MI Athletic Club Founder/Owner Ginny Pietila with Chamber of Commerce Director Laurie Givan

On January 11th at its monthly Membership Luncheon, the Mercer Island Chamber of Commerce announced Mercer Island’s 2017 Business of the Year. This year, the honor goes to MI Athletic Club and founder/owner Ginny Pietila.

The winner of Business of the Year award is selected by a committee of six representatives from the Chamber of Commerce, who met in December 2017 to review the nominations. The nominees for this year were the French American School of Puget Sound, MI Athletic Club, Mercer Island Martial Arts, New Seasons Market, Studio 904, and Yogabliss. At the luncheon, they acknowledged all six nominees and gave a round of applause for their contributions to the community.

After announcing the winner at this year’s luncheon, the Chamber’s Board President Ralph Swanson shared how Ginny and her team “have worked tirelessly to build a community within the walls of their club and to contribute to the community of Mercer Island in ways we should all be grateful.”

MI Athletic Club first opened its doors three years ago, and since then, they’ve partnered with local businesses, schools, and organizations to promote healthy activities on Mercer Island. They have also donated over $25,000 in cash and in-kind donations to local Mercer Island causes and organizations. Their motto is “to motivate, inspire, and empower with integrity in everything we do,” which is seen in their actions as a business and within the community.

He shared several examples of the ways that MI Athletic Club brings people together on Mercer Island, including their support and contributions to local charities, including Mercer Island Youth & Family Services and Mercer Island Young Life; their sponsorship of local events, including Art UnCorked, Steps & Reps, and the Run Like a Girl 5K; and their partnerships and collaborations with Mercer Island schools, New Seasons Market, and other organizations.

Before handing the award to Ginny, Ralph emphasized that MI Athletic Club is more than a business but a place that “employs people who focus on people.” He went on to say that they “understand the value and importance that these relationships play in creating sustainable community assets that contribute to the health and vitality of the populations they serve.”

We reached out to Ginny to find out her reaction to the award, and she shared the following:

We are humbled, honored and beyond grateful to be recognized by the Mercer Island Chamber of Commerce as the 2017 Business of the Year!  Since opening our doors three short years ago, our driving mission continues to be to serve the community of Mercer Island from all angles. Of course, we love to help everyone we can realize the healthy, energetic self that resides in them … but far beyond that, we strive to support our fellow local businesses – MIYFS, Mercer Island schools, the Mercer Island Rotary Half Marathon, Mercer Island Young Life, and many other local institutions. Our community is unique and special. Whenever we put out the ask for help/donations, it is answered with unwavering enthusiasm by our MIAC Family. We are proud to accept this award as a TEAM and FAMILY.  We take pride in being locally owned and locally operated. We look forward to many years ahead full of hard work, sore muscles, and community support.

Congratulations to Ginny and her team at MI Athletic Club for this well-deserved award!

Visit the MI Athletic Club’s website at www.miathleticclub.com.