Board Members

Michael Metzger resides in Chautauqua County.  He received his MBA from Rochester Institute of Technology and his BBA from Saint Bonaventure University. His work experience details positions held at Bausch & Lomb (Controller), Acu-Rite Companies, Inc., (Chief Financial Officer) and Blackstone Business Enterprises (President).  Currently, Vice President of Finance & Administration at the State University of New York at Fredonia.  He currently serves on the M & T Bank Advisory Board, The Resource Center Finance Committee, Chautauqua Region Community Foundation Investment Committee, Saint Mary of Lourdes Finance Committee, WNY Junior Achievement Advisory Committee, Rotary International,-Jamestown Chapter, INSYTE Board of Directors, and Western New York Regional Economic Development Council. Michael and his wife Marjorie are the proud parents of two, daughters – Dr. Rachel (Jon) Taliercio and Laura (Matt) Kerls. They are grandparents to five grandchildren Ethan, Fynn and Landon Taliercio, Michael and Reagan Kerls.

DENNIS J. RAK resides in Fredonia, New York.  He has served on the Board of Directors of National Grape Cooperative since 2010 and has worked on several committees as follow:  Executive Committee (2012-present); Compensation Committee (2010-present); Chairman of Governance Committee (2012-present), Budget Committee (2010-2011); Advisory Committee Member (1998-2009); Nominating Committee (2003-2009).  Dennis was elected to the Welch Board of Directors in 2016 and sits on the Audit and Pension committees. Dennis operates a 1000 acre farm 325 acres of Concords all of which are under National contract; 7.1 acres of Niagara’s all under National contract.  Double A Vineyards also runs approximately 70 acres of wine and table grapes as well as growing grapevine and other nursery stock that is marketed across the United States.  Double A Willow is involved in promoting the use of Hybrid shrub willow for renewable energy, phytoremediation, stream bank restoration and living snow fences in the United States and Canada.   Dennis owns and operates Double A Vineyards and Double A Willow with his wife Susan and his two sons Adam and Abram.

Hans Auer is First Vice President at UBS Wealth Management Americas.  A lifelong area resident and 1993 graduate of St. Bonaventure University, Hans is actively involved in the community he loves.  Some of Hans' leadership roles in the community include having served as Chairman of the Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce, President of Moon Brook Country Club, Chairman of the United Way Campaign of Southern Chautauqua County where he helped to raise $1.3 Million dollars last year to benefit local organizations.  Currently, Hans serves as Treasurer and Board Member for the Chautauqua County Industrial Development Agency and as a Board Member elect for the United Way. Hans lives in the village of Bemus Point and is best known for being the husband of Kari Auer, and the Father of two really cool kids, Grace and Peter.

Kim and his wife of 42 years (Becky) have 2 daughters (Krista and Bethany) and 4 grandchildren (Kenzie, Lincoln, Tucker and Josh).  All of whom are living in Chautauqua County. He graduated from Falconer High School in 1968 and attended SUNY Potsdam from 1968 to 1972. He started working at Ellison Bronze, Division of Dowcraft Corporation in Falconer in 1967 working summers while going to high school and college.  In 1972 he began his full time career at Ellison.  He worked in several different capacities at Ellison including Chief Engineer, Assistant General Manager, Vice President, President, member of the Board of Directors, Treasurer, and Chairman of the Board. In 1991 he was part of a five person management team that led an employee buyout of Dowcraft Corporation including Ellison Bronze.  In 2001, he was part of another five person management team that led another employee buyout of Ellison Bronze Inc, now a stand alone corporation.  Although retiring in 2009, he continues to serve on the Ellison Board of Directors.  In addition to his service at Ellison and the IDA, he currently serves on the Board of Lutheran (LSS, Lutheran Social Services), on the local Advisory Board of M&T Bank, and as a member of the Community Foundation.

Mr. Walters is Executive Director of the Southern Tier Builders Association in Falconer, NY and the Associated Building Contractors of the Triple Cities in Binghamton, NY. Mr. Walters has over thirty years of experience in the construction industry, which includes civil engineering, land use planning, zoning and infrastructure development. Mr. Walters earned his bachelor’s degree from Edinboro University.

Kelly Farrell DuBois joined Hope’s Windows, Inc., her family-owned business, in 2001 and is the owner and chairman of the board. Together with her brother, Kelly continues their father’s legacy at Hope’s designing and manufacturing the world’s preeminent steel and bronze windows and doors. Hope’s was established in Jamestown, New York in 1912 and employs 250 people in Chautauqua County. Kelly is a graduate of Syracuse University. She and her husband, Rob, reside in Lakewood with their three children.

Mark Odell resides in the Northern Chautauqua County community of Brocton with his family and serves as Chautauqua County Legislator, District 7, representing the residents of the Towns of Chautauqua, Portland, and Stockton (and villages of Brocton & Cassadaga). Mr. Odell serves as Chairman of the County Legislature’s Planning and Economic Development Committee, the Airport Commission Chairman, and Chairs the Legislative Subcommittee on Energy. He is a graduate of SUNY Fredonia (Business Economics/Physics) and professionally was the Corporate Sales Engineer for ECR International/Dunkirk Boilers. In addition, he is currently the Vice-President of Sales, Marketing, & Engineering for Econoburn Boilers and is the Principal Investigator for several energy-related projects for the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). Academically he is a technical consultant to the University at Buffalo’s (U.B.) Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, and a member of the Curriculum Advisory Council for SUNY Morrisville (RETC). He is a voting member of the Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation and its Local Economic Development Committee, Board Member of the New York Biomass Energy Alliance, and also enjoys memberships with the NY Farm Bureau, NY Forest Owners Association, and Chautauqua Masonic Council.

Steven Thorpe is a third-generation sheet metal construction worker and lifelong resident of Chautauqua County. He began his career as an apprentice at age 19, worked with the tools for 16 years, and has been the elected Business Representative of Sheet Metal Workers Local #112 Elmira, New York, serving the Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, and Allegany Counties since September of 2005. Steven enjoys working with new apprentices as coordinator and instructor for the Sheet Metal Workers 112 Jamestown Area Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee. He is also the President of the Southwestern New York Building and Construction Trades Council which helps to promote union construction and apprenticeship opportunities throughout Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, and Allegany Counties. As a Business Representative, Steven represents workers at local manufacturers, and brings a unique perspective on the relationship between business and labor. Away from work, he enjoys boating, fishing, and travel with his wife, Amanda. They have been married for seven years and live in Jamestown.

Gary Henry started working at Fancher Chair in 1989 while still in High School. After graduating from SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry in 1994, he became plant manager and part owner of Falcon Chair and Table (a sister company to Fancher Chair). In 2004, Falcon Chair merged with Fancher Chair, and Gary became the Vice President. In 2009, he became the CEO and owner of Fancher Chair Co. Since 2009, Fancher Chair has grown to 140 employees and added 3 new buildings. Gary and his wife, Pam, reside in Dewittville along with their three children Abbie, Becca and Nate.