Our Board of Directors
Our dedicated board of directors share our vision and mission to create a world class aquatic facility here in the Mt. Washington Valley
President
Jim Soroka, a graduate of the University of Miami and President of Soroka Builders, Inc. has just recently retired from the home builder/ light construction business. Jim has built over thirty homes, numerous additions, and remodeling projects in and around the Mount Washington Valley area.
Originally from Connecticut, Jim moved to Conway 35 years ago, met his wife Margie and raised two children, a daughter Jessi who is a NH attorney, and a son David who is an insurance agent in California. Both children are graduates of the Conway school system and Kennett HS.
Jim is also an avid sports enthusiast, playing in local baseball leagues for 20 years, a surfer, a nationally ranked swimmer in his Masters age group, and is currently on the New England age group top 10 all time performances list in various places. Jim's current passion is triathlons, holds a national ranking there as well, and will be competing in his first full Ironman in Sept 09.
Over the years Jim donated time and money to many projects in the valley such as play ground construction at Conway Elementary, baseball dugout construction, coaching baseball, basketball, football, and a volunteer at numerous sporting events. He feels the Aquatic Center is a greatly needed and missing link in the Mount Washington Valley, and views this as a terrific opportunity and privilege to give back to this community that has given him and his family so much over the years.
Vice President
Currently married with one daughter, age 9, Maury McKinney grew up swimming in the Orlando, FL area. Later he attended West Point (USMA class 1983) to swim but left after only one semester due to illness. He transferred to Auburn University in 1981 where he graduated with a B.S. and worked on a M.S. until 1986. He took a long hike on the Appalachian Trail in 1986 and wound up staying in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Until 1990 he worked for the Appalachian Mountain Club in construction and caretaking. It was during this time that he took up climbing (rock, ice, alpine) and endeavored to gain as much climbing experience as possible.
For seventeen years, he worked as a professional climbing guide for the International Mountain Climbing School, Inc. (IMCS) in North Conway. He was a part owner for ten years and climbed in numerous locations around New England, the US, South America, Nepal and Pakistan. He is a longtime volunteer member, team leader and former board member of the Mountain Rescue Service (MRS). He has experience serving on the boards of the American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA), MRS, New Hampshire Outdoor Council (NHOC) and Mount Washington Valley Soccer Club (MWVSC). He has held President, Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary positions while serving on these boards.
He is currently a full-time aquatic educator and owner of the Saco Valley Swim Club, LLC. The team competed for the first time in the summer of 2008; the first swim team in our area in nearly thirty years. They train mostly in lakes, as they have few options for pools and access to these pools is problematic. He is hoping to build awareness and excitement for the value of aquatics and competitive swimming. He believes that this will have a positive influence on completion of the mission of the WMAF. He also maintains Water Safety Instructor (WSI) and Lifeguard certifications and is currently pursuing certification as a swim coach through the American Swim Coaches Association (ASCA).
Treasurer
Jeff Rothen's responsibility includes maximizing the financial health of the White Mountain Aquatic Foundation. He is a seasoned Mount Washington Valley resident, living here since 1981. Spending his summers in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire, he was drawn to the mountains for the hiking, climbing and rivers in the area. Although he is no stranger to pools, Jeff prefers the open water swimming of the lakes. He has set his sights on swimming many of the remote back country ponds and lakes in search of the perfect swim.
Jeff is a Physical Therapist and holds a doctorate degree from Franklin Pierce University. His specialty in Therapy is orthopedics. He is employed at Mountain Center Physical Therapy in Glen, NH. He is also involved in the community with the care of senior citizens through Carroll County Visiting Nurse and Hospice Care Service. As such he provides Physical Therapy in the homes of his patients.
Jeff has extensive experience using therapeutic aquatics in the field of rehabilitation. He advises the Board regarding matters that involve the treatment of people with physical disabilities and handicaps.
Secretary
Tricia Mattox-Larson is a 50 year old resident of Eaton and swimming enthusiast. She is the mother of two children, ages 18 and 19, and has been married for 23 years. Professionally, she is a Speech Language Pathologist.
Tricia began swimming at the age of 6, competing with swimming clubs in the New Orleans area, where she grew up. She swam throughout her life, climbing up the chain of Red Cross Levels, eventually becoming WSI certified.
She rediscovered her love for swimming in college and now swims outside all summer in local lakes and ponds with a group of fellow swimmers, wearing wet suits if necessary in the cold April or October waters.
Having a lifelong love of water, Tricia swims because it provides exercise, camaraderie, enjoyment, and, after a long distance swim in a beautiful lake, a sense of well being and relaxation. She is committed to this project so that people of all ages and abilities can enjoy swimming year round in a state of the art facility - for competition, recreation, and rehabilitation.
Board Members
Jacques Couture, a board member of WMAF, is a 43 year old resident of Conway. A graduate of Roger William's School of Architecture, Jacques has worked for himself designing residences and small commercial projects throughout New Hampshire and Washington State for 15 years.
He has had a lifelong involvement in sports of all types but only in recent years through triathlons has he discovered the joys of swimming as a sport. As a member of the Green Building Council he is dedicated to the creation of a sustainable structure to house a state of the art aquatic facility in hopes that everyone could have access to the sport of swimming. Jacques has felt that while learning to swim, "properly", as an adult has been an enriching experience. The joy of learning and the camaraderie associated with being involved with a swim group are part of a process that all children and adults alike should be afforded the opportunity to explore.
Bob Magg graduated from The Polytechnic Institute and The University of Santa Clara. He worked for the manufacturing arm of the former Bell System with positions in engineering, installation, manufacturing, and labor relations.
As his children grew they became interested in swimming and joined teams in the neighborhood. Swimming can be a parent intensive sport involving timing, judging, scoring and just plain getting the kids to the blocks. Through the years Bob has been club president, meet director, team manager, USA Official, an ASCA certified coach and head coach for a number of swim teams. He also has been involved with the planning of new pools, conducted stroke clinics for swimmers and their parents and has introduced several swimming innovations to the sport.
Bob is a member of Rotary International which he joined upon moving to the Valley three years ago. Rotary's purpose is to bring the skills of business owners and professionals to bear on problems/opportunities of our community. He believes that involvement with aquatics teaches lifelong disciplines, improves the safety of the community and is a great family activity. Having a pool in our community will provide many healthful benefits to all age groups and further enhance the Valley experience.
Bob Schrader is a board member and General Counsel to the foundation. Bob is an attorney, law professor, chef and lifelong swimmer and competed in AAU and throughout high school. Bob has served on many non-profit boards in Florida and New Hampshire, including as President and Board Member of the White Mountain Waldorf School in Mount Washington Valley. He also was active in Business Volunteers for the Arts where he trained non-profit board members and executive directors.
