Jon Mitchell, Mayor, City of New Bedford 

Name: Jon Mitchell 

Profession & company: Mayor, City of New Bedford 

How do you celebrate your Irishness? I am a member of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, New Bedford’s leading Irish fraternal organization. I support its charitable efforts including its food drives and scholarship funds, and participate in its celebrations of Irish culture. 

Name a maritime hero you admire and why? I’m a Shackleton guy. In my view, it's hard to top his example of unflagging leadership under the most trying of circumstances. 

What did you learn in your first job which has been useful to you throughout the career? I learned the importance of attending to detail – that yes you should sweat the small stuff. 

Biography: First elected in 2011, Jon Mitchell is New Bedford’s longest consecutively-serving mayor. Under his leadership, New Bedford has lowered violent crime by 66%, achieved the highest bond rating in its history, raised its high school graduation rate from 58% to 88%, reduced its unemployment rate by more than half, and secured over $1.3 billion in new port investments. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of the U.S. Conference of Mayors. Prior to running for office, Mayor Mitchell served as a federal prosecutor and was responsible for many high-profile cases, including as the lead prosecutor on the task force searching for the fugitive James “Whitey” Bulger. The son of public school teachers, Mayor Mitchell attended Harvard College and the George Washington School of Law and served in the Army National Guard.