Adam Greenman was one of the big winners of Rhode Island’s Sept. 9 primary. He defeated Pawtucket Mayor Don Grebien, first elected in 2010, by 10 points with 55% of the vote.
Greenman doesn’t face any opponents in the November general election, so he has already turned his attention to getting ready for his new role as mayor of Pawtucket.
During his campaign, Greenman, 44, argued that it was time for a change in the city following the closing of Memorial Hospital and the loss of the PawSox and Hasbro.
The Philadelphia native, who moved with his wife to the state in 2009, formerly served as the president/CEO of the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island. He offered his thoughts on Pawtucket’s future in a recent conversation with Ocean State Media political reporter Ian Donnis.
Interview highlights
On whether he was surprised by his decisive victory over Mayor Grebien
Adam Greenman: We weren't, on the campaign team... I was talking to voters every single day – probably knocking on 100 different doors every day – and we were hearing the same thing again and again, which was, after 16 years, we needed fresh eyes and fresh energy in the city. I think people were ready for that change and that the issues that were being talked about at the city level were not the issues that were impacting residents every single day. They're concerned about their affordability. They're concerned about quality of life issues, concerned about the education system, not just the building condition of our schools.
On his top priorities as mayor
Greenman: We're going to be focused on those bread and butter issues.
So, 50% of our kids in Pawtucket go to schools that are in the bottom 5% of the state in terms of achievement. That's something we need to turn around right away. My background is in education. I was a former social studies teacher, went back to school at night when the kids were young, got my doctorate in education. So we want to be a resource to the school system and really work to marshal resources to improve student achievement.
Quality of life issues, speeding through the neighborhoods was something that came up again and again. And so we want to work with our police department to really crack down on that.
And then tackling affordability. Some of that are big things we can do, but then there are some ordinance changes we can make at the city level to really try to streamline planning and development to get more housing built in the city.
On how he will manage the financing and other financial details of the Pawtucket soccer stadium that opened in 2025
Greenman: (I’m) really trying to get up to speed as quickly as possible on the information that will help me to really make a full assessment of that. Regardless, it's going to be my job starting Jan. 4 to make sure that that project is successful.
I can quibble as a resident and as a candidate and as a taxpayer with the structure of the deal, but ultimately as mayor, I'm going to have to work to implement it. And so I'm doing everything I can to get all the data and all the information so we can make good decisions about how we move forward.
On how he will make up for his inexperience in running a city government
Greenman: I think there are two pieces to that. So yes, I've never managed a city, but I spent 8.5 years as the CEO of a large nonprofit in the state. Before that I was an executive with another large nonprofit. I've had almost 17 years of executive experience. So I'm not coming into this job without that management and leadership component.
And then on the getting up to speed on the issues and getting up to speed on what managing a city looks like – it's a lot of listening and it's a lot of reading and it's a lot of learning. I'm going to approach this the same way that I've approached every role that I've ever had. And that's with the humility to know what you don't know, to not be afraid to ask questions and really to listen more than you talk.
