SB Profiles
The 2016 Executive Excellence Awards: Lifetime Achievement Award
When John Meisenbach launched MCM, the 727 was Boeings newest aircraft and the Seattle Worlds Fair was still a year away. Fifty-five years later, he still leads the privately held employee benefits consulting and insurance brokerage firm that serves some of the regions largest brands. Its been a big journey for Meisenbach, who grew up…
The 2016 Executive Excellence Awards: Bob Dzielak
EVP, General Counsel & Secretary, Expedia Inc.
Expedias big round of acquisitions, which includes the $1.3 billion purchase of Orbitz and $3.9 billion vacation rental site HomeAway, have provided plenty of work for Bob Dzielak. As the companys general counsel, he has guided most of the negotiations that have helped make the travel website a huge presence in the Seattle area. Although…
The 2016 Executive Excellence Awards: Margi Tooth
Head of Marketing, Trupanion Inc.
As the marketing executive for Trupanion, Margi Tooth understands that the real clients for the companys health care policies generally have four legs, not two. We are a pet company, she says, not just an insurance company. Its the welfare of the beloved animal that counts and the trust that pet owners place in the…
The 2016 Executive Excellence Awards: Sue Sherbrooke
CEO, YWCA Seattle King Snohomish
During her three decades leading the regional branch of the YWCA, Sue Sherbrooke has learned how talk and action go together. I have really come to understand and embrace the connection between the direct service work we do and advocacy for the women we serve, she says. Expanding housing options for women, she notes, goes…
The 2016 Executive Excellence Awards: Theo Beack
SVP & CTO, Vertafore Inc.
When Theo Beack arrived at Vertafore, he didnt know anything about the insurance industry the software solutions company served. But he was sure it was behind the times. Project schedules at the Bothell developer were still tracked using index cards and sticky notes. Spreadsheet data were being collated by hand. He promptly fixed those inefficiencies….
The 2016 Executive Excellence Awards: Kevin Klock
President & CEO, Talking Rain Beverage Company
When Kevin Klock joined Talking Rain Beverage Company in 2006, it was a sturdy producer that had spent nearly two decades bottling its iconic carbonated waters in the Northwest as well as private-label drinks for other clients. Now, as its CEO, he has brought the company to a robust market position with the Sparkling Ice…
The 2016 Executive Excellence Awards: Josh Neblett
Cofounder & CEO, Etailz Inc.
What has rapidly become a thriving, supplier-focused online retailer was built on the foundation of another dream. Josh Neblett confesses that his initial venture, GreenCupboards.com, was a glorified science project in its effort to develop and sell environmentally friendly household products online. After raising $288,000 in investment, it booked only $5,000 in sales its first…
The 2016 Executive Excellence Awards: Arthur Rubinfeld
Chief Creative Officer, Starbucks
When Howard Schultz returned to the helm of Starbucks in 2008 to reverse the companys flagging fortunes, he persuaded Arthur Rubinfeld, a close friend, to return as chief creative officer. Rubinfeld had led Starbucks real estate and design division in its early years, developing a strategy based on traffic patterns and demographics that drove its…
The 2016 Executive Excellence Awards: Mark Okazaki
Executive Director, Neighborhood House
Mark Okazakis ties to his own home drive him to serve people uprooted from theirs. The Seattle native has spent more than 30 years working in the citys low-income communities. Today, he leads Neighborhood House, which works to lift families out of homelessness and poverty by connecting at-risk individuals and families with organizations that provide…
The 2016 Executive Excellence Awards: Richard Galanti
EVP & CFO, Costco Wholesale Corporation
Costcos top financial executive was practically raised in the supermarket business. As the son and nephew of grocery store operators in the South, Richard Galanti recalls bagging groceries and cleaning floors from the age of 12. What it taught him, he says, was the importance of gaining the trust of your customer. When he was…
The 2016 Executive Excellence Awards: Mary Pugh
CEO & Chief Investment Officer, Pugh Capital Management
Running a boutique investment house for public and corporate pension funds, endowments and credit unions, Mary Pugh is what one of her clients calls a sleep-well-at-night manager of portfolios. That reputation for sound strategy has allowed her firm to be trusted by Boeing and the University of Washington for their fixed-income investments, along with other…