Isherwood*
President
Moore and Isherwood
Communications Inc.
Chair
Greater New Bedford Industrial Foundation

Harry Jacobvitz
President
Bush & Company

Rose Jardim, CPA
Partner
JMR & Company LLC

Lawrence Jenkins
Dean
UMass Dartmouth College of Visual & Performing Arts

Linda Johannesen
Co-Owner
What a Find! Consignment Furniture

Emily Johns
Artist
Dream Braids

Dr. Robert E. Johnson
President
Western New England University

Angela Johnston
Director, Business Solutions and Partnerships
Bristol Community College

Benjamin Jones MA, CFRE, PMP
Director, Corporate Engagement & Institutional Partnerships
UMass Dartmouth

Gerry Kavanaugh
CEO
LStar Ventures

Peter Kavanaugh
President
La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries

Robert Kaye
Senior Vice President, retired
Planning & Development
MassDevelopment

Henry Keene
General Manager, retired
Edson Corp.

Will Keene
Chairman
Edson International

David Kennedy
City Planner, retired
Chair
New Bedford Redevelopment
Authority

Steven Kenyon
Vice President of Administration and Finance
Bristol Community College

Rick Kidder
Co-CEO
One SouthCoast Chamber

Ann B. Kim
Associate Dean
UMass Dartmouth College of Visual & Performing Arts

Kat Knutsen
Artist

Alan Korolenko
Artistic Director
New Bedford Folk Festival

Helene Korolenko
Artistic Director
New Bedford Folk Festival

Marcia LaBelle
Small Business Consultant and Tactician

Victoria Lacy
Co-Owner
Abstrakt Music

Richard Lafrance
CEO
Lafrance Hospitality Co.

Ed Lambert
Executive Director
Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education

Jay Lanagan
Principal Broker & President
Lanagan & Co., Inc

Patrick Lee
Principal Executive Vice President
Trinity Financial, Inc.

Renee Ledbetter
President
NAACP New Bedford

Lisa Lemieux
Organizer
1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East
Asst. Secretary
Greater New Bedford
Workforce Investment Board

Kate Levin
Membership and Marketing Director
YMCA Southcoast

Viera Levitt
Director of Galleries
UMass Dartmouth Art Gallery at the Star Store

Scott J Lima
Realtor
RE/MAX
City Councillor, Ward 5
City of New Bedford

Ed Lobo
Chief Engineer, New Products
Cornell Dublier

Kevin Loflin
Vice President, Customer Relations
LG Rogers, Inc.

Ann Marie Lopes
Producer, Special Projects
New Bedford Cable Network

James Lopes
Attorney
Law Office of James J. Lopes

Joseph Lopes
Deputy Executive Director
Greater New Bedford Workforce Board

Rose Lopes
Vice President, Financial Services & Employee Benefits Division Manager
Sylvia Group

Mannie Lopez
Business Counselor, retired
SCORE

Chuck Lord
Chief Creative Officer
Ahead USA

Anne Louro
Assistant City Planner
City of New Bedford, Planning Department

Nancy Lowd
Senior Business Advisor, Massachusetts Export Center
MA Small Business Development Center Network

Frank Mahady
Owner
FXM Associates

Tina Malott
Director of Marketing
New Bedford Whaling Museum

Maria Marasco
Deputy Director
Cape and Vineyard Electric Cooperative, Inc.

Armand Marchand
Executive Producer, retired
New Bedford Festival Theatre

William Brad Markey
City Councilor, Ward 1
City of New Bedford

Jennifer Marshall
Director
Southeastern Environmental
Education Alliance (SEEAL)

Dave Martin
President
HTP Comfort Solutions

Lynne Mastera
CEO
Precix

Hank Mastey
Member, former
New Bedford Cultural Council

Tom Mathieu
Attorney
Mathieu & Mathieu

Jim McKeag
TDI Fellow, Fall River
MassDevelopment

Michael McLean
Artist

Edward McMahon
CEO
EPEC Technologies

Amanda McMullen
President & CEO
New Bedford Whaling Museum

Gloria McPherson
Planning & Economic Development Coordinator
Town of Barnstable

Peggi Medeiros
Research Historian
The Wamsutta Club

Renaud Megard
President & CEO
Nameplates for Industry

Ron Melbourne
Owner, General Manager
Membrane Concepts

Devin Melo
Senior Fellow
NBEDC

Jessica Mello
Business Assistance & Marketing Officer
SEED Corporation

Neil Mello
Chief of Staff, Mayor Mitchell
City of New Bedford

Jennifer Menard
Vice President Of Economic & Business Development
Bristol Community College

Senator Joan Menard
Former Massachusetts Senator
Vice President of Workforce Development, retired
Bristol Community College

