G. Michael Merritt has a singular vision for Merritt, the company his father, George A. Merritt, founded in 1967: to be the best, most forward thinking and in-demand provider of ultra-high-end architectural millwork and joinery for residential estates and superyachts. Through his visionary leadership and a collaborative executive team, Merritt has become one of the world’s leading luxury interior solutions firms. Growing up in business, Michael has practiced every function of the trade and held nearly every key position in the company from cabinetry to operations and estimating. Today, Michael provides overall leadership and vision for the company and the Merritt team, practical hands-on technical coaching and mentoring, and provides project vision and design guidance to clients and Merritt’s internal team, all while guiding the company in controlled growth, and ensuring that the company continues to deliver only the best. Michael’s goals for Merritt today and in the future are clear: generate flawless results for their clients, mentor and motivate their employees and provide security and future opportunities to team members, vendors, and consultants.

Keith Merritt, younger son of founder George A. Merritt, has a long history within the company. Like his brother Michael, Keith has worked in nearly every position from production to manufacturing, logistics, plant management, engineering management, and project management. For many years he directly oversaw the day-to-day production operations. Today he provides strategic leadership on technical topics, leads the implementation of strategic initiatives, provides input to teams on design and “buildability”, and serves as master trainer, coach and mentor related to shop/production operations. Early on, Keith pledged himself to mastering old-world craftsmanship techniques to further Merritt’s foundation in the art of woodwork and joinery. This commitment combined with his passion for machinery and tools, positioned him perfectly for the strategic role he works in today. Along with the Merritt team, he continues to research the world’s finest most advanced equipment and creative people to create exquisite monumental architectural millwork.

Brandon Davis is a business partner in Merritt and formally began serving as President in 2023 with the launch of an updated strategic plan. Through strategic and tactical leadership, and a strong management team, he ensures the entire business achieves its strategic plan, operates effectively and efficiently, and delivers for its customers, partners, and team members. Prior to his formal full-time role at Merritt, Brandon had a twenty-five-year professional career in the design-build/GC side of the industry, including senior executive leadership roles from medium-size contractors to one of the largest firms in the industry. In true Midwest fashion, Brandon grew up in a family of railroading, manufacturing, farming and building, and started spending time on major construction sites with family members in early high school. He later started formally working as a laborer and started his professional career in the field as a superintendent. He has worked in multiple roles from superintendent to project controls, construction manager, and project manager/project executive before he started taking on executive management roles. In his executive roles he built a reputation for growing businesses while also driving them to operate more effectively and efficiently. Throughout his career he has dedicated himself to being a “builder” –more than a builder of the physical things made, but a builder of people, teams, companies, partnerships, and communities. In his role at Merritt, he continues this commitment to being a “builder” – while also being part of making/building some of the finest interiors in the world!

As part of the Merritt team for almost 13 years now, Gina Borovica is currently Merritt’s Director of Marketing. Creating the Merritt story and educating the world on Merritt’s handcrafted woodwork and many other capabilities is her primary focus. Gina also spends time collaborating with the internal Merritt team to innovate and continuously improve processes to ensure Merritt’s clients receive bespoke interiors with flawless execution. Prior to her career at Merritt, Gina has held various positions as Chief of Staff, Director of Marketing, Product Developer and Product Manager for multiple different companies and industries. Gina’s diverse experience across entrepreneurial start-ups, large corporations, and family-owned businesses in various industries has equipped her with the adaptability and insight needed to tackle challenges and drive Merritt’s continued growth and success. In her free time, Gina loves spending time outdoors and on the water. Family is extremely important to her and she is the proud mother of her daughter Allison.

Jennifer Berry brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to her role as Merritt’s Senior Human Resources Manager, where she has led the department since June 2023. She began her career in HR in 1996 and has had the privilege of working with and leading some of the top, most dynamic human resource teams across several global companies. Jennifer is committed to operating with integrity and building a people-first culture at Merritt, and she is passionate about furthering education and development across the organization. Outside of work, you can find her cheering on the Philadelphia Eagles or playing with her three dalmations, Scout, Hunter, and Tracker. Jennifer also enjoys traveling, visiting the beach, and trying out new restaurants.

As a member of the Merritt team since 2012, Daniel Genest holds the position of General Manager of SCI-Merritt, Merritt’s Carpentry and Installation division. Daniel oversees the installation of all jobs globally, including management of schedules, budgets, quality and the customer service experience. With prior experience at International Home Improvements, Eurotech Millwork and National Cabinet & Millwork, Daniel brings an abundance of expertise in carpentry and management to the company. In his free time, Daniel enjoys spending time with his wife and two daughters as well as watching NASCAR and football.

A veteran of Merritt since 2007, Don Alexander brings a passion for design and architecture to work every day. Prior to joining Merritt, Don owned and operated Falls Lumber and Millwork, a high-end architectural millwork firm. His personal knowledge of both the craft and business side of woodworking make him an ideal ally for both his clients and Merritt. Don oversees an exceptional team of project managers, project engineers, field installation managers and project coordinating staff. Together they provide comprehensive project direction and solutions for Merritt’s clients who include the most discerning general contractors, architects, designers and homeowners anywhere. Don sits on the Advisory Board for the University of Akron’s Interior School of Design and is also a guest lecturer for the school’s Design and Project Management courses.

