Michael Merritt

Michael Merritt, Jr. has over 20 years of experience in brand marketing and management. Michael began their career as an Account Manager at Kellogg Company in 1998 and later worked as the Director of Sales Promotions at Jeremy's Microbatch Ice Cream. In 2000, they joined Nestlé as an Associate Brand Manager, where they managed a $82 million business and led product management for Kern's All Natural Nectar. From 2003 to 2010, Michael held various roles at Birds Eye Foods, including Marketing Manager and Senior Brand Manager, where they oversaw regional brands and implemented marketing strategies for frozen vegetables. Since 2010, they have been with Smithfield Foods, where they started as a Senior Brand Manager and was later promoted to Director and then Senior Director of Brand Marketing. In this role, they managed multi-brand portfolios worth billions of dollars, directed marketing teams, and developed brand campaigns and new product launches. Throughout their career, Michael has consistently demonstrated their expertise in driving volume, managing budgets, and achieving exceptional results.

Michael Merritt, Jr. holds a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Marketing from SUNY Geneseo and is currently pursuing an MBA in Marketing from the University at Buffalo.