Category: Chapter Business
Officers and Directors For 2025-2026
Here are the results of the elections held at our annual meeting on October 1st 2025.
President: Rick Yaksic of Irwin
Vice President: Lee Demosky of Greensburg
Directors:
Brian Zimmerman, Derry, Reelected to a new three-year term
Rick Lynch, Jeannette, elected to a three-year term
Rick Yaksic replaces Larry Myers who served as President for 7 years.
Lee Demosky replaces Rick Yaksic as Vice President.
The other officers have another year left of their 2-year terms.
Scott Minster remains Secretary and Ron Rodgers stays on as Treasurer.
The other Directors are:
Barb Hauger and Dan Ferguson – 2-year terms
Milt Claney and Bill Somogyi – 1-year terms
A huge Thank you to Larry Myers for his seven years at the helm of FTTU!
FTTU Honors Long-Time Leaders
Forbes Trail Chapter of Trout Unlimited presented Lifetime Achievement Awards to two of its most esteemed and long serving members at its recent monthly meeting at the Nimick Family Education Center in Ligonier. Trout Unlimited is a national nonprofit organization whose mission is to conserve, protect and restore coldwater fisheries and their watersheds.
Forbes Trail is one of forty-nine chapters in Pennsylvania and its four hundred plus members represent Westmoreland County. Each fall the Chapter presents various awards to volunteer members and local businesses who have demonstrated exemplary performance and commitment supporting TU’s mission. Activities include conducting education and outreach services to local schools and community groups, providing leadership and direction on Chapter programs and events, as well as managing trout stream research and remediation projects.
Forbes Trail created a new award this year to recognize members who have devoted years, if not decades, to serving in leadership roles, developing policy and direction for the Chapter, and managing projects and activities pursuant to its mission. The new award is titled the “Monty Murty Lifetime Achievement Award”, and was presented to both Monty Murty and Ralph Koscianski.
Monty is a Life Member of TU who served as president of the chapter for many years as well as financial reviewer. He continues to serve in various capacities at both the State Council and National level including currently assisting in developing direction and policy to address climate change and mitigate its adverse impact on trout streams. His expertise and devotion to education have led to new in-classroom and on-stream lesson plans and ecology studies. Monty is adept at working with elected officials, environmental regulatory agencies and advocacy groups to find viable solutions to technical and politically challenging environmental problems.
Ralph’s monumental contribution to serving the chapter and its mission began a couple decades ago to address the disastrous impact of acid rain on trout streams in the Laurel Highlands. While Penn State and other research groups focused on the national and regional impacts, Ralph lasered his attention on Linn Run and its tributaries. Ralph worked with academia and consultants to formulate a treatment process to remediate the water quality in Rock Run, a major tributary to Linn Run, that would allow macroinvertebrates and wild brook trout to survive. Because of low pH and alkalinity caused by decades of acid rain, trout were nonexistent in Rock Run, as well as the bugs they normally eat. By selecting crushed limestone with the appropriate chemical and physical composition, he and other volunteers began treating the stream in 2005. Today, Rock Run’s water quality has improved to the point that it supports natural reproduction of wild brook trout.
Forbes Trail applauds the award winners for their dedication to TU’s mission and for their generous donation of time and talent to make all of TU’s programs and activities successful!
Officer and Director Elections Coming in October
We will elect Officers and Directors for 2025 – 2027 at our Annual Meeting on Wednesday, October 1st.
This year, the offices of President and Vice President are open along with two Director positions.
What follows are short biographies of the candidates.
Nominee for President – Richard Yacksic
Rick has been married for 24 years and is a proud father of two children, two stepchildren, and grandfather to six grandchildren. He is retired from Westmoreland Casemanagement and Supports, where he led an Adult Behavioral Health Program. Rick continues to serve as a board member at Westmoreland Casemanagement and has been a dedicated member of The Ray of Hope Suicide Task Force for the past 18 years.
An active member of Harrold Zion Church, Rick’s faith and service to others are central to his life. A lifelong fisherman, he joined Forbes Trail in 2000, which also marked the beginning of his fly-fishing journey. Since then, he has enjoyed tying flies, traveling, and sharing his love of conservation and fly fishing with others. He has attended the Kettle Creek fishing outing for the past two years and continues to mentor others in both the art of fly fishing and the importance of protecting natural resources.
In addition to his passion for the outdoors, Rick is an avid reader who values lifelong learning. Whether through his professional work, volunteer service, or love of fishing, Rick has devoted his life to supporting others, building community, and stewarding the environment for future generations. Rick has served as the chapter VP since 2023 and is one of the writers for our monthly “About Trout” articles for local newspapers.
Nominee for Vice President – Lee Demosky
Lee is 55 years old, was born and raised in Latrobe and has resided in Greensburg for 25 years. He is a graduate of Latrobe High School, St. Vincent College and Widener University Commonwealth Law School in Harrisburg.
Lee has been employed as an Attorney at Law for 32 years. He is currently an owner and managing partner at Meyer Darragh Bucker Bebenek & Eck, PLLC and his office is located in the Westmoreland County Courthouse complex in Greensburg. Lee has previous experience as a District Attorney and Public Defender.
He has been a member of Trout Unlimited since 1985 and was introduced to fly fishing by Russ Mowry who used to take him to Slate Run. Lee’s son L. William Demosky is also a member of this Chapter. Lee went on the Kettle Creek trip this past year with the Chapter, attends the monthly meetings and assists the Chapter by providing legal advice.
