Board of Trustees

Join Our Board of Trustees

Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital Board of Trustees thanks the residents of the county for making Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital one of the top Rural Health facilities in the Unites States.  Our mission is to provide quality health and wellness services to the people of our region.  Your participation and use of our services brings to reality our motto that “we will be the trusted first choice for our patients, staff and physicians”. 

We appreciate your support and are proud to serve our community. Periodically, we remind residents of opportunities to serve your community by volunteering at SMH.  We can use your time, talents, expertise and interest in a variety of ways including a trustee position, a committee assignment, grant writer, fund raiser, volunteer  greeter, healing  garden group member, emergency preparedness corps member, and other opportunities.

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Peter J. Hood, Chair

Peter was appointed to the Board of Trustees on 10/12/2017 and his term expires 12/31/2026. He is a retired attorney from the firm of Nielsen, Zehe & Antas in Chicago.  Peter also worked in the insurance industry for nearly 30 years before entering into the practice of law.   Peter was born and raised in Manistique and has retained a connection to the area throughout his life.  He and his wife moved back to Manistique in 2016.

During his years in the insurance industry, Peter served in various capacities including claim manager, catastrophe management and planning, corporate planning and coordinating executive compensation and claim vice president.  He has frequently presented at insurance industry and bar association conferences on insurance related matters.  He has also served on numerous insurance industry and charitable organization boards prior to joining the board at Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital.

Jim Blanchard, Vice Chair

Jim was appointed to the Board of Trustees 01//01/2019 and his current term expires on 12/31/2024. Jim currently serves as a senior advisor in his family owned and operated small business, Clear Fortress Window Solutions, located in Rochester Hills, Michigan. Jim and his wife Sara became permanent residents of Manistique in 2015, relocating from Wixom, Michigan.

Prior to founding his company in 2010, Jim was the General Manager for Loomis Armored Company in Highland Park, Michigan. Previous to Loomis, he was the General Manager of Guardian Alarm Company and Guardian Armored Company in Southfield, Michigan. Jim also was the General Sales Manager for Interstate Brands Corporation in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Jim holds a BBA from Davenport College. He is currently the Trustee Chair for First United Methodist Church in Manistique.

Kevin Knaffla, Treasurer

Appointed to the board of trustees on 8/13/2020 and his term expires on 12/31/2022.

Cindy Olli, Secretary

Cindy Olli was appointed to the Board of Trustees on 06/25/2020 and her term expires 12/31/2026. She retired from Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital in 2018 after 38 years of service.  She held various Nursing positions throughout her hire, including Chief Nursing Officer from 2008 – 2018.

Cindy’s education includes a Master of Science in Nursing – Leadership and Management from Western Governors University, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Wisconsin – Green Bay, an Associate Degree in Nursing from Bay College, and a License Practical Nursing degree from Northern Michigan University.  She has a board certification as a Nurse Executive.

As an employee of SMH, Cindy was involved in many different committees and projects. She currently volunteers as a SMH Greeter and is a Congregation Council member of the Zion Lutheran Church. She was born and raised in Manistique and lives here with her husband, Randy.

Howard Parmentier

Appointed to the Board of Trustees 6/24/2021 and his term expires 12/31/2022.

Howard is the Superintendent of Manistique Area Schools. Prior to coming to the Manistique, his professional experience has consisted of working in several Michigan school districts including Chassell Township Schools as a Superintendent/Principal, Hancock Public Schools as an Elementary Principal, Flint Community Schools and Detroit Public Schools as a teacher.

Howard is involved in the ADA (American Diabetes Association) and the JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) where he supports children with diabetes. He was the director of Camp Midicha (2008-2014). This is a residential camp for children with diabetes organized through the American Diabetes Association. After stepping down as camp director he continues to volunteer each summer.

Howard’s vision for Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital is very simplistic, he would like to see growth in areas of service that will benefit our community.

Kelly George

Kelly was appointed to the Board of Trustees on 03/14/2024 and his term expires 12/31/2024.

Kelly’s 30+ year bank career began as a Management Trainee and has grown to include the roles of Commercial Lender, Safety and Soundness Examiner, Chief Credit Officer and 15 years as the President, CEO and Director of mBank, a $1.5 Billion public banking company headquartered in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan with 25 offices and 350 staff members until its divestiture in September 2021.

During his time as President and CEO, Kelly led the bank’s growth strategies both organically and through five whole bank acquisitions from 2014–2018, multiple capital procurement initiatives, and business line diversifications to enhance shareholder value. Kelly joined mBank in 2003 as Executive Vice President and Chief Credit Officer in charge of the regulatory and lending administration turnaround of the former North Country Bank and Trust in Manistique, MI. After the successful rehabilitation of the troubled bank, recapitalization, and rebranding, he was promoted in 2006 to President and CEO of mBank and President of Mackinac Financial Corporation, its Holding Company and appointed to both Boards of Directors. Kelly was involved with numerous civic and charitable undertakings during his long tenure as President and CEO of mBank.

