John McDonald is a resident of Galway, New York. He retired in February 2021 after a 40-year career in the financial field split between the banking industry and with the NYS Environmental Facilities Corporation as a Finance Manager. Mr. McDonald holds a B.S in Finance from Siena College in Albany New York.
Mr. McDonald is a member of the Saratoga Springs Lions Club, with his original club being the Waterford NY Lions. John has over 24 years of service with the Lions, and is a Past President of the Saratoga Springs club, where he currently serves as a Board Member. He has received the prestigious Melvin Jones Fellowship and Robert J. Uplinger award. Additionally, he has been recognized as Lion of the Year of the Saratoga Club and is both a Knight of the Blind and Bronze Lion of the Lions Eye Institute at Albany.
John served a term as the District Governor for the 35 Lions Clubs of District 20Y2 from 2017-2018.
Mr. McDonald has been involved with the Lions Eye Institute at Albany, NY since 1999. He has served as President and Board Chairman of both the Lions Eye Institute and the Lions Foundation at Albany. John was instrumental in developing the World Sight Day program at the LEI, arranging for Keller Johnson, the great grandniece of Helen Keller, to travel from Tuscumbia Alabama to the Capital District. The WSD program made presentations to approximately 10,000 students over a 10-year period covering many regional schools. The presentations educated 4th, 5th and 6th graders about the role the Lions play in the community and about the life and legacy of Helen Keller.
Currently, Mr. McDonald holds the position of Immediate Past President of Camp Abilities Saratoga.