Duane Pelkey Installed As President of Potsdam Rotary Club

Born in Massena, Pelkey is a graduate of Massena Central High School and SUNY Potsdam. He started his banking career in 1990 with Key Bank in the Binghamton area, where he first joined Rotary Club in Nimmonsburg. For the next 15 years, he and his family lived in the Southern Tier near Elmira and Ithaca, where he worked for a large finance company and Fleet Bank, before coming to Community Bank in 2001. During that time he continued with Rotary, serving in the Corning and Owego clubs. In 2005, Pelkey returned to the North Country when a vice president of commercial lending was needed in the area by Community Bank.

Pelkey has taught micro-economics for bankers at Broome Community College. and was the one of the founders and treasurer of Business Excellence of the Southern Tier. He also served as secretary of the Southern Tier Business Development Fund, a board member of Workers Ownership Resources Center, an active member of the Chemung Chamber member services committee, an advisory board Member of the Twin Tier Community Foundation, a board member of the Three Rivers Development Corporation, and on several Rotary committees.

He resides in Madrid with his wife, Laurean, and their children, Connor, Emily, and Derek.

Photo caption: Duane Pelkey (left) was installed as the 2008-2009 president of the Rotary Club of Potsdam at a dinner meeting on Wednesday night. Rotary District 7040 2008-2009 Governor Peter Basham (right) officiated and also recognized outgoing president Laura Cordts (center).