Photo provided by: Heather Wanniger, Sweet Lemonade Photography
By FRED KRONER
fred@mahometnews.com
Mahomet Chamber of Commerce 2020 Award Winners
Overall Business of the Year – Area Garbage, Bud Boller
Small Business of the Year –Yellow & Company, Elizabeth VanHoutan McDermith
Food Service Business of the Year – Filippo’s Pizza, Brigi and Jerry Paris
Health & Wellness Business of the Year – The Rock Counseling Group, R.J. and Staci McNicholl
Startup Business of the Year – Ruff Dayz, Tim and Lacy Belangee
Community Servant of the Year – Mahomet-Seymour schools superintendent, Dr. Lindsey Hall
Volunteer of the Year – Raptor Power Systems, Evan El Koury
The Mahomet Daily will post a series of profiles on each of the award winners, who were recognized at the annual Chamber of Commerce banquet on Friday night at Mahomet’s Grace Church. To see the other articles, click on the link associated with each business name above.
THE ROCK COUNSELING GROUP, R.J. and Staci McNicholl
The outpatient mental health clinic has been based in Champaign since 2010 and opened a branch in Mahomet (at 1002 Commercial Drive, Suite 2) in April, 2019.
“It has grown and developed quite nicely,” co-owner R.J. McNicholl said. “We have a steady clientele of all ages.”
The McNicholls had been looking to expand and – after purchasing a home in Mahomet in 2017 – liked the convenience of their new location.
“It’s close to other providers that we work with (such as Carle Clinic, Christie Clinic and Gibson Health),” R.J. McNicholl said. “We were looking for space, and this space was open.”
The Rock Counseling Group has 14 therapists, five of whom work predominantly in Mahomet.
“We all have our own specialties,” R.J. McNicholl said.
They work with individuals, families, couples and also provide marriage counseling.
“All therapists have the ability to have appointments at both offices,” R.J. McNicholl said. “That makes it convenient.
“People live in one town and work in another. Some weeks, it might be more convenient to be at one location than the other. They will always be with the same therapist.”
On Friday, The Rock Counseling Group was recognized by the Mahomet Area Chamber of Commerce as the Health and Wellness Business of the Year.
“We’re honored to be one of those businesses that have an impact here,” R.J. McNicholl said.
One part of the business model is to create a time for patients to be seen as quickly as possible.
“When people are calling, there’s something going on in the moment,” R.J. McNicholl said. “We try not to have people wait.
“When they call, the reach client services. They figure out who the best therapist is (for the specific caller) and many times, get in within the same week.”
The McNicholls each have their degrees in social work and have been employed in a variety of related areas.
“We had done therapy for a long time and decided there was a need to build an outpatient facility and support our community,” said R.J. McNicholl, the former director of admissions at the Pavilion, in Champaign.
“We’re happy with the reception from the community and happy with the way we’ve worked with other businesses and supported the community.”
