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When she founded the firm in 1985 that bears her name, Sharon Merrill's idea was to create a new kind of investor relations consultancy where dedication to both client service and professional innovation would lead to long-term relationships with New England's most esteemed companies. Staffed by a team of financial and corporate communications professionals as well as business journalists, Sharon Merrill Associates rapidly made its mark as a provider of cutting-edge investor relations and corporate communications counsel and services. After nearly two decades, the agency continues to expand both its client base and professional influence under Sharon's leadership. The agency's success has established Sharon as one of New England's most recognized names in investor relations.
Sharon's 35-year career has been marked by accomplishment and recognition in every facet of investor relations practice. Prior to forming Sharon Merrill Associates, she established and managed the investor relations function at Lotus Development Corporation. Before joining Lotus, Sharon served as vice president and managed the investor relations practice at what was then New England's largest full-service public relations agency. Earlier in her career, she was a securities analyst with The Boston Company, Inc. and also held positions with State Street Research & Management Co., a Boston investment firm. Sharon is the recipient of numerous professional awards, including the Mead Annual Report Show Award of Excellence; the Communication Arts Awards, Certificate of Excellence; Hatch Awards for Annual Reports; Financial World Annual Report Awards; Public Relations Society of America Silver Anvil Awards and Publicity Club of Boston Bell Ringer Awards. In 1997 and 1998 she was named finalist in the New England Entrepreneur Of The Year competition.
Sharon holds an MBA from the Simmons College Graduate School of Management and an AS degree from Colby Sawyer College. She is a past president and director of the Boston Chapter of the National Investor Relations Institute (NIRI) and is a member of the national Steering Committee of NIRI's Senior IR Roundtable. Sharon serves on the boards of directors of the Boston Chapter of the National Association of Corporate Directors and the Boston Chapter of Financial Executives International. She is also a member of the Treasurers' Club of Boston, The Commonwealth Institute and The Boston Club Entrepreneurs' Circle. In 1981 she created a graduate level course, "Investor and Financial Communications," one of the only courses of this type in the country, which she taught for five years at the Simmons College Graduate Program in Communications in Boston. Sharon frequently speaks to local and national groups about investor relations, corporate communications, corporate governance and entrepreneurship. | 