New Bedford Economic Development Council Director To Take On Wind Energy Role

Mayor Jon Mitchell announced that he has asked long-time Economic Development Council Executive Director Matt Morrissey to lead the City’s effort over the coming year to develop the offshore wind energy industry and launch the New Bedford Wind Energy Center, a new public-private partnership established earlier this year within the New Bedford Economic Development Council (NBEDC).

Morrissey will incubate the Wind Energy Center on a consulting-basis for the next year as the new organization hires staff, raises funds, and continues to build relationships with the offshore wind energy industry. The move, supported unanimously by the NBEDC Board of Directors, would mean a change in leadership for the New Bedford Economic Development Council, where Morrissey had led the independent local agency as its Executive Director for the past seven and a half years under both Mayors Lang and Mitchell.

At the time Mitchell took office in January 2012 Morrissey committed to fulfilling the remaining term of a NBEDC contract (which recently expired). He has stated previously he intended to leave the NBEDC role to pursue private sector opportunities when he felt several of the City’s economic agenda was more developed. With his departure, the NBEDC’s long-serving Director of Operations, Derek Santos, will become its Acting Director.

“The offshore wind projects now in the pipeline have the potential to be a game-changer for New Bedford. The economic benefits could someday be just as trans-formative as whaling, textiles, and fishing. And there is absolutely no one more capable than Matt at spearheading our efforts. His legacy at the NBEDC speaks for itself, and his willingness to undertake this final initiative before pursuing other ventures is a credit to him. I deeply appreciate his willingness continue in this new role,” said Mitchell.

Mitchell added, “As the architect of the City’s trade mission to Europe earlier this year, Matt saw firsthand how important it is that we make the most of a historic opportunity to help the industry set down roots here. In fact, no other East Coast port is as favorably positioned as we are right now, in part due to Matt’s own efforts at the NBEDC. The new Wind Energy Center is in very good hands.”

NBEDC President Tony Sapienza echoed Mayor Mitchell, “This is the right move for Matt, the NBEDC, the Mitchell Administration, and above all, the City of New Bedford. Matt has worked for a long time to unify others behind an ambitious but attainable economic development agenda, and I am sure that’s exactly what we will see over the coming year in his leadership of the Wind Energy Center.”

Sapienza added, “No one understands the workings of the NBEDC or the City’s economic development agenda better than Derek. As we look ahead to a time of tremendous activity we are confident that we will stay on track and not lose momentum.”

Morrissey also reflected on the transition saying, “I’m proud of what the team at the NBEDC and our many partners in the public and private sectors have accomplished. I’m grateful for the opportunities given me, and I’m very excited to continue our collaborative efforts with the Patrick Administration and the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center to locally compliment all of the great work they have done to advance the offshore wind industry in the Commonwealth. There’s plenty of fire in the belly.”

A number of other business, government, and community leaders applauded the move:

“The opportunity of offshore wind needs leadership to bring it home. To change course now would be foolish. Morrissey knows what he is doing and he does not low ball the issues which face the minority community. Someone else from outside who doesn’t know the community, the way that Matt does would be a disaster. I think that this is a super move and receive it as real good news. The establishment of the Center will put us in a real fine position over time,” said John Buddy Andrade of the Old Bedford Village Development Corporation.

“Matt has been the most critical player in the redevelopment of New Bedford’s economy in the last decade. It’s good that he will be on for another year to deal with the many issues and opportunities associated with offshore wind,” added Bob Culver, the former CEO of the state’s quasi-public economic development agency MassDevelopment.

“I see a tremendous surge of interest and commitment continuing as the Wind Energy Center’s plans are unveiled to the Greater New Bedford community. The transformational impact of these plans on the New Bedford economy are recognized immediately. It is with great excitement the participating corporate funders are following its progress,” said Nick Christ, President and CEO of BayCoast Bank.

“I applaud Mayor Mitchell for recognizing Matt’s leadership. From harnessing solar power and offshore wind energy to designing and assembling turbines and components, New Bedford and the South Coast are poised to become a true hub of green technology. I know that Matt is up to the challenge of unlocking the great potential that lies in our region,” noted Congressman Bill Keating.

“This is an extremely smart move by the Mayor and the NBEDC. New Bedford is well poised to become the hub of the off shore wind industry and developing additions local capacity in concert with the state only strengthens the city’s competitive position for the long term. The entire Cape Wind team has worked with Matt for the last four years, and the City could not have a more knowledgeable professional in the off shore wind space to advance its interests,” offered Jim Gordon, CEO of Cape Wind.

David Slutz, CEO of Precix and Chairman of the New Bedford CEO Council said, “This is a no brainer. We have to move decisively to meet the needs of the industry. The only way to do this is to build focused, specialized capacity at the Wind Energy Center and continue to march forward.”

“NBEDC is a key partner and this is another well-planned step in a broader strategy to make sure New Bedford citizens get the foundation of skills needed as jobs in this sector begin to emerge” said Jim Oliveira, Ward 1 City Councilor and Chairman of the City Council’s Jobs and Opportunity Committee.

“I look forward to continuing to work with Matt to make New Bedford the supply & manufacturing hub for the burgeoning offshore wind industry in New England ” said Tom Davis, Manager & Marketer of the highly successful New Bedford Business Park .

“New Bedford and the region are poised for real economic opportunity in the marine renewable sector. It is critical that there is a new level of focus placed on this opportunity. Matt as the Executive Director of the NBEDC has worked closely with the SouthCoast Development Partnership and UMass Dartmouth for years and will provide the needed leadership to develop regional capacity in this emerging economic area,” stated Jennifer Menard, Executive Director South Coast Development Partnership.

“Matt is extremely well-respected in the offshore wind industry in the U.S., so he is just the right person for the job. We applaud Mayor Mitchell for his tenacity in moving New Bedford forward as we build out this new industry right here in southern New England, creating jobs as we create clean energy,” said Jeff Grabowski, CEO of Deepwater Wind.

About the New Bedford Wind Energy Center
The Center’s mission is to build local capacity around issues focused on off shore wind business development, land use planning, work force development, and education and outreach. To date, the New Bedford Wind Energy Center has raised or committed $380,000 in funding towards a goal of $750,000 from corporate sources over the next three years. Matching the corporate funding is $235,000 from local philanthropic entities and $125,000 from the City of New Bedford. The Wind Energy Center is currently pursuing nearly $2 million in funding through the EDA Make it in America program, the Boston Federal Reserve’s Working Cities Challenge, and the Citizens Bank Foundation’s Growing Communities Initiative.