The Regional Advisory Council (RAC) at Marquette General Health System has a new chairperson for the 2006 calendar year.

Bob Maki of Crystal Falls, previously the vice chair of the organization, has been elected chairperson, replacing Dr. MaryAnne Shannon of Sault Ste. Marie.

Clyde Strasler of Manistique, a retired Chairman of the Board of the State Savings Bank of Manistique, is the new vice chair.

Bob Maki - Chairperson

Clyde Strasler - Vice Chair

Besides the aforementioned chair and vice chair, the RAC is comprised of Bill Coffey of L’Anse, Bradley Cory of Marquette, Peter Getzen of Menominee, Gary LaPlant of Escanaba, Jim Lorenson of Ironwood, Helen McGregor of Iron Mountain, William Peltier of Newberry, Shannon, Dr. Dale Tahtinen of Houghton and Bob Zander of Calumet.

Coffey is a retired Friend of the Court referee and retired state police officer who sits on the Baraga County Memorial Hospital Board of Trustees; Cory is a retired administrator of the Marquette County Medical Care Facility in Ishpeming; Getzen is the mayor of Stephenson and is a retired state police officer; LaPlant is the executive director of the Community Foundations for the Upper Peninsula and Delta County; Lorenson is the dean of instruction at Gogebic Community College in Ironwood; McGregor is the editor of Mrs. McGregor’s Fifty Plus Monthly Publication & Upper Peninsula and Northeastern Wisconsin Woman; Peltier is the interim superintendent of the Moran Township School District in St. Ignace; Shannon is a professor of nursing at the School of Nursing at Lake Superior State University; Dr. Tahtinen is vice president of government relations and secretary for the Board of Control at Michigan Tech University; and Zander is the owner of the LeVeque Insurance Agency in Calumet. He’s a former Board member of Keweenaw Memorial Medical Center.

Formed in 1994, the RAC consists of 13 members — recommended by area providers from across the Upper Peninsula. Appointed by the MGHS Board of Trustees, the RAC meets three times a year to consider, discuss and make recommendations to the MGHS Board of Trustees that will further the hospital's mission to improve health care in partnership with community hospitals and other providers throughout Upper Michigan.

Area residents who have concerns or questions of the RAC are encouraged to write the RAC at P.O. Box 200, Marquette, MI 49855, or e-mail comments and/or suggestions to the RAC at .