Joseph Gerace, Chairman of the Board (Founder) - Educated at Lakewood High School in Lakewood, NY, Denison University, and Albany Law School, Joe Gerace practiced law in Justice Robert H. Jackson's home town of Jamestown, New York, for 23 years.

A Navy veteran of World War II, he was assigned to the USS Haven and participated in the atomic bomb tests at Bikini after the end of the war. He served as Town Supervisor of the Town of Busti, New York, and was elected as Chautauqua County’s first County Executive. He was appointed Commissioner of the NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets and directed and organized the Office of Rural Affairs and Office of Mandate Review.

He was elected as New York State Supreme Court Justice, retiring in 2003. Following retirement, he was appointed as a Judicial Hearing Officer, a post he currently holds.

Joe is a strong supporter for the development of high school and adaptive rowing programs. He is enthusiastically looking forward to the day when our area high school students will compete on Chautauqua Lake against high schoolers from other parts of the country.

Kevin S. Sixbey, President / Collegiate Head Coach (Founder) - Kevin is a certified USRowing coach, with experience coaching both novice and experienced collegiate and adult rowers. In addition he was privileged, while a rower at Baldwin-Wallace College, near Cleveland OH, to assist in coaching visually impaired rowers. He rowed for three years on Baldwin-Wallce Crew, a club he formed as a sophomore at the college. He quickly worked his way from the novice boat, to the varsity boat, and ultimately assisted with coaching in Cleveland. While rowing for BW he represented the college on the Board of Directors of the Cleveland Rowing Foundation (formerly Western Reserve Rowing Foundation). He has enjoyed his rowing experiences and hopes that rowing on Chautauqua Lake will become a popular and extremely enjoyable activity for the area.

ksixbey@rowchautauqua.org

Stephen E. Odrzywolski, Vice President / High School Head Coach (Founder) - Steve is returning home to Chautauqua County after four years away at the University at Buffalo where he earned his degree in Exercise Physiology. While at UB, Steve rowed for the Varsity Men's Crew team and also served the team as vice president. He hopes to bring some of his knowledge of rowing back to the area. He is a certified US Rowing coach along with Kevin and is looking forward to teaching the next generation of great rowers. He hopes to help re-kindle the exciting sport of rowing and is proud to be a part of this great organization!

steveodjo@rowchautauqua.org

R. Craig Butler, Treasurer [elected Jan. 12, 2008] - Craig grew up in Lakewood enjoying the lake throughout his childhood. In 1980 he became a summer resident of Greenhurst and recently has returned there as a full time resident. Craig holds degrees in Economics and Business from Baldwin Wallace College and Michigan State University. His Career in commercial banking, including experience at the Bank of NY, Empire of America/Erie County Savings Bank, M&T, and GMAC provided the experience he needed to operate as the treasurer of the CLRA. In addition to rowing with the club, Craig also is a member of the CLA, the Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy and the Fenton History Center. He is happy to be a part of this organization.

Diana Meckley, Secretary [elected Jan. 12, 2008] - Diana Meckley, new to the CLRA Board of Directors in 2008, has called the Chautauqua region home since moving to Jamestown with her husband, Lew, in 1977. Diana had no previous experience with rowing, but became interested in the sport when visiting Cambridge, MA, and watching local college teams practice on the Charles River. In 2006, Diana signed up with CLRA for a series of six lessons offered to members of the Chautauqua Leadership Network and has been an active rower ever since. Employed by The Resource Center since 1979, Diana has an interest in sharing the sport of rowing with individuals with disabilities.

Diana is a past president and current member of the Jamestown Rotary Club and Chautauqua Leadership Network and also currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Jamestown YWCA.

Lisa Lane-Gniewecki, [elected Jan. 31, 2009] - Lisa Lane-Gniewecki joined the CLRA adult recreation group in 2008 after she was approached by Diana and Kevin about the possibility of collaborating on a program for visually impaired rowers.  As the Executive Director for the Chautauqua Blind Association she felt she should check this program out for herself and has been rowing with the group ever since.  She is honored to be asked to join the CLRA Board of Directors in 2009. 

Lisa serves on the board of the Girl Scouts, is the President-Elect for the Chautauqua Leadership Network, is a member of the Jamestown Rotary Club, and a mentor at Love School with Chautauqua Striders.  She lives in West Ellicott with her teenage son.

Diane Paterniti, [elected Jan. 31, 2009] - Diane Paterniti is a life-long area resident having graduated from Falconer Central School, Jamestown Business College, Jamestown Community College and an Accredited Medical Transcription Program.  Her interest in rowing began when she attended our very first Learn to Row in 2005.  She joined CLRA adult recreation group in 2008 and has been an active rower ever since!  A self-employed medical transcriptionist, she has been employed by JAMA for four years.  Her secretarial career has spanned 36 years, with the last 18 as Administrative Assistant to the Director of Special Education at Southwestern School District.  She is a staunch advocate for special needs students/adults and would love to see rowing shared with them! Photo coming soon

Warren Whitford, [elected Feb. 13, 2010] - Warren Whitford is a life-long area resident, having graduated from Panama Central School, Jamestown Business College, and majored in mathematics at JCC.  He retired on June 30, 2007 after working in information technology for 47 years. Warren also has over 30 years of experience sailing C scows and driving motorboats on Chautauqua Lake.  He raced C scows for several years with the Chautauqua Yacht club at Chautauqua Institution.  A skilled musician, Warren plays sax with the Jamestown Municipal Band and a couple of big bands.  He also flies sailplanes. He became a member of CLRA in August 2009 after taking a Learn-to-Row class.  One time on the water in an 8 and he was hooked.

Honorary Directors:

Leon Stein (Founder) - Lee was first introduced to rowing about twenty years ago. He is fortunate to be able row a recreational single shell on Chautauqua Lake spring, summer and fall and on the Banana River Melbourne, FL in the winter. Rowing is his favorite form of exercise being a full body workout in an environment that beats the gym. As a member of the CLRA board he hopes to reintroduce rowing as a sport and recreational activity to people of all ages in Chautauqua County.

William Wright Jr. - Bio and photo are unavailable

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Chautauqua Lake Rowing Association was incorporated in the state of New York, December 2005