Opinion Piece: Hasbo’s Departure is a Failure of Leadership – Adam Greenman: Candidate for Mayor of Pawtucket, Rhode Island
Hasbro’s Departure is a Failure of Leadership
Hasbro has been part of our city for over a century. Toys and games carried Pawtucket’s name into households globally while here at home the company employed thousands. Since the news broke that Hasbro would be leaving, I have heard our politicians, especially Mayor Grebien, say there was nothing that could be done. These statements represent the words of politicians looking for cover, when what we need in Pawtucket is a leader.
For 15 years, Mayor Grebien has responded to each loss with the same script: disappointment, excuses, and blaming others. When the Gamm Theater moved to Warwick in 2017, it was “disheartening.” When Memorial Hospital closed he was “extremely disappointed.” When the Paw Sox announced the move to Worcester, the Mayor blamed state delays. This week, it was Hasbro’s fault.
There is blame to be shared but there is only one common denominator in all of these examples: Mayor Grebien. Pawtucket keeps losing and our mayor keeps using the same politician’s playbook.
Leadership is about more than reacting to bad news – it’s about preventing it. Real leaders know relationship building is the foundation of stability. Hasbro is one of the city’s largest taxpayers and most visible institutions. That relationship should have been cultivated from the moment Mayor Grebien was elected in 2010 and strengthened over the 15 years he’s been in office. Instead, caught unaware, Mayor Grebien scrambled reactively when Hasbro’s news broke, throwing out last minute pitches and delaying any development at Apex, our hulking near-empty pyramid that has seen no significant change in his eight terms in office.
Additionally, leadership means preparing for the future. Hasbro has been signaling their departure for a year. A Mayor, thinking ahead, should have done everything he could to try to keep Hasbro while working simultaneously on a backup plan, not just vague sketches of one. Instead, as with Memorial Hospital, whose empty windows hover over our city eight years after it closed, the result is the same: no clear plan B.
Finally, leaders learn from past failures. Every executive and organization faces setbacks. The difference is leaders own the mistakes, apologize, and learn from them. After 15 years of losses, It’s impossible to say that our Mayor has learned anything or reflected on past failures. Each situation looks eerily similar because the same playbook is repeated.
I have spent most of my career in executive roles, including the last eight as a CEO. Like every leader, I have made mistakes, but I’ve learned that leadership means owning the tough moments, sharing credit for the wins, and building relationships that last. This is the playbook we need in Pawtucket.
Pawtucket deserves better than excuses – we cannot afford to watch another institution leave, another building sit empty, and another opportunity slip away. We must stand up for the Pawtucket that we love – before there is nothing left to stand up for.
Adam Greenman is a resident of Pawtucket and is a 2026 candidate for Mayor.
