Collaboration key to progress for South Coast region

CAPITAL INVESTMENT: Roy Nascimento, outgoing president and CEO of the Greater New Bedford Chamber of Commerce, said the region “often gets overlooked by Boston and by state leaders in term of investment and in terms of attention.”
CAPITAL INVESTMENT: Roy Nascimento, outgoing president and CEO of the Greater New Bedford Chamber of Commerce, said the region “often gets overlooked by Boston and by state leaders in term of investment and in terms of attention.”

Roy Nascimento has served Massachusetts’ South Coast business community for more than eight years as president and CEO of the Greater New Bedford Chamber of Commerce.
He’s been credited with stabilizing the Chamber’s finances, championing new tourism in the area and advocating for the restoration of rail service to and from Boston last available to commuters in the New Bedford area in 1958.
Now he’s taking a similar position at the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce, serving the Fitchburg and Leominster regions. His last day with the local Chamber is Jan. 16.
Nascimento believes the region is often overlooked and underfunded by the state largely because of its shoddy transportation system and distance from Boston. He says the region works best when it works together, something he hopes will continue and increase in the future.

PBN: How have you seen the New Bedford area change in your eight years with the Chamber?
NASCIMENTO: New Bedford has seen a tremendous amount of revitalization and there are a lot of really positive things going on here. Our downtown is really hot right now because there has been a lot of development, taking some of the older buildings down and putting in some upscale houses and restaurants.
There has been the Route 18 redevelopment where the state redeveloped the road to go right through our waterfront, so it now connects better with the downtown. We’ve seen a lot of new visitors coming into our community, which is being recognized as a tourist destination for visitors who are looking for a unique destination. We’ve had a lot of new companies coming in.

PBN: What can you say about commerce in the area, how has it struggled, how has it done well? NASCIMENTO: I think that the South Coast has tremendous potential and a bright future. … There are companies that are taking a look at the region and moving here, but one of the challenges we face is around education. We hear from employers that they’re having a challenge finding workers and particularly those that are coming out of the school system. They really aren’t meeting the needs [of] employers.

PBN: What are some of the biggest issues the region faces?
NASCIMENTO: I think it’s really about regional equity. I think our region often gets overlooked by Boston and by state leaders in term of investment and in terms of attention. We are one of the few regions that’s within a 50-mile radius of Boston without a commuter rail. We’re one of the few regions that doesn’t have access to Boston via the rail and our infrastructure is outdated. Education tends not to receive as much funding and our economic-development dollars are less than other parts of the state.

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PBN: The region has struggled with unemployment, so how do people get back to work?
NASCIMENTO: Well, I think it starts with workface training and education. We need to have access to training. We’re talking to employers that are in need of workers and we want to make sure we’re providing the workforce with those people through training and developing skills. I also think it’s also about transportation access and investing in our port, our highways, bridges and infrastructure, which can – and will – help create jobs and allow people to get to and from our region.

PBN: How will the entry of Cape Wind Associates affect the area and what can be expected from the new marine terminal?
NASCIMENTO: [Cape Wind] offers a tremendous opportunity for New Bedford and this marine-commerce terminal. It has tremendous potential to create a lot of jobs. And with the terminal, beyond wind and renewable energy, there is potential for shipping, which will bring in and out cargo for other industries beyond just wind.

PBN: What would you like to see change in the next five years?
NASCIMENTO: I’d like to see the growth continue and I’m confident it will. I’d like to continue to see more regional collaboration. Taking advantage of opportunities together. I believe we can accomplish much more when we work together. Our region has worked collaboratively very well and collaboration is a hallmark of our Chamber. … There have been other places in the state where there are feuds and battles that hold those regions back.

PBN: Which communities are struggling the most with commerce and which are moving in the right direction?
NASCIMENTO: I think gateways cities are struggling the most. New Bedford and other cities around the state like it have challenges because they have older infrastructures, and higher tax rates.

PBN: After eight years with New Bedford, how do you feel about moving on?
NASCIMENTO: I’m excited about this new opportunity, but it’s bittersweet. The eight-plus years I’ve been here I’ve made a lot of friends and worked with supportive business communities. I’ve always been impressed with how committed they are to New Bedford and the region. •

INTERVIEW
Roy Nascimento
POSITION: President and CEO of the Greater New Bedford Chamber of Commerce
BACKGROUND: Before coming to the local Chamber in 2006, Nascimento served as the president of the Attleboro Area Chamber of Commerce from February 2005 to October 2006. He ran a 700-member organization with a $350,000 operating budget and three employees. Prior to that, he served as vice president of the Metro South Chamber of Commerce in Brockton, Mass., beginning in August 1998.
EDUCATION: Bachelor’s in political science, University of Massachusetts, 1994; master’s in public administration, Suffolk University, 1999; economic development certificate, University of Oklahoma, 2001; certification of organization management, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, 2006
FIRST JOB: Delivering newspapers for the Taunton Daily Gazette
RESIDENCE: Plainville, Mass.
AGE: 43

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