Prior to mBank, Kelly was the Senior Vice President and Chief Lending Officer of a $350 million community bank in North Central Ohio, also in charge of the credit administration and regulatory turnaround. He also served as a Safety and Soundness Examiner-In-Charge at the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, where he was responsible for the oversight of FRB-regulated community banking institutions, along with assisting with examinations of larger complex bank holding companies in the district and shared national credit reviews. Kelly’s areas of expertise include a strong management track record in community banking executive leadership with both private and public companies with an extensive enterprise risk management, lending and credit background, mergers and acquisitions negotiations and diligence. Kelly is a graduate of The Ohio State University with a B.S. in economics and a minor
in finance.

Kelly now resides on the Garden Peninsula with his wife, Victoria, and three dogs, Leo, Aeriel, and Kane. He was a founding Board Member of InvestUP through his prior position at mBank and remains active with the organization through the Build U.P. Fund, which his business Mackinac Credit + Compliance helps oversee. He enjoys spending time with his dogs, being outdoors, and, of course, the fall deer season with his friends.

Dennis A Wiethoff (Wheaty) BS/MA  

Dennis was appointed to the Board of Trustees on 08/11/2022 and his term expires 12/31/2022.

Dennis was born in Detroit and moved to Marquette in 1969 to attend NMU. Upon graduation he stayed and worked in the U.P. for 30 years. He moved to Florida to assist with aging parents in 2000 and returned to the U.P. in 2015 where he purchased a home on Indian Lake. 

A graduate of Northern Michigan University. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Communications and Business Administration. He also received a Masters degree in Public Administration. His career included several professional administration positions including Director of Finance and Administration for the Upper Peninsula Health Education Corporation (UPHEC) a remote campus of Michigan State College of Human Medicine, Director of Administration for Butch, Quinn, Rosemurgy Law Firm, Director of Health & Human Services or Hannahville Indian Community, Owner/Operator of Superior Physicians Association an Emergency Room Physician staffing company serving rural Upper Peninsula hospitals. 

He served as President of the Delta County Chamber of Commerce, Founding member of the Delta County EDC, President & Board Member of Group Teaching Homes of Boy’s Town, Selected Tribal Health Director of the Year for the Bemidji 5 state area. 

He enjoys spending time with his partner Carolyn Peterson and 2 dogs. He has 3 children and 5 granddaughters who live in the U.P. and Northern Wisconsin. He also enjoys outdoor activities and is an avid outdoor photographer.

Mark Cardamone-Rayner, M.D.

Mark Cardamone-Rayner,  M.D., FACS joins SMH as an Otolaryngologist (Ear, Nose & Throat) Specialist.  He attended medical school at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and completed his residency at the University of Minnesota.  He is Board Certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology. Dr. Cardamone-Rayner currently serves as the Chief Medical Officer for Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital.

In his spare time Dr. Cardamone-Rayner loves to tour on his Harley Davidson with his wife Amy.  He has recently learned to fly and now has his private pilot license.  He enjoys upland bird hunting and recreational shooting.  Prior to medical school,  he was a certified executive chef and restaurant owner.  He loves to spend his free time in the outdoors, gardening, camping, canoeing and exploring new areas.  To top it off, he plays piano on a daily basis.  Dr. Cardamone-Rayner chose Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital in search of a more intimate medical experience with a small community where he could establish relationships and contribute to the growth of a medical practice.

Kristi Kusnier, MD

Board Certified in Family Medicine

Dr. Kristi Kusnier graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor with a double major in English Literature and Biology.  She earned her medical degree from Wayne State University, and completed her post graduate training in the upper peninsula at the Marquette General Family Medicine Residency Program in Marquette.  She is board certified in family medicine.  In addition to her busy patient practice, Dr. Kusnier currently serves as Medical Director of the Schoolcraft Memorial Rural Health Clinic.  She has received additional certification in wound care and serves as collaborative physician for our wound care team.  She is also the medical director for SCMH Homecare and Hospice.

Dr. Kusnier has been a Schoolcraft County resident since 2007.  She enjoys spending time with her husband, Louis, and two children.   She is an avid traveler who enjoys exploring new cultures and cuisines.  In her free time, she enjoys reading, cooking and gardening.  She loves the arts, and her current hobbies include watercolor painting and stained-glass mosaic.  She also enjoys kayaking, snowshoeing, walking the beach, and soaking in all the beauty of our local area.