Merkle

Columbia-based marketing agency Merkle Inc. has acquired Metzner Schneider Associates, a loyalty marketing firm, for an undisclosed amount, the companies said Monday. The acquisition will allow Merkle to double the size of its marketing strategy consulting group from 35 employees to about 70 employees in the next year. The principals and founders of Dallas-based Metzner Schneider will lead a new practice group for Merkle that will develop customer loyalty programs for clients. Merkle has 1,000 employees, offices in Boston, Chicago, Denver, Little Rock, Minneapolis, New York, Philadelphia, Seattle and Hagerstown and clients including Dell, Samsung and GEICO.

Columbia-based Merkle is adding jobs at a breakneck pace — 200 this year and hundreds more in the past few years, during a time when many employers have held the line or cut back. Total workforce: 1,500. That's a heck of a change since chief executive David Williams bought the marketing company in 1988 and became employee No. 24. Williams, 48, had no marketing background when he leaped from a stock brokerage into entrepreneurship in his mid-20s. He simply wanted to run his own company, and Merkle was available.

Columbia-based marketing agency Merkle Inc. has acquired Metzner Schneider Associates, a loyalty marketing firm, for an undisclosed amount, the companies said Monday. The acquisition will allow Merkle to double the size of its marketing strategy consulting group from 35 employees to about 70 employees in the next year. The principals and founders of Dallas-based Metzner Schneider will lead a new practice group for Merkle that will develop customer loyalty programs for clients. Merkle has 1,000 employees, offices in Boston, Chicago, Denver, Little Rock, Minneapolis, New York, Philadelphia, Seattle and Hagerstown and clients including Dell, Samsung and GEICO.

Columbia-based marketing agency Merkle Inc. has acquired Metzner Schneider Associates, a loyalty marketing firm, for an undisclosed amount, the companies said Monday. The acquisition will allow Merkle to double the size of its marketing strategy consulting group from 35 employees to about 70 employees in the next year. The principals and founders of Dallas-based Metzner Schneider will lead a new practice group for Merkle that will develop customer loyalty programs for clients. Merkle has 1,000 employees, offices in Boston, Chicago, Denver, Little Rock, Minneapolis, New York, Philadelphia, Seattle and Hagerstown and clients including Dell, Samsung and GEICO.

On September 21, 2007, ADELINE MERKLE (nee Kilmer), beloved wife of the late Harry J. Merkle, loving mother of Carol Clapp, Gerald Merkle, Paula Burke, Donna Button and the late Ted Merkle; cherished grandmother of nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Memorial service will be held at the First Lutheran Church of Gray Manor, Sunday, September 30 at 2 P.M. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the First Lutheran Church of Gray Manor, 212 Oakwood Road, Dundalk, MD, 21222.

On Monday, December 13, 2004, JOHN A. MERKLE, age 88, of Lutherville, beloved husband of the late Marian (nee Maseth) Merkle; devoted father of John N. Merkle and Marvin G. Merkle; also survived by three grandchildren. A Graveside Service will be held on Thursday, December 16 at 10 A.M. at the Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society. Arrangements by Peaceful Alternatives Funeral and Cremation Center P.A.

On January 27, 2004, GEORGE J. "Butch" MERKLE, SR.; dear husband of the late Arla "Bunny", (nee Hardesty); beloved father of George J. Merkle, Jr., and Amelia Puderbaugh and the late Kenneth Merkle; loving brother of Joyce Hart, Robert and James Merkle; cherished grandfather of Tierney, Tawney, Tyler, Tyson, Arla and David Puderbaugh, IV, Candace, Christie, Michelle and Jennifer Merkle and Brandi and Josh Conner. A Memorial Service will be held at Heritage Community Church, 8146 Quarterfield Road, Severn, on Saturday at 1 P.M. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Hospice of the Chesapeake, 8424 Veterans Highway, Millersville, 21108.

On November 30, 2004, WALTER B. MERKLE of Granite, MD, passed on at the Gilchrist Center for Hospice Care (Towson). He was predeceased by his late wife Kimiko (nee Morita). He is survived by his son John W. (wife, Donna) of Towson, daughter, Donna J.M. Bailey (husband, Ernest) of Lansdowne, grandchildren Kelly and Paul Merkle and Brian S. Matthew Bailey. A memorial service will be held at the Lansdowne United Methodist Church, 114, Laverne Avenue, Lansdowne, MD, 21227, on Saturday, January 8, 2005, at 11 A.M. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Baltimore Streetcar Museum, Inc., 1901 Falls Road, POB 4881, Baltimore, MD, 21211 or a favorite charity.

Columbia-based marketing agency Merkle Inc. has acquired Metzner Schneider Associates, a loyalty marketing firm, for an undisclosed amount, the companies said Monday. The acquisition will allow Merkle to double the size of its marketing strategy consulting group from 35 employees to about 70 employees in the next year. The principals and founders of Dallas-based Metzner Schneider will lead a new practice group for Merkle that will develop customer loyalty programs for clients. Merkle has 1,000 employees, offices in Boston, Chicago, Denver, Little Rock, Minneapolis, New York, Philadelphia, Seattle and Hagerstown and clients including Dell, Samsung and GEICO.

My husband and I live in Baltimore and last fall we took a cruise to Bermuda. While touring the island, we climbed the Gibbs Hill Lighthouse. Built in 1844, it is the oldest cast-iron lighthouse in the world. Standing 117-feet tall, it offered an unparalleled view of the island and its distinctive architecture. This shot was captured 185-steps later amidst brisk winds along the gallery. The Baltimore Sun welcomes submissions for "My Best Shot." Photos should have been taken within the past year and be accompanied by a description of when and where you took the picture and your name, address and phone number.

Advertising * MGH announced the appointments of Robyn Bowers as media assistant, Katie Beach and Rusty Walters as word-of-mouth account coordinators, and Christopher LaRoche as traffic coordinator for the Owings Mills-based marketing communications agency. Education * John Hopkins University appointed Alison G. Milligan as senior director of its engineering for professionals program. She was formerly an engineering manager with LSI Logic Inc. Legal * McGuire Woods LLP announced that Jessica D. Fegan joined the law firm as an associate in the business and securities litigation department of its Baltimore office.

Incubator client gets federal pact Information Technology Corp., a client of the Center for Business and Technology Development's NeoTech Incubator, has signed a multiyear, multimillion-dollar contract with the U.S. Department of Labor. The company will help with Web site support and development, designing additions and modifications to the Labor Department Web site and supporting and improving its searchable databases. The contract is expected to stimulate significant growth for the company, which was established in 1999.

Inside the coffee lounge at Merkle Inc.'s soon-to-be-old Lanham headquarters is a countdown clock for the company's move to Columbia. It's T-minus 16 days and ticking. The move couldn't come fast enough for the database marketing company, which hired more than 80 employees since the beginning of the year to accommodate new business. Merkle expects to hire as many as 90 additional people by the end of the year as well as add 20 percent more employees annually for the next four years. By 2012, Merkle's work force in Howard County could more than double to 900. The company now has about 1,100 employees nationwide.

On September 21, 2007, ADELINE MERKLE (nee Kilmer), beloved wife of the late Harry J. Merkle, loving mother of Carol Clapp, Gerald Merkle, Paula Burke, Donna Button and the late Ted Merkle; cherished grandmother of nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Memorial service will be held at the First Lutheran Church of Gray Manor, Sunday, September 30 at 2 P.M. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the First Lutheran Church of Gray Manor, 212 Oakwood Road, Dundalk, MD, 21222.