Skip to main content
COMMODORE
Rome Ventura

Having lived in Seattle most of my life, I owned a construction and real estate development company specializing in historic renovation projects. I know what it’s like to fund a payroll of 175 staff members. From our newest laborer to our seasoned architect, we were a team.

One of our projects was converting a children’s hospital, built in 1908, into an assisted living facility for 117 residents. We owned and operated that facility for more than 30 years. In the beginning, my sister was the head nurse and yes, many times I worked the night shift, after working the swing shift, after working the day shift, when staff were out sick. Interest rates then were 21.5% and our financing was at 2% over prime - under these conditions, one learns to be a good steward of money!

In the great crash of 2008, I was fortunate not to have surplus construction inventory that I had to sell at a loss, so I decided to begin building projects in third world countries. For the following seven years, I spent three months in each of South Africa, Haiti, Peru, Nepal, and Zimbabwe. It was an unbelievable experience for someone who was born to serve.

Having previously established a 501(c)3, volunteers from my community of rowing athletes joined me in constructing a hospital, a community daycare center, a school, a water retention project, an HIV clinic, an orphanage, and a concrete bridge.

Intermixed with all of that, I served for many years on several boards, built three marinas, and started a rowing club where I coached for over 20 years. The rowing club, Lake Union Crew, functioned also as a waterfront wedding and event facility on evenings and weekends. Yes,of course we owned our own dance floor (money machine) and held the line on a tight budget.

Finally, late in life, I met Trish, the most genuine person on earth. She sold her veterinarian practice, I sold my rowing club venue and we moved to Coronado, born to serve!
vice commodore
Kevin Brenden

A little background on my family: My wife, Lisa, and I have been members of CCYC for over 25 years. We have a daughter, Rylie,
who is in her first year of university, studying Civil Engineering with an emphasis in Environmental studies. We also have a short-haired Siberian Husky dog, and you might have seen us walking our dog around the area. We became CCYC members shortly after moving to the Cays in 1997, and even before that, we had a connection to the Club through my in-laws, who were members.
In fact, we had our wedding rehearsal dinner at the old Club location in August 1992. 

I grew up in a small town in South Dakota called Clark, where I was fortunate to have lots of extended family around. This is mainly because my mother and father are one of eleven kids, so I have over 100 first cousins. I attended the University of Minnesota,
Twin Cities and graduated with a Bachelor of Science. I decided to join the US Navy, which opened up the whole world to me.
I had the opportunity to travel to six continents and play basketball for the Navy. My previous experience in operations management will be valuable in leading, guiding, and supporting our organization. After working in Minnesota for a few years, I had a job opportunity in California. Tired of snow, my wife and I decided to move back to California, and we've been residing in the Cays since 1997.
Since purchasing a home here, we've been CCYC members and are grateful for all the wonderful people we've met over the years.
We plan on staying in Coronado for many years to come. 

I'm looking forward to a fantastic and fun year! 

Finally, despite several disappointing seasons, I'm still a Dallas Cowboys fan. However, this year feels like the year. Let's Go Cowboys! 
Rear Commodore
Steve Lock

I am grateful to have been elected as CCYC’s Rear Commodore and the opportunity to serve on the incoming Bridge. I’ve had the pleasure of working alongside my fellow board members for the past two years as your Power Captain, and we have been able to put together some pretty fun events during that time!  As I move into this next role, I’m looking forward to taking on more responsibility towards the entire membership.

Let me share a bit about myself: My wife, Becki, and I have been living in the Cays for over 20 years. We even tied the knot at CCYC back in 2004. Shortly after our wedding, we got to know some wonderful club members who have become dear friends. It was clear to us that we wanted to be a part of this neighborhood gem.

I grew up in Manhattan Beach, just a couple hours north of Coronado, spending the majority of my free time at the beach and in the ocean as my dad was a SCUBA instructor (not as a career) in the late 60s and early 70s. After graduating from UCLA, I worked as a Government Contracts Negotiator for Hughes Aircraft Company for nine years.   Following that, I switched careers to  technical recruiting and staffing , and now have over 25 years in the field,  including a current 15-year partnership in a tech staffing firm.

Taking on the role of Rear Commodore is a serious commitment for me. The importance of membership at CCYC cannot be overstated; it is the lifeblood of the club. I am dedicated to maintaining  a positive, diverse and enthusiastic community here at CCYC  Keeping  our current membership happy and engaged is a top priority. I also intend to focus on outreach efforts to make sure that other folks in the Cays and the immediate area are aware that we are here, and that we are the friendliest yacht club in San Diego!

Please reach out to me directly if you have any comments, questions or suggestions at (619) 302-0668 or [email protected]

Junior Staff Commodore
Dave Muree

Dave and Tammi came to Coronado by way of the Chesapeake Bay, where they met when he was a young Navy lieutenant stationed at Patuxent River Naval Air Station. They raised three children while sailing and powering the waters of Southern Maryland. Now, after 30 years of naval service, Dave teaches fiscal and acquisition laws and regulations as a professor for the Defense Acquisition University. They proudly call CCYC home, where they live aboard Namaste at Sea, their 47’ CHB trawler.
Treasurer
Jake Young

As Treasurer, I am responsible for overseeing all financial matters in accordance with the Club’s By-Laws.  This includes ensuring the accurate preparation of financial reports, overseeing banking and investment activities, and ensuring the timely payment of bills and collection of income. Additionally, I serve as the chair of the Financial Advisory Committee and sit on the House Committee.

