Denis and his wife Patty reside in the Kennydale neighborhood. They have two grown daughters living in Renton and Covington. Prior to being elected mayor, he was the owner and president of Puget Sound Publishing Co. in Renton with publications that included the Renton Reporter, Kent Reporter, Auburn Reporter, Business Report and Renton Magazine.
In 2011, he was elected by the Board of Directors as the Vice President of the Suburban Cities Association of King County (SCA), an organization that represents 37 cities with a population of nearly 900,000. Denis is past chairman of the Greater Renton Chamber of Commerce, past president of the Renton Rotary Club, a past board member of the Renton Technical College Foundation and the Renton Community Foundation, and has served on the Downtown Renton Association.
Prior to starting his company in Renton, Denis co-owned a publishing company in Seattle that included seven community newspapers. He also served as vice-president of Pacific Media Group in Seattle and was former publisher of the Kirkland Courier in Kirkland and the Sammamish Valley News in Redmond.
During his publishing career, Denis earned more than 250 state and national journalism awards in photography, editing, advertising and newspaper design. He served on the boards of six chambers in Seattle and the Eastside; was appointed to the Seattle Mayor’s Small Business Task Force; served as president of the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association that represented 110 weekly newspapers and small daily newspapers throughout the state; and was a board member of Camp Fire Boys and Girls of East King County.
Denis currently serves on several boards and committees including:
In 2011, he was elected by the Board of Directors as the Vice President of the Suburban Cities Association of King County (SCA), an organization that represents 37 cities with a population of nearly 900,000. Denis is past chairman of the Greater Renton Chamber of Commerce, past president of the Renton Rotary Club, a past board member of the Renton Technical College Foundation and the Renton Community Foundation, and has served on the Downtown Renton Association.
Prior to starting his company in Renton, Denis co-owned a publishing company in Seattle that included seven community newspapers. He also served as vice-president of Pacific Media Group in Seattle and was former publisher of the Kirkland Courier in Kirkland and the Sammamish Valley News in Redmond.
During his publishing career, Denis earned more than 250 state and national journalism awards in photography, editing, advertising and newspaper design. He served on the boards of six chambers in Seattle and the Eastside; was appointed to the Seattle Mayor’s Small Business Task Force; served as president of the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association that represented 110 weekly newspapers and small daily newspapers throughout the state; and was a board member of Camp Fire Boys and Girls of East King County.
Denis currently serves on several boards and committees including:
- Executive Board of the Puget Sound Regional Council
- Valley Communications Center Administrative Board
- Communities In Schools of Renton Advisory Committee
- Renton Chamber of Commerce’s Blue Ribbon Committee, Chair
- Firemen's Pension Board, Chair
- King County Flood Control Zone District Advisory Committee
- South Correctional Entity (SCORE) Administrative Board
- Suburban Cities Association (SCA) Board of Directors
- Association of Washington Cities Health Care Subcommittee
- Renton Rotary board member
- King County Regional Policy Committee
