Aspirus Names Regional Presidents to Succeed Retiring Leaders

WISCONSIN (OnFocus) – Aspirus Health is pleased to announce the appointment of two new regional presidents. The appointees will succeed Robert Smith, President-Wisconsin Southeast Division, who will retire in September, and Brian Kief, President-Wisconsin South & Southwest Divisions, who will retire in December.

Carrie Penovich has been named President-Wisconsin Southeast Division, effective September 3. In this role, Penovich will have strategic and day-to-day operations oversight of Aspirus Plover Hospital and Aspirus Stevens Point Hospital.

Penovich has served in her current role as Chief Administrative Officer for Aspirus Health’s Wisconsin Southeast Division since 2022. Prior to joining Aspirus, she served as Chief Operations Officer with Catalpa Health in Appleton and with Aurora Health Care for 14 years in human resources and clinical services leadership.

Chris Squire will join Aspirus Health on September 3 as President-Wisconsin South & Southwest Divisions. In this role, Squire will provide strategic and day-to-day operations oversight of Aspirus Divine Savior Hospital in Portage and Aspirus Riverview Hospital in Wisconsin Rapids.

Squire joins Aspirus from Gaylord, Michigan, where he served with Munson Healthcare as President/CEO of Otsego Memorial Hospital since 2021. Prior to that, he was Vice President-Professional & Ancillary Services with Munson Healthcare and Otsego Memorial Hospital. In addition, Squire has served in a wide variety of healthcare leadership roles.

Aspirus Health is a nonprofit, community-directed health system based in Wausau, Wisconsin, serving northeastern Minnesota, northern and central Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The health system operates 18 hospitals and 130 outpatient locations with nearly 14,000 team members, including 1,300 employed physicians and advanced practice clinicians. Learn more at aspirus.org.

We welcome your stories! Contact us at [email protected]!