GERRY ROONEY

Gerald (Gerry) P. Rooney recently retired from 35 years of human services administration, the last 18 of which were as the CEO of the Opportunity Center of Greater New Bedford serving adults with disabilities. Prior to this he spent 3.5 years touring the world by bicycle and motor scooter to learn of various cultures in what resulted in his “real education”. He graduated from U/Mass-Amherst with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering and directly entered the USAF where he spent the next 5 years as a flying officer in B-52’s of the Strategic Air Command.

For the past 18 years he has been the Chairman of the Fairhaven/New Bedford-Tosashimizu Sister City Committee which maintains cultural relations with Japan.

Gerry uses his engineering background in assisting his son, Mark, to design and make taiko drums and stands. He holds a Private Pilot’s license and lives with his wife, Ayako, in Acushnet.