Past Presidents

2023 – Present We’re proud to feature our current president, Phil Oliveira. Born and raised right in New Bedford and...

2012 – 2023 We’d like to look back with gratitude on the life and service of Fred Toomey, our 31st  President of the...

2009 – 2012 Every so often, the Seamen's Bethel is guided by someone who doesn't just serve- but stewards. Someone who...

2005 – 2009 At the Seamen's Bethel, we are grateful for the steady hands and generous hearts that have helped carry...

2001 – 2005 During a chapter of quiet transformation in the early 2000s, Peter Blatchford stepped into the presidency...

1998 – 2001 Dr. Fairfax was a pillar of our maritime community- a man whose compassion, intellect, and love of the sea...

1993 – 1996 Leadership at the Seamen's Bethel is shaped over time- built not only by those who hold titles, but by...

1989 – 1993 1996 – 1998 John served from 1989-1993 and again from 1996-1998, guiding the New Bedford Port Society and...

1985 – 1989 During a defining chapter in New Bedford's modern maritime history, John B. O'Toole III served as...

1978 – 1985