I have an undergraduate degree in Economics and an MBA in Finance. I am a former Principal of the accounting and consulting firm Deloitte & Touché.  After leaving that role, I have held accounting and operations roles at 3 local nonprofits.

My wife, Julie and I,  have lived in the Cays since 2006, and have been Club members since about 2011. We are active in the sail fleet, and I am a regular at Trivia and Bridge.

The past year has presented challenges due to employee turnover and the transition to the new Club Essentials point-of-sale system. However, staffing issues have now stabilized, and Club Essentials has proven to offer numerous features beneficial to members for management purposes However, member billing is still a challenge, and that is my first priority for the upcoming year.  
Dave Smith

I grew up in Colorado and went to the University of Colorado. I moved to the Seattle area for four years after college. Then, I came to San Diego 45 years ago. I had a career for 30 years as a Software Engineer. I started the 3rd Internet Provider in San Diego during the dial-up modem days in 1995. 

I sailed a few times in Seattle back in the 1970s. I took sailing classes in the 1990s and did a little sailing then. About eight years ago, I joined the crew of a friend's sailboat here at the Cays. I fell in love with sail racing. There is always something new to learn, and I enjoy learning. I have been a member of CCYC for about three years. 

I plan to grow the sailing fleet by getting new people involved in sailing. This will also help increase the club membership a little. If any of you want to volunteer to go sailing, I am sure we can find a boat that needs an extra crew member or two. Let me know.
Cruise Captain
Kelly Cooper

Kelly Cooper is a retired Navy SEAL Master Chief of 30 years. He has enjoyed sailing and yachting for most of his adult life. Kelly met his wife Jennifer here in San Diego in 1999, where they lived together and had many sailing adventures on a 32' Fuji ketch. Currently, Kelly lives on a 50' Marine Trader Trawler with his wife and two kids.
Fleet Captain
Glenn Cross

Glenn has been an avid boater since the age of 5. He has boated in dozens of places around the world. Glenn was a boat ranger for the National Park Service summers during college.   Glenn and his wife Joan moved to the Cays from the San Francisco Bay Area, where they were power boaters for 30 years.

They enjoy boating in San Diego even more. Glenn’s career spanned over 35 years in Silicon Valley in international technology sales and marketing roles. Both Glenn and Joan are now retired. He is looking forward to another year as Fleet Captain at CCYC.
Power Captain
Gene Rowell

Gene hails from South Carolina, where he has three beautiful children roaming the Eastern Seaboard. Following a hitch in the U.S. Navy, he scooped up a B.A. in English from the University of South Carolina.

He spent two decades patrolling the S.C. Lowcountry as a state trooper before heading west to sunny Southern California to seek fame and fortune. Thankfully, he landed in a cool port of call and now calls the Coronado Cays Yacht Club home.
Communications Director
Jill McCormack

I started my career as an educator where I spent seven years. Wanting to combine my passion for education with business I transitioned to  Corporate America and joined;an Educational Software Company. I spent the next 25 years in senior management and leadership roles running multi- million dollar divisions.  I transitioned from that career to my husband’s accounting firm, where I provided operational expertise.  My  husband, Mark Metzger, and I have been part of the Cays community and the Yacht Club since 2019 - how lucky are we!! Now, semi-retired, I find myself with both time and energy, a great combo.

As your Communications Director, I'll be working hard to make sure everyone is in the loop about club news, events, and all the fun happenings on and off the water. I'm also here to listen, so please don't hesitate to share your thoughts, ideas, and feedback with me. 

I'm genuinely looking forward to this adventure and the opportunity to make a positive impact on our Yacht Club. If you have any questions, suggestions, or just want to say hi, you can reach out to me at [email protected]
C-Gulls Captain
Anna Paul

I am honored to be your C-Gulls Captain. For 2024!I have been a Coronado Cays Yacht Club member for over 14 years and have been a C-Gulls member for approximately nine years.  

I moved to Coronado from The Bay Area over 20 years ago. Since then, I have been involved in several local organizations in various manners over the years and have served as President for some of these clubs. 

My occupational background is in Real Estate and Property Management for over 35 years. This work brought me to acquiring, selling, and managing property in Florida, Hawaii, and California.  

I am also a mother to 3 children and a grandmother to 4 grandchildren. My goal for this year is to continue upholding C-Gulls as a forum for ladies to unite and be inspired. For many of us, CCYC is one of our main gathering places. We are surrounded by friends and good food and drink in a festive and fun atmosphere. C-Gulls is a ladies' auxiliary Club for CCYC, where we raise funds to make improvements to our yacht club.

We will have monthly meetings and luncheons where like-minded ladies with similar interestscome together in a positive setting to improve the state of our Club. 

I am happy to be here and to serve. Feel free to call me at 619-208-4893.