Background & Experience

Bob Merrick formed his own company in 1973, Robert W. Merrick, Inc., Realtors handling appraisal and brokerage with particular emphasis on commercial and industrial properties.  During that time, Bob and one of his mentors, Heidel Brown, negotiated numerous brokerage transactions of major Mississippi River industrial sites from Baton Rouge to Plaquemines Parish producing transactions in excess of $150,000,000 

 

In 1986, Bob purchased Latter & Blum, Inc./Realtors one of the largest and oldest, full service real estate companies in Louisiana.  Subsequent to this initial acquisition, Bob has acquired numerous local brokerage firms and has incorporated a mortgage firm a title company and insurance agency.  In 1995, Bob acquired C.J. Brown Realtors in Baton Rouge, the market leader in that area and in 2009 he acquired Noles Frye Realty in Alexandria Louisiana and in 2012 he acquired the largest real estate company in Lafayette, Louisiana, Van Eaton & Romeo. In 2015 Latter & Blum acquired one of the largest real estate companies in Houston, Realty Associates with over 2,000 agents.

 

Bob has dedicated much of his adult life to improving our region not only through his financial investments, but also through various civic organizations to which he volunteers his time. In 2015, Bob was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by Junior Achievement of Greater New Orleans. In the same year, he was honored as Distinguished Citizen of the Year by the Southeast Louisiana Council of the Boy Scouts and New Orleanian of the Year by Gambit Magazine. In 2014, Bob became the first Louisianan to join the United Way Million Dollar Roundtable, a national membership reserved for million dollar donors. In 2005, American Red Cross named Bob Humanitarian of the Year. Bob has served as Campaign Manager for United Way of Southeast Louisiana and the March of Dimes. He has served on Business School Advisory Boards at University of New Orleans and University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and as a Board Member for the Ruth U. Fertel Foundation, Boy Scouts of America, Salvation Army, and WYES-TV, among others. Bob is truly a visionary leader who has helped Louisiana grow. His example inspires us to do the same.

 

Bob is also committed to the higher education of the children of his employees and associates granting 15 scholarships each year. This scholarship fund has now granted over $500,000.00 to these deserving young adults.

 

Education

Tulane University (B.A. Degree) 1967

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