Maggie Merrill
President
Marine Marketing Services

Michael Metzler
Principal
Michael Metzler Consulting, LLC

Peter Meyer
President & Publisher, Providence Journal & Cape Cod Times
Regional VP
GateHouse Media

Erin D.A. Miranda
Executive Director
Waterfront Historic Area LeaguE (WHALE)

Lindsay Miś
Director
DATMA

Robert B. Mitchell
Owner
R.A. Mitchell Company
Secretary
Greater New Bedford Industrial Foundation

Jonathan F. Mitchell*
Mayor
City of New Bedford (Ex-Officio)

Kevin Mitchell
Owner
The Collective NB

George Mock
President
Nye Synthetic Lubricants

Von Marie Moniz
President & CEO
South Coast Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

Christine Monska
Executive Director
Women’s Fund Southcoast

Michael Monteiro III
Founder & Owner
Abstrakt Entertainment

Hannah Mooney
Exhibits, Programs, and Engagement Specialist
New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center

Linda Morad
Senior Business Development Specialist
St. Anne’s Credit Union
City Councilor-at-Large
City of New Bedford

Bruce Morell
Executive Director
PACE, Inc.

Gregory Morton
Owner
Morton’s Fork Catering

Arthur Motta
Manager, Communications and Public Affairs
New Bedford Public Schools
Director, Communications and Marketing
New Bedford Whaling Museum

Thomas Mousen
Head of OSW Americas
Seimans

Laura J Mullin
President
L.J. Rogers, Inc.

Carol Murchie
Founder
Your Virtual Sherpa

Patrick Murray
President & CEO
Bristol County Savings Bank

Jim Muse
Construction Manager
Homes for Our Troops

Joseph Nauman* 
EVP, Corporate & Legal, retired
Acushnet Company

Kevin Nery
President
Nery Corporation

Lori Nery
President
Coastal Realty

Stephen Neuger
Senior Director of Engineering
Ahead USA
Executive Committee
Greater New Bedford Industrial Foundation

Michelle Neves Hantman
President
United Way of Greater New Bedford

Wayne Newton
Co-Founder & President
TrueBounce Inc

Joan Ann Niles
CEO & Owner
Bristol County Blueprint Company

Susan Nilson
Director, Ports and Harbors
Foth Infrastructure & Environment, LLC

Mary Louise Nunes
President
Mary Louise Nunes, CPA

LouAnn Nygaard
CFO, retired
Ahead USA
Executive Committee
Greater New Bedford Industrial Foundation

James O’Brien
Superintendent, retired
Greater New Bedford Voc-Tech High School

Gregory O’Donnell
Vice President
Rockland Trust

Ashley Occhino
Executive Director
Fall River Arts and Culture Coalition

Beatriz Oliveira
Freelance Marketing, Special Events & Development Specialist
Beatriz & Company

James Oliveira
Executive Director/CEO
Greater New Bedford Workforce Investment Board

Sheila Oliveira
Artist

Laura Orleans
Executive Director
Fishing Heritage Center

Mike O’Sullivan
CEO
One SouthCoast Chamber

Michael Quinn
Co-Owner
Quinn Fisheries, Inc

Jeffrey Pagliuca, Chairman Loan Committee *
Senior Vice President
Bristol County Savings Bank

Eric Paradis
Financial Advisor/Owner
Massachusetts Financial Group
Board Member
Your Theatre
Founder/Chair
New Bedford JazzFest

David Parker
CEO
Entrepreneurship for All

Brian Pastori
Deputy Director
CEDC

Michael Patacao
Vice President
Bristol County Savings Bank

Jay Pateakos
Vice President Business Development
MassDevelopment

Michele Paul
Director of Resilience & Environmental Stewardship
City of New Bedford

Ashley Payne
Director, Tourism & Marketing
City of New Bedford

Michael Pelehach
President, retired
Shuster Corporation

Kevin Pelland
Vice President, Commercial Lending
Citizens-Union Savings Bank
Loan Committee*

Jeffrey Pelletier
President
Junior Achievement of Southern Massachusetts

Edward Pereira
Account Representative
WNBH

Robert Pereira
President, retired
AFC Cable Systems
Executive Committee
Greater New Bedford Industrial Foundation

Stephanie Perks
Executive Director/Co-Founder
Coastal Foodshed

Justina Perry
Founder
BuyBlackNB
Sr Fellow
NBEDC

Kim Perry
Managing Director
Rock Funeral Home

Shelly Perry
Director of Sales
Lafrance Hospitality Company

Al Peters
Managing Partner
The Vault Music Hall & Pub at Greasy Luck

Susan Peterson
Shipping Manager
Teal Partners

Carol Pimentel *
Director of Internal Audit & Admin.
Services, retired
UMass Dartmouth

