Adam Vasquez, CEO

One of one.

Adam is the founder of Merit. The father of Market Invention. A true believer in Karmic Capitalism. And with his forward-looking gaze, he’s seen a brighter future for business and humankind. Now, he’s here to bring truth to all.

As the first economist to fully identify and describe the process of Market Invention in actionable marketing terms, he wrote the book on the subject — quite literally. Toothfish is the codification of the immutable laws that govern markets, and more importantly, how to break free from the constraining beliefs that no longer serve the greater good. With this universal knowledge, he’s been able to create billions in market value for organizations in North America, Europe, and Asia. But his ultimate goal isn’t merely shareholder value, it’s to bridge the gap between large enterprise control and an inclusive and sustainable economy for all.

Adam holds a Master of Science in E-Commerce from University of Maryland, a Master of Business Administration in E-Commerce from University of Maryland and a Bachelor of Arts from Randolph-Macon College in Studio. Adam is also a member of several non-profit boards.

Adam’s Industry Experience: Software, Crypto, Cyber Security, Transportation, Automotive, Insurance, Professional Services, Food and Beverage, Tourism, Higher Education, Non-Profits, Banking, Financial Services, Home Furnishings, Luxury, Electronics, Defense, Aerospace, Marine, Government, Logistics, Manufacturing.

Alex Rhodes, Chief Operations Officer

The goddess of collaboration.

And with her mythic powers, Alex does what others can’t. She’s cracked the code on how to bring everyone together (and she still won’t tell us her secret).

Leveraging her 15+ years of research, strategy, branding, digital and public relations experience, she fearlessly leads the Merit team in building impactful, integrated marketing programs. In her role as Chief Operations Officer at Merit, she unites her industry expertise and strategic knowledge of the client needs with unparalleled day-to-day communications and organization. The end result is optimized agency processes and infrastructure, built on collaboration, and ready to deliver powerful, innovative solutions for Merit clients.

Worship her. We do.

Alex has a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Penn State University with a minor in Public Relations. Alex also serves on the The Foundation for Enhancing Communities Marketing and Communications Committee as well as the Children’s Miracle Network Advisory Board.

Alex’s Industry Experience: Food & Beverage, Transportation, Automotive, E-sports, Wine and Spirits, Shopper Marketing/Retail, Technology, Manufacturing, Finance and Banking, Industry Associations, Energy, Government, Healthcare, Non-profits, Travel and Tourism, Defense, Aerospace, Professional Services.

William Hallgren, Chief Financial Officer

Curious and then some.

William is obsessed with finding out how things work, what’s behind the numbers and seeing the big picture come together.

Over his career in financial leadership, curiosity has fueled him every step of the way. He asked how healthcare could be better and answered his own question by starting his own company. He’s witnessed broken business processes and built better ones that drive real results. But through it all, his inquisitive nature has created new possibilities.

At Merit, William ensures we steward our resources so we can capitalize on opportunities for ourselves, our clients and our partners.

Curiosity is always the answer. It’s time to ask different questions.

William has an Associate of Science from the Consolidated School of Business. He specializes in analysis and reporting, project management, financial forecasting, training and development, recruitment and continuous process improvement.

William's Industry Experience: Insurance, Healthcare, Startups, Staffing, Manufacturing, Human Resources, Technology, Consulting, Finance, Banking, Mergers & Acquisitions.

Denise Kohnke, Chief Strategy Officer

Fear is the mind-killer. Good thing she’s fearless.

Denise has boldly led brand development for more than 100 organizations over the course of her storied career. By using the mystical principles of persuasion, a healthy dose of megatrend influences and loads of business savvy, she sees the path to an organization’s vision — and just as importantly — has the guts to see it through.

Denise was a former agency president, client-side marketing director and EVP of Strategy and New Business Development at a respected 200+ person agency. On top of that, she’s an award-winning copywriter and author of the fearlessly honest book, All of the Other Marketing Books are Crap.

Denise’s Industry Experience: Food & Beverage, Transportation/Automotive, Wine & Spirits, Shopper Marketing/Retail, Technology, Manufacturing, FinTech/Banking, Industry Associations, Government, Healthcare, Medical Products & GMOs, Non-profit/Advocacy, Travel & Tourism, Destinations, Professional Sports, Fashion & Luxury Brands, Restaurants, Health & Wellness, Professional Services, Higher Education, Cyber Security

Steve Drifka, Chief Creative Officer

The work. The work. The work.

Steve is a relentless idea man. And for over 20 years, in agencies big and small, with budgets large to non-existent, he’s worked to turn big ideas into needle-moving executions for his clients.

He’s worked on brands in nearly every industry, from sports drinks to sports cars, from healthcare to health foods. And through it all, Steve has maintained a ridiculously high bar for both the conceptual idea and production value because it all matters. Steve’s creative output and leadership regularly produce stunning executions that solve business problems.

And it’s not just us talking about his work. The creative industry is talking about it, too. To date, his shelves include most of the major creative industry awards such as Webby, Cannes, One Show, and Communications Arts among many others. Steve has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Design from the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design.

Steve’s Industry Experience: Apparel, Food & Beverage, Automotive & Motorcycles, Leisure & Entertainment, Travel & Tourism, Healthcare, Higher Education, Insurance, Pharmaceuticals, Sports Marketing, Consumer Packaged Goods, Tools & Home Improvement, Non-profit/Advocacy, Cyber Security, Finance & Banking.

Travis Knutson, Chief Technology Officer

Silicon-Valley smarts with a Midwestern accent.

Travis and technology are intertwined. He’s the type of guy that was coding websites and hacking where he shouldn’t have at age nine. But now he’s been reformed (mostly) and using his powers for good (entirely).

Most technologists focus on, well, the technology. Travis is an anomaly. By integrating the business side of technology in all that he does, he’s able to ensure return on investment, measurement and analytics, best practices and rigor in evaluating new innovations. He also has extensive search engine marketing experience across multiple sectors to boot.

Travis holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Graphic Design and a Minor in Computer Science and has won web design awards that include: Communication Arts Webpicks, Awwwards Nominee, National Silver ADDY Award, Webby Honoree, WMA Web Outstanding Web Site

Travis’ Industry Experience: Bicycles & Bicycle Components, Motorcycles, Marine Sports and Racing, Apparel, Printing, Financial Services, Banking, Higher Education, Radio Broadcasting, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Tourism, Non-profit/Advocacy, Professional Services.