Mayor Jon Mitchell of New Bedford, Massachusetts, opened his keynote with a candid observation: any national conversation about competitiveness quickly becomes a place-based one. While Greater Boston has flourished in recent decades, that prosperity has not reached every corner of the state—or the country. The economic divide between “winners” and “losers” is growing wider. For Mayor Mitchell, this divergence became unmistakable when 90 percent of U.S. counties cast votes overwhelmingly for one presidential candidate or the other — an indication of deep regional polarization, particularly as traditional manufacturing hubs have shifted politically. Understanding the causes of that divide — and positioning New Bedford on the right side of it — is central to his strategy as mayor of a city not long ago perceived as being in decline.
After 14 years in office, Mayor Mitchell is grounded in first principles — the fundamental, self-evident truths that cannot be deduced from anything more basic. New Bedford is not a major metropolitan hub like Boston, nor is it home to a sprawling research university. So how does a smaller city chart a path to competitiveness?
He laid out a clear three-part strategy:
On the fundamentals, New Bedford has made substantial strides. Crime is down, graduation rates are up, and the city has reestablished both rail and air links to Boston. In terms of leveraging unique assets, New Bedford is leading with its historic strength in the maritime economy. The city hosts the largest fishing port in the United States, responsible for more than 70 percent of Massachusetts’s seafood catch. As Mayor Mitchell put it, “What Omaha is to beef, New Bedford is to seafood.”
This deep-rooted maritime identity gave New Bedford a head start in offshore wind — well before the sector gained mainstream traction in the United States. With its location near some of the most valuable offshore wind resources in New England, the city was ideally positioned to capitalize on the green energy transition. This was not luck — it was strategy.
The offshore wind push was backed by deliberate investment and long-term planning. New Bedford committed over $1.2 billion to dredging, port upgrades, and harbor infrastructure. The city even created a digital twin of its harbor to enable better management and planning. Workforce training and entrepreneurial support followed, including a $3 million investment—made in partnership with Vineyard Wind — into the Quest innovation incubator. These efforts were not just about wind energy; they were about building a new brand for New Bedford: a city where maritime tradition meets innovation.
Crucially, Mitchell noted New Bedford’s culture of persistence. The city’s progress did not come from perfection, but from a willingness to try, fail, learn, and try again. That mindset has created both competence and confidence in the city’s ability to lead in new economic frontiers.
He closed with a bold statement — one he acknowledged might be seen as heretical in some circles: while New Bedford values collaboration, it is, above all, in it to compete. His priority is the advancement of New Bedford and its residents, whether that comes through partnerships or by out-hustling peer cities. It may sound zero-sum, he admitted, but in a world where perception can shape destiny, cultivating a fierce, competitive spirit is essential. It is how New Bedford will shed the label of a city in decline and earn recognition as a rising hub for maritime innovation.
"In a place that has seen decline as inevitable as the weather, we want to say 'No, the future is in your hands. We can do something about it. And we are doing something about it."
The Hon. Jon Mitchell
Mayor of New Bedford, MA