Penny Pimentel
Director of Marketing
Zeiterion Performing Arts
Center

Maria Pinaretta
Vice President, retired
BankFive

Christine Pires
Casino Host
Tiverton Casino Hotel

Steven Ponte
Chair
Goulart Square Neighborhood Association

Jeff Pontiff
Owner
Pontiff Realty

Denise Porche
Executive Director
Island Foundation

Danielle Poyant
Director
CBIZ & MHM New England

Lynn Poyant
Director of Education and Community Outreach
Global Learning Charter Public School

Richard Poyant
President
Poyant Signs, Inc

Stephanie Poyant Moran
Director of Sales Operation
Poyant Signs, Inc
Executive Committee
Greater New Bedford Industrial Foundation

Scott Pray
President
D.F. Pray, Inc

Mark Preble
Deputy Chancellor and COO
UMass Dartmouth

David Prentiss
President & CEO
New Bedford Symphony Orchestra

Peter Quigley
CEO & Chairman
LOCI Controls, Inc.

John Quinn
Assistant Dean for Public Interest Law & Public Relations
UMass Dartmouth

Donna Ramos
COO
MassHire Greater New Bedford Workforce Board

Elise Rapoza
ARPA Director
City of New Bedford

Mary Rapoza
Director of Beaches, Parks & Recreation
City of New Bedford

Mark Rasmussen
Executive Director
Buzzards Bay Coalition

Dana Rebeiro
Massachusetts Liaison
Vineyard Wind

Dr. Vidyanighi Rege
Dean, New Bedford Campus Dean, Business Administration
Bristol Community College

Gerald Rego
VP, Commercial Lending
Bristol County Savings Bank
Loan Committee*

Donald Rei
Vice President
Local 1357 Steelworkers (USW)

Ken Resendes
Chair
Bullard Street Neighborhood Association

Chris Rezendes
Founder, CEO, President
INEX Advisors LLC

Ronald F. Rheaume
New England Regional Council of
Carpenters Local Union 1305

Carl Ribeiro
Luzo Food Service Corporation

Quentin Ricciardi
CEO
Acorn Inc.

Cliff Robbins
Senior Business Management Consultant
MA Small Business Development
Center Network

Andrew Rodrigues
Vice President, Business Banking
Webster Bank

Cynthia Rodrigues
President
The Greater Southeastern Massachusetts Labor Council

Anabelle Rondon
Great Neighborhoods Network Director
LivableStreets Alliance

Maria Rosario
Executive Director
NorthStar Learning Center

Jeff Rose
President
Upmarket Stitchers

Sarah Rose
Director of Engagement
SouthCoast Community Foundation

Bernard Roth
Owner
Management Consultants

Dr. Brian Rothschild
Dean Emeritus, SMAST
University of Massachusetts

Erik Rousseau
Administrator
Southeastern Regional Transit Authority (SRTA)

Peter Russell
Owner
M&R Screen Printing, Inc.

Jay Ryan
Senior Vice President, Manager
Webster Bank

Dawn Salerno
Executive Director
Rotch Jones Duff House & Garden Museum

Dennis Saluti
Principal
Quality Custom Packing

Denn Santoro
Co-Owner
High Road Marketing and
Communications

Derek Santos
Executive Director
NBEDC

John Santos
Senior Loan Officer
Mass Growth Capital Corporation

Ricardo Santos
Owner
Romao Santos Architects

Sandra Santos
Artist

Anthony Sapienza *
President and CEO, retired
JA Apparel Corp.

Margo Saulnier
Creative Strategist
NBEDC

Jessica Savage
Owner
Tia Maria’s European Café

John Sbrega
President, retired
Bristol Community College

Tim Schaefer
Owner
Schaefer Partners

David Scherer
Director of Development
Acorn Management

Scot Servis
Airport Manager
City of New Bedford

Richard Shepard
Architect
S/Q Design Associates

Ian Shields
Founder
Coastal Provisions

Paula Shiner
CEO, retired
Coastline Elderly Services

Calvin Siegal
Senior Board Advisor
New Bedford Whaling Museum

Latisha Silva
Consumer Portfolio Representative
Coastal Outsourced Solutions LLC

Nathan Silva
Senior Project Manager
Gilbane Building Company

Ramon Silva
Real Estate Development & Financial Incentives
Senior Lending Officer
NBEDC

Tracy Silva-Barbosa
Co-Owner
Duende Glass LLC
Chair
Hatch St Studios Artist Association

Steve Silverstein
Founder & CEO
Servedwell Hospitality

Andrew Simpson
VP Sales
Riversand Technologies, Inc.

