Mike May

Mike has been in Cortland for over 50 years. He is a graduate of SUNY Cortland. He owned his own construction business from 1973 until 2014, now works with Crown construction and is considered an expert in his field.

Mike has been a member of the YMCA for many years. His past board experience includes two terms for the Chamber of Commerce, including time as its president. He has also served on the Cortland Repertory Theater board and is a member of the Rotary breakfast club. Mike views the YMCA as a valuable community center. He is eager to share his knowledge and expertise with the Cortland YMCA.

Jamie W. Dening

Jamie is a new member of the Cortland community and YMCA. In 2021, he moved from Syracuse to Cortland and opened a law practice. As an independent attorney Jamie is, contracted as a Public Defender in Cortland County. Jamie is interested in connecting to the Cortland area and meeting new people. He believes it is important to be an engaged community member and feels he can begin by serving on the YMCA Board of Directors.

Jamie is already an active volunteer at the YMCA. He has also been a member at YMCAs in Syracuse and Colorado. He appreciates how each YMCA is different, like the communities they serve. Specific to the Cortland YMCA he is excited about the work being done to address food insecurity and the growing focus on collaboration with other community organizations.

Jim Dempsey

Jim received his graduate degree in Recreation and Leisure Studies from SUNY Cortland. After graduation he worked at the Syracuse YMCA as the Director of Member Services for several years. While at the Syracuse YMCA, he earned his YMCA Director’s Certificate. From there, he served as the Tourism Director for Cortland County, a position he held for 27 years until his recent retirement.

Throughout his career, Jim has been an active member of the Cortland Community. He has served on many local boards including as treasurer for the Rotary Breakfast Club Board, an original member of the Lime Hollow Board and 2 previous terms with the Cortland YMCA. He is also the founder of the Cortland Pumpkin Fest and the Cortland Regional Sports Council, serving on the Board for 15+ years. Most recently, he fulfilled 2 terms on the JM Murray Board.

Jim envisions his role as a board member with a focus on the macro level i.e. long term planning, fiduciary oversight, protecting assets, while allowing the Chief Executive Officer to focus on day to day operations. Jim sees opportunities to foster relationships with other agencies in the community and work collaboratively to develop new programs and opportunities for YMCA members and others in the community.