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Executive Board


Jacob Welch, President

Pure Waters Board Member since 2015

Residence: Seneca Lake Southwest quadrant


Jacob “Jake” Welch is a retired trial attorney who practiced in the Corning and Finger Lakes area for almost four decades. He and his wife Karen bought their cottage on Seneca Lake in the year 2001. They now live there full-time. Jake was the past Vice President of Operations for Seneca Pure Waters and helped to initiate its membership drive in 2018. He is also the head of the Pure Waters political action committee and interfaces with the Finger Lakes Regional Watershed Association.

Jake is an avid sailor and also enjoys fishing, diving and swimming on Seneca lake. In fact, he is in or on the water so much that his neighbors call him “Aquaman”. He loves being at his cottage; reason being , it’s simply the best place on earth for his friends and family to gather and enjoy the best in life.

While now enjoying the benefits of retirement, Jake’s years as a successful advocate in the courtroom are now needed to confront the serious two prong threats that global warming and increased nutrient loading pose to Seneca Lake. He truly believes, while an enormous undertaking, that even the biggest problems can be tackled by collaborative, energetic and intelligent effort. He sees Seneca Pure Waters, with its lake wide base and scientific bent, as a key player in finding solutions that will keep our lake the treasure it has been for countless individuals.




James (Jim) McGinnis, Vice President

Pure Waters Board Member since 2020

Residence: Seneca Lake Southwest quadrant


Jim is a retired Corning Project Manager who lives in Watkins Glen.  Jim is a sailor of Seneca Lake and hopes to help preserve this beautiful resource by volunteering as a Pure Waters board member.



Dr. John Cooley, Secretary  

Pure Waters Board Member Since 2020

Residence: Southwest quadrant

John Cooley is a family physician who moved from Rochester to Yates County in 1994 to work in the Dundee Family Health Center and Soldiers and Sailors Hospital in Penn Yan.  He served as school physician for Dundee Central School until his retirement in 2021.   He has sailed his Penguin class dingy on Keuka and Seneca Lakes and on Lake George.    




Frank Case, Treasurer 

Pure Waters Board Member Since 2015

Residence: Northeast quadrant

Frank Case is a busy man, as he is the owner/operator of his own farm.  Frank spent 27 years as Varick Town Justice, and is also a retired teacher.  He is a past President of the Finger Lakes Federal Credit Union, and has sat on the Board of Directors for the Seneca County Cornell Cooperative Extension.  

Frank feels that without a doubt, Seneca Pure Waters' work is necessary in order to protect it's water quality, and feels the affects of the decline due to his proximity to Reeder Creek.



Rich Adams, Water Quality Director

Pure Waters Board Member since 2019

Residence: Seneca Lake Northeast quadrant

After working in Pennsylvania for over 40 years on water quality regulations, assistance to watershed groups, and restoration projects, Rich and his wife Sandy have settled in on the Lake at Willow Cove where they would like to help make a difference in the future preservation and protection work with Pure Waters.  “This is a gift we must hold dearly, for our kids and grandkids. Our work today will be multiplied through generations.



Board Members

Term Expires 2022:

Rich Adams (Geneva)

Kelly Coughlin (Geneva)

Peggy Focarino (Penn Yan)

Larry Martin (Penn Yan)

Bill Roege (Penn Yan)

Term Expires 2023:

John Cooley, M.D. (Dundee)

James McGinnis (Watkins Glen)

Maura Toole (Lodi)




Term Expires 2024:

Steve Bromka (Romulus)

Thomas Burrall (Geneva)

Frank Case (Romulus)

Dan Corbett (Himrod)

Frank DiOrio (Himrod)

Ron Klinczar (Hector)

William McAdoo (Geneva)

Jody Tyler (Keuka Park)

Jacob Welch (Himrod)







Administrative Team


Kaitlin Fello, Association Director

Pure Waters Member Since 2017

Residence: Seneca Lake Northwest Quadrant

After receiving a Masters in Water Resources Engineering at SUNY Environmental Science and Forestry, Kaitlin moved back home to Seneca Lake.  Having grown up around the Lake, the converging threats to Seneca's water quality were more apparent than ever, which brought Kaitlin to support Seneca Pure Waters.  She has a background in communications and management, and spends her free time gardening and getting on the lake as much as possible!

Email Kaitlin - Kaitlin@SenecaLake.org 


Keep up with Pure Waters:


CONTACT US

Seneca Lake Pure Waters Association

P.O. Box 247

Geneva, NY 14456

Email: Info@SenecaLake.org



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