Keweenaw National Historical Park Advisory Commission Members

Dan Jamison, At-large member

Mr. Jamison is currently the Vice President of Business and Legal Affairs for IDEX ASA, a Norwegian technology company that is putting fingerprint sensors on smartcards. He has a background in Intellectual Property, Finance and M&A. In addition to the Advisory Commission, Mr. Jamison is also on the Boards of the Quincy Mine Hoist Association, the Gogebic Community College Foundation, and the Calumet Theatre, where he serves as Chairman.

 

Gerald Juntunen, At-Large Member

Mr. Juntunen is a lifelong resident of the Keweenaw. A former miner with Calumet & Hecla and at the White Pine mine, Juntunen has first-hand experience with the lives and labors of the area’s copper mining past. Now retired, Mr. Juntunen most recently served as the Houghton County Building Inspector. In this position he helped NPS staff with compliance concerns relative to historic structures. If appointed, this would be Mr. Juntunen’s first term on the Commission.

 

Karin Cooper, Houghton County Board of Commissioners

Ms. Cooper currently works as a Project Architect with U.P. Engineers & Architects in Houghton, MI. She has an extensive background in preservation work and adaptive reuse of historic buildings. Ms. Cooper has previously worked on projects related to Keweenaw National Historical Park and is very familiar with the park.

 

Glenn Anderson, State of Michigan

Mr. Anderson is the former City Manager for the City of Hancock, MI. He is familiar with the work required to preserve and adaptively reuse historic buildings and has been a strong supporter of the park’s mission through his involvement with the Quincy Mine Hoist Association.

 

Mary Sears, Quincy-Franklin Township

Mrs. Sears is a retired RN specializing in Intensive Care. She came to the Upper Peninsula from Saginaw 22 years ago with her family. She has volunteered for or has been appointed to, many boards within the county. She is presently Franklin Township's Supervisor having held that position for the last 7 years. She was the founder and chairman of the Quincy Smelter Association, works with Brownfield eligible and reclamation areas within her township, served as chair and secretary of the Torch Lake PAC group, and works to restore the trail system by serving on the Houghton County Recreation Authority. Mrs. Sears hopes that her skill set will benefit the KNHPAC with their endeavor to preserve and relate the history of this great area.

 

Andrew Ranville, Village of Calumet

Mr. Ranville sits on the Village Council for Calumet as well as the Calumet DDA and Planning Commission. Ranville co-founded and is the Director for the Rabbit Island Foundation, a non-profit arts and environmental organization that hosts artists from all around the world in a competitive and internationally renowned residency program on an island in Lake Superior (near Rabbit Bay). Since late 2020, Ranville has helped the Keweenaw Outdoor Recreation Coalition (KORC) achieve its mission as Outreach Coordinator, reaching additional members and initiating projects vital to region’s rural economic success; historical and environmental preservation goals; and transition from an extractive sense of place to an experiential one.

 

Thomas Helppi, Charter Township of Calumet

Mr. Helppi has been working in construction for over twenty years. In that time, he was involved in several projects connected to historic preservation and adaptive reuse of historic properties. He believes a balance can be achieved in the interpretation and preservation of our nationally significant local history with present and future needs that will promote and grow the greater Copper Country community.