Millie Rahn

11 - 20 of 29

Page 2 of 3

Interviewee Sort descending Collection Description Interviewer Date of Interview Location of Interview Affiliation
Edward “Eddie” Fortes The Working Waterfront Festival Community Documentation Project

On September 25, 2004, Millie Rahn interviewed Eddie Fortes as part of the Working Waterfront Festival Community Documentation Project. Fortes discusses the process of cutting fish, his entry into the field, and the changes in the industry, such as the absence of unions and the prevalence of minimum-wage jobs held by people who cannot speak English.

Millie Rahn New Bedford, MA Working Waterfront Festival
Eugene Connors The Working Waterfront Festival Community Documentation Project

Eugene Connors is a former commercial fisherman and fishery researcher who worked in the industry from 1960 to 1981. He was involved in scalloping and dragging in New Bedford, having originally come from a small fishing community in Stonington, CT. After his fishing career, Connors worked for the New England Fishery Development Foundation as the vessel site coordinator for a project called "Quality at Sea," which aimed to improve the quality of seafood being landed in New England ports by applying Scandinavian methods of handling product at sea.

Millie Rahn New Bedford, MA Working Waterfront Festival
Gunnar and Johan Gundersen The Working Waterfront Festival Community Documentation Project

On September 23, 2005, Millie Rahn interviewed Gunnar and John Gundersen as part of the Working Waterfront Festival Community Documentation Project. Gunnar and Johan Gundersen, father and son owners of Scandia Propellers and Supplies, share their experiences and insights regarding their business and the fishing industry.Gunnar describes his early years in Norway, his migration to the United States, and the establishment of Scandia Propellers and Supplies.

Millie Rahn New Bedford, MA Working Waterfront Festival
Howard Nickerson The Working Waterfront Festival Community Documentation Project

On September 23, 2005, Millie Rahn interviewed Howard Nickerson as part of the Working Waterfront Festival Community Documentation Project. Howard recounts his early life, his transition from vocational school to working in the fishery industry, and the challenges faced during the Great Depression. He discusses his work as an engineer on fishing vessels, primarily involved in sea scalloping, and his involvement with the fishermen's union and his role as a union representative.

Millie Rahn New Bedford, MA Working Waterfront Festival
James Dwyer and Paul Swain The Working Waterfront Festival Community Documentation Project

Jim Dwyer and Paul Swain are seasoned veterans of the fishing industry, residing in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Their extensive experience and deep knowledge of the industry, its history, and its community make them valuable sources of information. 

Millie Rahn New Bedford, MA Working Waterfront Festival
John Reardon The Working Waterfront Festival Community Documentation Project

John Reardon is a former fisherman turned General Manager for IMP Fishing Gear Limited in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Born in Boston, MA, Reardon entered the fishing industry in the early 1980s, starting out on a dragger and retiring from fishing in 1999. He began working for IMP Fishing Gear, also known as Industrial Marine Products, in November of 1999. The company, which started out selling fishing gear in Newfoundland, now has 15 branches in Canada and the United States.

Millie Rahn New Bedford, MA Working Waterfront Festival
Kaare Ness The Working Waterfront Festival Community Documentation Project

Kaare Ness, a Norwegian immigrant, was born in Norway and moved to the United States in 1955. He initially settled in New Bedford/Fairhaven area and lived there for thirteen years. In 1968, Ness relocated to Alaska and then moved to Seattle in 1969. He owned a seafood processing and distributing company in Seattle, focusing on scallops and later transitioning to the king crab fishery. Ness had a family history in fishing, with his father and uncle having connections to the industry. He built boats for king crab fishing and continued in that line of work until his retirement.

Millie Rahn New Bedford, MA Working Waterfront Festival
Karen and Jennifer Mitchell The Working Waterfront Festival Community Documentation Project

Jennifer Mitchell, also known as Jennifer Demalo, is part of the Mitchell family business. She grew up in New Bedford and attended Bishop Stang High School before graduating from Emmanuel College. Initially working as a business manager at a preschool in Boston, Jennifer joined the family business after her father asked her to work with him. She has been involved in bookkeeping and similar administrative tasks. Jennifer has been with the business for around eight years and is married with two children.

Millie Rahn New Bedford, MA Working Waterfront Festival
Kirsten and Reidar Bendiksen The Working Waterfront Festival Community Documentation Project

Reidar and Kirsten Bendiksen are a Norwegian couple residing in New Bedford, involved in the gear business, specifically net making and mending. Reidar was born in Norway in 1946 and moved to the United States when he was sixteen. His father was a fisherman who migrated to the US in 1951. Reidar himself held various positions in the fishing industry, including skipper, before transitioning into the gear business. Kirsten, born in New Bedford and raised in Dartmouth, comes from a family with a fishing background. Her father was a fisherman who met her mother on an ocean liner.

Millie Rahn New Bedford, MA Working Waterfront Festival
Kristin Decas The Working Waterfront Festival Community Documentation Project

Kristin Decas served as the Executive Director of the New Bedford Harbor Development Commission (NBHDC). However, please note that there may have been changes in personnel or positions since then. Kristin Decas is an experienced executive in the maritime industry with a background in port management and economic development. She has held leadership positions in several ports across the United States and has been recognized for her contributions to the maritime sector.

Millie Rahn New Bedford, MA Working Waterfront Festival