MER International was established in July 2010. MER (MARE) is the French word for “SEA.” Inspired by endless opportunity and a specific skill set necessary to master it, the sea is a daily reminder of how seemingly insignificant we can be or how much opportunity we have before us. As long as we continually strive to learn and apply experiences with our intuition we can bring value to our clients…our business. We focus on bringing ingenuity to your operations. Ingenuity is defined as A skill or cleverness that allows someone to solve problems, invent things. While Innovation can be a game changer, Ingenuity in problem solving translates to game changing attributes in the market place. Our team is committed to bringing solutions to your business that others may not always consider. Meet our team and we invite you to contact us to explore how we can help you better penetrate your market.
Paul Cherney - Managing Director
Paul Cherney founded MER Holdings in 2010 with a singular vision to help other businesses get to market. Paul’s intrigue with consumers and their behavior is at the center of MER’s mission. Prior to founding MER, Paul was charged with bringing a new brand of yachts to market. He led a cross-functional team and successfully built the business by relentlessly observing – and serving – consumer needs; resulting in the achievement of 5-year business objectives in the third year of operations. By 2006 the new brand achieved a global footprint and quickly grew to the #1 market share position in North America. Paul believes in open engagement with the marketplace thereby eliminating unnecessary barriers. He continues to employ a few simple business principals every day at MER International. These principles are based on internal drivers and tendencies while accommodating external, market forces with intuitiveness, ingenuity and agility.
email: paulcherney@mercompanies.com
Phone: +1.888.610.7285 ext. 102
Anne Cherney - Business Director
Anne has a long career in general management & entrepreneurship and is responsible for all accounting services and personnel management. The organization’s commitment to be a strategic partner with our clients is achieved through our people and the infrastructure responsible for bottom line development and productivity. Anne’s background in Human Resource Management has provided a strong foundation for the continued development and management of our most valuable asset – people. Anne has built and successfully implemented programs and policies that impact many areas of our company, including our clients. Anne is responsible for all of our client relationships and focuses on establishing value-added, ongoing, mutually profitable partnerships.
email: annecherney@mercompanies.com
Phone: +1.888.610.7285 ext. 103
Ashley Smith - Account Executive
Ashley is a valued and trusted marketing professional with over 15 years experience. She began her career by collecting and analyzing market research for voice of the customer initiatives. She continued with field work gaining experience in delivering marketing services aimed at multiple channels within the luxury, marine and environmental space. Her career focus has been delivering influence aimed at consumers, dealers, partners, suppliers and internal stakeholders. A champion at delivering on promises, Ashley is attentive to our clients’ needs and is able to conceptualize ideas, develop action plans and execute the plans. Her service mindset and thorough communication skills keeps her nimble enabling her to quickly get teams aligned for success, no matter the time table or unexpected roadblocks. Her passion is customer satisfaction and event management through creating and managing unforgettable business events and getaways continuously executed to the last detail. It is this meticulous work that has earned her clients unilateral trust.
email: ashleysmith@mercompanies.com
Phone: +1.888.610.7285 ext. 104
Tom Calabrese - Creative Director
Tom brings nearly 30 years of strategic and creative direction experience to the team at MER. A native Wisconsinite, he started his career as a copywriter and account executive, giving him a combination of strategic and creative thinking that is rare among creatives today. Tom’s category experience is quite varied including marine products, healthcare, homebuilding/development, retail, financial, automotive, hospitality, tourism, sports management and many others.
He has been involved in planning dozens of large scale business meetings, trade and retail shows, and other branded events. Understanding how to dovetail these into a brand’s overall marketing efforts, he has successfully themed, written, and produced all aspects of them. A believer in examining a brand from all angles prior to putting any finished ideas on paper, Tom often likens doing anything on a knee jerk to malpractice–and with his Italian last name, legal entanglements are something he tries to avoid.
Stephen Troell - Graphics Director
Stephen has been in professional Graphics Design since 1998. He has both worked with the end user and managed a full service, creative arm of a design agency. In addition to his oversight of our Graphic Design business, Stephen also manages our middle east graphic design operation. He is integral in the creative development necessary to drive a strategic position or to fulfill and support a strategic plan. Stephen works directly with our clients to drive projects with a wide array of creative services, capabilities and strengths. Stephen continuously brings unique perspectives to our clients maintaining bottom line, business effects.
email: stephentroell@mercompanies.com
Phone: +1.888.610.7285 ext. 106
Mike Hungerford - Account Executive
Mike began his career in the marine business through technical writing and staff captain. With an engineering background, Mike manages technical writing, documentation and layout for collateral material ensuring accuracy and on time information sharing. Mike supports the development of the materials services business and drives site execution throughout the world. Mike is often seen on location managing projects and executing through many unique roles – both passive and in a more managerial role. He has been around customers for more than three decades and continuously employs the customer perspective on a daily basis.
e-mail: mikehungerford@mercompanies.com
Phone: +1.888.610.7285 ext. 105
Janis Trupovnieks - Partner; Board Member
Janis “Jani” Trupovnieks has been an active partner serving on the board of directors specializing in channel development strategies and sales & distribution. His more than 30 years of sales & distribution management has prepared him to successfully adopt varied distribution strategies to changing market conditions without disrupting your business. Distribution channels – direct to market, 2 tier and 3 tier – and product management are a common focal point for most businesses, Jani’s knowledge and experiences help guide our clients to optimize their channel and build long lasting, profitable partnerships.
email: janist@mercompanies.com