Lee is a member of the Yellow Creek Trout Club and fly fishes year round. He routinely travels to Erie for Steelhead. And he takes an annual trip in October to the Salmon River in New York for the King Salmon Run. He also does an annual trip in December to the Lake Ontario tributaries for the Big Brown Trout Run.
Lee has been married to his wife, Lou Anne for 23 years and has 4 children.
Nominee for Director – Rick Lynch
In his own words, Rick is just a retired guy from the gas company. He had almost 45 years of service starting in an entry level position and working his way up.
Rick is Lifetime Member of TU, and has been very active with Forbes Trail for many years. He has been fishing a long time, but like many of us, more recently started fly fishing.
Rick has fished Alaska, Canada, Erie/Conneaut, Venice LA, and all over Central PA. He notes that he carried fishing poles instead of golf clubs in his company car while “working” across the Commonwealth.
Rick has been a mainstay at the Kettle Creek annual outing providing local lure and geography lessons to fellow campers. He also ties with the Gray Hackle Gang during the winter.
Rick has been married to his wife Denise for almost 20 years and they live in Jeannette. Best part…she lets him go fishing!
Rick enjoys the camaraderie of this chapter and hopes he can add to it.
Nominee for Director – Brian Zimmerman
Brian Zimmerman has served as Director this past year filling a vacancy for a one-year seat and is interested in being nominated again, this time for a three-year seat. Brian has been a TU member since 2016 and after retiring 11 years ago, became very active in our chapter.
Brian takes his fly fishing and fly tying very seriously! Brian assumed the organizational roll of our Gray Hackle Gang in 2021 and is one of the primary organizers for our annual Kettle Creek Trout Camp trip. Brian also is serving on our Education Task Force to develop a new policy, guidelines and training.
He and Jen live in Derry Township and have three grown children and four grandchildren. In addition to fly fishing, Brian enjoys hunting, gardening, beekeeping and training his 3 bird dogs.
Fall Trails Newsletter
The latest Trails newsletter is available for download. See the sidebar at right.
Officers and Directors Elected for 2024-2025
A new slate of Officers and Directors was elected at FTTU’s Annual Meeting on Wednesday, October 2, 2024.
FTTU’s officers for 2024-2025 looks a lot like last year’s. Larry Myers is back by popular demand as President, Rick Yaksic returns as Vice President, Ron Rodgers retains the duties of Treasurer and Scott Minster is back as Secretary.
Returning Directors include Rod Cross, Bill Somgyi and Milt Claney. The newly elected Directors are Barb Hauger, Dan Ferguson and Brian Zimmerman.
Barb, Dan and Brian replace outgoing Directors Angie Schultheis, Hank Balles and Doug Yocabet.
Many thanks to Angie, Hank and Doug for their service to the chapter.
In other news, Michelle Dunlevy has agreed to take over as chair of the Diversity Committee now that Angela Schultheis has taken the responsibility of Education Committee chair.
Welcome Michelle!
Outstanding Volunteers Honored at FTTU November Meeting
Fall Newsletter
Officers and Directors Set for 2023-2024
FTTU’s slate of Officers and Directors was set at the Annual Meeting in October. Two Director positions were open with Milt Claney and Bill Somogyi’s terms expiring. Both Milt and Bill agreed to serve another 3-year term. The only other change has Rick Yaksic replacing Denny Hess as Vice President as Denny has decided to step down. Many thanks to Denny for his years of service as an officer. He is passionate about improving the health of Linn Run and Rock Run and will continue on as Chair of the Conservation Committee.
Rick Yaksic is happily married for the past 22 years and retired from Westmoreland Casemanagement and Supports where he ran a program that helped adults with mental illness achieve life skills. This program covered all of Westmoreland County including Torrance State Hospital and inmates in our county jail.
Rick is currently seated as a member of Westmoreland Casemanagement and Supports board of directors.
He is an active member of his church’s council. For the last 15 years Rick has been a member of the Ray of Hope Suicide Awareness Task Force.
Rick has been a fisherman all his life but has only been fly fishing for the past 3 years. Rick also enjoys fly tying and because of an invitation from Larry who attends the same church, became a member of Forbes Trail Trout Unlimited and enjoys helping with all the community events and educational activities as much as possible.
FTTU Receives Awards at PATU Annual Meeting
Larry Myers, FTTU President, was recognized at the Pennsylvania Council of Trout Unlimited annual meeting with the Ken Sink Award for Outstanding Service to PA Trout. Larry headed up efforts for a comprehensive study and Cold Water Conservation Plan for the Linn Run Watershed, which was completed earlier this year. He also coordinated 5 TU chapters and secured funding for a relaunch of the Laurel Highlands Trout Trail which is back now better than ever.
Larry commented, “of my 37-year professional career, serving TU is probably my most rewarding assignment. I personally have been blessed to serve with an energetic and talented group of members. Their skills and willingness to serve continues to amaze me.”
Congratulations Larry!
Our chapter also received the Samuel Slaymaker Award for best chapter newsletter. Scott Minster has been the editor since 2001!
Treasurer Ron Rodgers represented our chapter at the Annual Meeting held in Bellefonte, PA on September 16, 2023.
CORRECTION
Please note that if you receive the PA Trout newsletter in the mail or view it on-line, the report for our chapter is incorrect. At the end of the report, it inaccurately mentions a picnic for July 16 at the Kingston Sportsmen’s Club. There is no chapter picnic this year. We had a banquet for our 50th anniversary, and will not have a picnic this summer.
