Interpublic's MWW Group has acquired The Silver Co. in Seattle, and has changed the name of its MWW/Savitt office in the city to MWW Group. That move reflects the exit of Kathy Savitt, who had headed the office since '95 and left for Amazon.com in November.

Bob Silver is now general manager of MWW's Seattle unit. His firm counts American Seafoods Corp., Mercury Online Solutions and Mackay Restaurant Group as clients.

Silver was an editor and reporter for more than a dozen years, working for The Seattle Times, St. Petersburg Times and Niagara Gazette. Coverage of the Love Canal environmental disaster is among his journalism highlights.

Melissa Ransdell, who has more than 20 years of experience in PR, advertising and marketing, also joins MWW from TSC.