Ian Agrell began modeling clay as a child at the encouragement of his parents. This love of working in three dimensions led him to first study woodcarving in 1961. Twenty years later, Ian was elected to the Master Carvers Association, a prestigious society of wood and stone carvers in the United Kingdom.In 1986, Ian moved to the United States to take on larger residential projects and to teach classical carving. Since then he and his team have been honored with commissions including Fulham Palace, Hampton Court, the United Kingdom Houses of Parliament, the Utah Governor’s Mansion and a throne for Pope Saint John Paul.After twenty years of partnering with Merritt on large high-end residential projects, Agrell Architectural Carving was acquired and now operates as Merritt’s in-house classical decoration team.Ian oversees all classical decoration operations for Merritt as well as staff training and program development.Ian is passionate about maintaining the art of classical woodcarving and to ensure the future of these unique skills, thirty years ago he founded the School of Classical Woodcarving where he teaches several classes each year.

Albert Peetoom joined Merritt in 2013 as a Project Principal specializing in the interior fit-out of custom yacht interiors, bringing with him more than 20 years of experience in that field. He transitioned to land based interiors and led his team to complete many successful projects for Merritt. Recently Albert has taken on the role of Project Controls Manager, as well as managing select individual projects. His deep experience in the yachting industry, particularly interior outfitting, informs his work at Merritt every day, both residential and nautical. Delivering extraordinary results to Merritt clients continually drives Albert and the team to excellence. Albert lives in Savannah, Georgia and enjoys playing acoustic guitar.

Serving as one of Merritt’s Project Principals, Bruce Bartholomew works with his project teams to manage, direct, and oversee projects with the goal to consistently deliver exceptional results. He ensures that deadlines are met, and all project goals are surpassed from the start to finish. Bruce has always had a passion and interest for the woodworking industry. Prior to joining Merritt, he held the position of Head of Production and Scheduling for 8 years at Rimi Woodcraft and Vice President of Production for 29 years at Mielach Woodwork. Bruce joined the Merritt family in 2018 as a Senior Project Manager, bringing his vast woodworking knowledge and experience with him. In 2022, Bruce was promoted to Project Principal. His dedication and determination to the craft inspire all of us at Merritt. Aside from woodworking, Bruce also has a passion and interest in vintage cars. He loves spending time with his family and getting some sunshine at the beach.

Kaan Duru joined the Merritt team in 2021 as a Project Principal. He works with his team to ensure that the client’s visions come to life in a way that surpasses their expectations. Prior to becoming part of the Merritt family, Kaan completed his undergraduate education in Istanbul, Turkey where he earned his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, specializing in construction management. He went on to receive his MBA at Florida Atlantic University. During his time in Florida, he discovered his passion for millwork and kickstarted started his career in woodworking. He now has over 25 years of experience within a variety of roles starting with engineering, then moving to project management, estimating, and sales, quickly making his way to oversee all these functions as a Director, Vice President and General Manager. For the last 12 years, he has taken his leadership abilities to the next level by guiding companies to become continuously improving partners to their client base. Outside of work, you can find Kaan swimming either in a pool or open water. He has always had a passion for the sport and still competitively competes today. He has two sons and has even taken on the role as Coach for their swim team. He says that swimming has taught him discipline and hard work and hopes to pass on the same values to his sons that the sport has endowed on him.

Peter Staedler, one of Merritt’s Project Principals, is responsible for projects from the very beginning until the end, when the project is delivered and installed. Those responsibilities include the oversight of the project, fiscal responsibility and adhering to budgets, engineering, procurement, coordination of manufacturing, delivery and installation. After graduating from college, Peter started his career at a cabinet shop in Switzerland, where he worked as a cabinet maker and installer. A few years later and prior to working at Merritt, he traveled to the United States and worked for Wavell-Huber Wood Products for 18 years. Building years of knowledge and experience in the industry, Peter was originally a cabinet maker, progressed to an installer for 10 years, and was then promoted to production manager for 4 years. Outside of work, Peter loves spending time outdoors while camping, fishing and horseback riding.

Emily Booth leads a multidisciplinary team of project managers, engineers, millworkers, and installers in executing luxury millwork projects worldwide. With a strong background in design and project management, Emily combines creative vision with operational excellence to ensure exceptional outcomes on every project. Emily holds a Bachelor of Arts in Interior Design from the College of Architecture and Design at Kent State University. She spent the first decade of her career as an interior designer and project manager in high-end residential design before transitioning into the millwork industry in 2017. Emily is passionate about collaborating with her talented colleagues and takes great pride in the quality and sophistication of the projects they deliver. Outside of work, Emily enjoys traveling, reading, and attending weekly yoga classes. She and her husband, Josh, share three children. She has also served as an adjunct professor of Interior Design at the University of Akron, sharing her industry knowledge with the next generation of designers.

As one of Merritt’s Project Principals, Maurice Zeini manages and directs projects and project teams to reach high-end results that align with each deadline and expectation. When Maurice joined Merritt’s team in 2019, he brought with him a strong background and years of valuable experience in yacht, hospitality and residential interiors. Prior to Merritt, he started his career as a master cabinet maker and quickly became promoted to a production manager and eventually an operations manager. In Maurice’s free time he loves spending time with his three daughters, cooking and playing and watching sports such as table tennis, squash, billiards and boxing.