Ari Sky, ICMA-CM
Town Administrator
Town of Lakeville

Dean A Slocum
President, Consultant
Acorn International

David Slutz*
Managing Director
Potentia Business Solutions
Co-Founder & President
Moby Dick Brewing Co.
Co-Founder & VP
Airport Grille

George Smith
Vice Chair
New Bedford Redevelopment
Authority

James F. Snow
Director of Organizing
Painters & Allied Trades
District Council No. 35

Scott Soares
Task Force Representative
Massachusetts Aquaculture Association
Owner
Boston Bay Consulting

Edward Sousa
Vice President, Senior Commerical Lender
Bridgewater Savings Bank
Loan Committee*

John Sousa
Vice President
BankFive
Loan Committee*

Bob Souza
Chair
Far North End Neighborhood Association

Darlene Spencer
Director of Family Support Initiatives
United Way of Greater New Bedford

Erich Stephens
Exec. Vice President, former
Vineyard Wind

Nicholas Sullivan
Chair
DATMA

Patrick Sullivan
Director, Office of Housing and Community Development, retired
City of New Bedford

Raymond Suprenant
President
Davico Manufacturing

Tom Swift
Attorney
Swift Law

David Sykes
Area Director
MA Rehabilitation Commission

Michael Silvia
Owner
New Bedford Guide

Anne P. Tangen
President & CEO
BankFive

Michael Tavares
Owner/General Manager
High Tech Manufacturing
Executive Committee
Greater New Bedford Industrial Foundation

Rebecca Tavares
VP, Municipal Calling Officer
Rockland Trust

Blair Taylor
Education & Community Outreach Director
Zeiterion Performing Arts Center

Joe Thomas
Publisher
Spinner Publications

Patricia Thomas
Artistic Director
Culture Park

Patrice Tiedemann
Artistic Director
Seaglass Theatre Company

Adrian R. Tio
Artist

Elizabeth Treadup
Assessor’s Office
City of New Bedford

Martin Treadup
Assessor-at-Large
City of New Bedford

Deborah Trombly
Controller
NBEDC

Ian Trombly
Government Affairs Specialist
Southcoast Health

Jessica Trombly
Director, Business Development, Communications, Special Projects
NBEDC

Phillip Trombly
Consultant
PT Just Solutions

Anthony Ucci
Professor, Mechanical Engineering
Bristol Community College

Bob Unger
Co-Owner
Moby Dick Brewery
Principal
Unger LeBlanc Strategic Communications

Maura Valdez
Executive Director
Groundwork Southcoast

Jeff Vancura
CFO
Imtra Corporation
Treasurer
Greater New Bedford Industrial Foundation

Desa VanLaarhoven
Executive Director
Round the Bend Farm

John Vasconcellos
President
SouthCoast Community Foundation

Nate Vaughan
Executive Assistant to the Dean
Bristol Community College

Anthony Vieira
Executive Director
Professional and Continuing Education
UMass Dartmouth

Maria Vieira
Human Resource Director
Riverside Manufacturing Company

Paul L. Vigeant 
Vice President of Workforce Development, retired
Bristol Community College

Allie Wainer
Vice President
Sid Wainer & Son

Henry Wainer
President, retired
Sid Wainer & Son

Marion Wainer
Board Member
Buttonwood Park Zoological Society

Samia Walker
Executive Director
Entrepreneurship for All, South Coast

John Waltz
President/CEO
Southern Mass Credit Union

David Wechsler
President
Maritime International, Inc.

Randall Weeks, Jr.
Partner
Partridge, Snow & Hahn, LLP

Neal Weiss
Founder, former President & CEO
Fiber Optic Center, Inc.

Sean Whalen
Senior Vice President
South Coast Improvement Company
President
Quad Coatings & Interiors

Gerry Wheeler
General Manager
Nordic Fisheries, Marine Hydraulic

Robert Wheeler
CEO & President
American Insulated Wire Company

Steve White
Professor, Charlton School of Business
UMass Dartmouth

Zachary White
Artist, Executive Director
Gallery X

Liz Wiley
Executive Director
Marion Institute

Teresa Willander
Director of Development
Waterfront Historic Area League (WHALE)

Corinn Williams
Executive Director
Community Economic Development
Center of Southeastern MA, Inc.

Gloria Williams
Director, retired
PACE Youthbuild

John A. Williams
Dean
Charlton College of Business

Kathleen Wordell
Executive Assistant to the President
Bristol Community College

Martha Worley
Owner
Worley Beds

Shiawee Yang
President
Columbus Group LLC

Lisa Yates
Consultant

Laurie Zapalac
Principal
Zapalac Advisors