Chamber seeks business award nominations
The Mercer Island Chamber of Commerce is taking nominations for its second annual Business of the Year Award. The chamber is looking for local businesses that have had a significant impact on the Island’s economic vitality and businesses that have brought value and benefit to the community.
Last year’s winner was Island Books and owner Roger Page. Forms are available from the chamber office, 7613 S.E. 27th St., as well as at chamber luncheons. The deadline to submit the nominations is Monday, Oct. 10. For information call the chamber office at 232-3404.
Island native launches engineering firm
Mercer Island native William Broz has launched a new Seattle-based forensic mechanical engineering firm, WRB Engineering, PLLC. Broz is a former principal of McGowan Broz Engineering, PLLC. The firm’s areas of expertise include HVAC, plumbing, industrial piping design, pipe stress analysis, cold regions engineering, lifecycle cost analysis and standard-of-care issues, and will focus on forensic investigations and litgation support. The firm is located at 11055 Marine View Place S.W. in Seattle and can be reached at 206-243-7484.
New executives at GMI
The Internet-based market research company Global Market Insite, Inc. announced the appointment of Richard Scionti as vice president of the Global Enterprise Solutions Group last week.
The company, which has a Mercer Island office, announced in August the appointment of Larry Schack as its vice president of global client services and Mark Houston’s promotion to chief marketing officer. Schack will lead and manage the company’s efforts in the United States, Europe, Latin America, China, Asia Pacific and Japan.
Scionti’s appointment comes after the company acquired NetReflector of Seattle, MI Pro AS of Norway and Insight of China. GMI’s goal, according to a press release, is to link research suppliers, research buyers and respondents in real time on a global scale.
Sconti has served as worldwide chief information officer for Research International Group in London and was responsible for strategy and implementation of IT and applied technologies for 58 offices. He has also worked for Cambridge Reports in Massachusetts and SPSS Inc. Scionti will be based in New Jersey.
Schack is experienced in communications and market research. He comes to GMI directly from Penn, Schoen and Berland, a consulting, communications, and market research firm within the WPP Group, where he established a Seattle branch and and account with Microsoft.
Schack worked previously for Microsoft, first as a member of the corporate research group, then with the company’s corporate communications team. His other experience includes research and polling for the Virginia General Assembly, as well as the University of Virginia and Virginia Commonwealth University’s Center for Public Policy, where he remains an instructor and research associate.
Schack received a doctorate in government and foreign affairs from the University of Virginia, a master’s degree in political science from the University of Richmond, and bachelor’s degree from Wake Forest University.
Houston is a marketing veteran who has been with GMI since May 2002.
He was the president and CEO of the California Kiwifruit Commission, where he developed national and international marketing programs.
Founded in 1999, GMI has operations on five continents. More information is available at www.gmi-mr.com.
McNeill joins Island orthodontic practice
R. William McNeill, D.D.S., M.S., has joined Dr. Carol Knaup in forming Mercer Island Orthodontic Associates. The new association will continue in the present location at 2817 80th Ave. S.E.
McNeill is already well known to many Island families since he has been sharing patient care responsibilities with Knaup for several years on a part-time basis.
“Bill brings with him a wealth of academic and clinical experience which enrich and enhance our practice,” said Knaup in a press release. “He was one of the greatly loved and respected professors at the University of Washington Department of Orthodontics. In addition to his impressive professional experience, he is just such a fine person whom our patients and staff have very much enjoyed interacting with.”
McNeill received a dental degree at the University of Pennsylvania in addition to a master’s degree in physical anthropology. He completed a National Institutes of Health research fellowship at Philadelphia Children’s Hospital before coming to the University of Washington for his orthodontic specialty residency.
He joined the UW Department of Orthodontics graduate faculty, where he taught and guided graduate student research for more than 20 years. During this time, McNeill published more than 50 scientific articles and book chapters. He was often invited to lecture at universities and professional societies in North and South America, Europe, and Asia.
He was president of the Pacific Coast Society of Orthodontists as well as the University of Washington Orthodontic Alumni Association, and has served on committees and councils of the American Association of Orthodontists. In recognition of his professional expertise, McNeill was selected as a Diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics.
For many years McNeill combined his academic career with private practice in Seattle’s Laurelhurst neighborhood, where he lived with his family, and later near Evergreen Hospital in Kirkland.
McNeill said he feels “especially fortunate to have had such a rich teaching and research experience interwoven with private practice.”
Knaup said that the two are making a valuable addition to the Mercer Island healthcare community by forming Mercer Island Orthodontic Associates.
The business can be reached at 232-9600.
