Council president Ian Abreu

COUNCILOR AT-LARGE IAN ABREU WAS FIRST ELECTED IN 2015. COUNCILOR ABREU WAS THEN SUBSEQUENTLY RE-ELECTED TO THE NEW BEDFORD CITY COUNCIL 2017 WITH A SECOND HIGHEST VOTE TOTAL IN THE COUNCILOR AT-LARGE RACE WITH 7,468 VOTES. IN 2019, COUNCILOR ABREU’S HARD WORK AND DEDICATION TOWARDS HIS CONSTITUENTS WAS ONCE AGAIN REWARDED IN THE COUNCILOR AT-LARGE RACE, FINISHING WITH A FIRST PLACE CITYWIDE VOTE TOTAL OF 5,588.

He is a lifelong resident of New Bedford and is married to his loving wife, Samantha. They have a daughter, Adriah Les, who was born on May 27, 2016, and a son, Hunter Ian, who was born on June 26, 2020. He is a proud graduate of the New Bedford Public School System.

After graduating from New Bedford High School in 2004, Ian went on to attend Bridgewater State University where he received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communication Studies in 2009. He also holds a certificate of completion from the Connecticut School of Broadcasting and Media.

Additionally, Ian also holds a certificate in Nonprofit Organization Management from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s “Institute of Organization Management” course, which consisted of 96 credit hours of nonprofit instruction focusing on professional growth and development.

Ian is currently the Manager of Business Development & Small Business Engagement with One SouthCoast (Chamber of Commerce). He oversees all Chamber-related small business development and outreach throughout the Greater SouthCoast community (Wareham to East Providence, RI). His main day-to-day include the handling of all membership recruitment, marketing and public outreach.

In an additional role at One SouthCoast Chamber, Councilor Abreu also serves on the Executive Committee of the “Rail to Boston” Coalition, which is a community-led organization aimed at establishing commuter rail connections to Southeastern Massachusetts in order to drive economic development, attract intellectual capital, reduce pollution, enhance public safety, create workforce housing and promote smart growth.

Previously, he also served in the capacity as an advisor to New Bedford High School on the Education and Industry Coordinating Council (EICC). The Education and Industry Coordinating Council (EICC) is a group of business and workforce development leaders who advise and oversee New Bedford High School’s Career Academy models. The role of the committee is to shape program curriculum, development and execution to ensure all participating students are “college and career ready.”

Ian has been involved in many community service initiatives throughout most of his adult-life, serving in the capacity as an Executive Officer (Treasurer) for both the 98th (2012) and 104th (2018) Annual Feast of the Blessed Sacrament (“Portuguese Feast”) in New Bedford.

He is also very proud of his Portuguese ancestry, having ties to both the Madeiran and Azorean islands.

As your #NewBedford City Councilor At-Large, Councilor Abreu prides himself on his unparalleled constituent and taxpayer services.

Public safety, constituent service, economic development, holding absentee property owners accountable and transparent government were the main reasons Councilor Abreu decided to run for public office six years ago. Since taking the oath of office, he has strived to achieve all of the strategic goals he had campaigned for just a few short years ago.

Whether it’s been through working hand in hand with our police and fire departments and community neighborhood groups to insure our public safety, providing top quality, open and honest constituent service, working with regional and national companies to invest in New Bedford and create good paying jobs (as chairman of the City Council Cannabis “Licensing & Host Community Review” Committee from 2017-2019, 2021), tightening our “Problem Properties” Ordinance in conjunction with our Neighborhood Housing Task Force to help clean up our neighborhoods, sponsoring, writing and leading the charge to pass a citywide synthetic drugs banning regulation, advocating for the continued growth and investment of our working waterfront and commercial fishing industry, or, by supporting our middle class & working families by co-sponsoring our “Wage Theft” legislation, Councilor Abreu has spent these last three full terms in office completed dedicated towards moving our city forward.

COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIPS: Appointments and Briefings, Finance, Internal Affairs, Ordinances and Public Safety & Neighborhoods.

Special Committee Chairmanships: Cannabis Licensing & Host Community Agreement Review, Memorials & Dedications, and Infrastructure & Redevelopment

Special Committee Memberships: Environmental Affairs and Fisheries

Councilor Abreu can be reached at:

Telephone: (508) 979-1455 / (508) 496-4335-cell

Email: Ian.Abreu@newbedford-ma.gov