Benjamin Moore & Co. announced that Robert S. (Bob) Merritt was named Chief Executive Officer and President of the paint manufacturer, replacing Denis Abrams who headed the company for seven years.
Merritt comes to Benjamin Moore with over three decades of management experience in the restaurant and food preparation and distribution industries
As Senior Vice President and CFO of the Outback Steakhouse Inc., he oversaw the initial public offering in 1991 of that franchise and its subsequent listing on the New York Stock Exchange. Under his stewardship, the company grew from five restaurants in Florida to over 1,250 locations in 22 countries. The original Outback brand also expanded during Merritt’s tenure to seven additional restaurant concepts, including Carrabba’s Italian Grill, Bonefish Grill, Roy’s, and Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar. When working for Price Waterhouse, Merritt had clients in various industries including a large railroad, a plumbing supply manufacturer and distributor and a manufacturer of medical imaging equipment.
Merritt is a native of Washington, D.C. and attended George Washington University where he received a B.B.A. in Accounting. The father of twin sons, he resides in New York with his wife. +
Related Stories
| May 25, 2011
Low Impact Development: Managing Stormwater Runoff
Earn 1.0 AIA/CES HSW/SD learning units by studying this article and successfully passing the online exam.
| May 25, 2011
Register today for BD+C’s June 8th webinar on restoration and reconstruction projects
Based on new and award-winning building projects, this webinar presents our “expert faculty” to examine the key issues affecting project owners, designers and contractors in case studies ranging from gut renovations and adaptive reuses to restorations and retrofits.
| May 25, 2011
Hotel offers water beds on a grand scale
A semi-submerged resort hotel is the newest project from Giancarlo Zema, a Rome-based architect known for his organic maritime designs. The hotel spans one kilometer and has both land and sea portions.
| May 25, 2011
Smithsonian building $45 million green lab
Thanks to a $45 million federal appropriation to the Smithsonian Institution, the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center in Edgewater, Md., has broken ground on what is expected to be one of the most energy-efficient laboratories in the country. The 69,000-sf lab is targeting LEED Gold and is expected to use 37% less energy and emit 37% less carbon dioxide than a similar building.
| May 25, 2011
World’s tallest building now available in smaller size
Emaar Properties teamed up with LEGO to create a miniature version of the Burj Khalifa as part of the LEGO Architecture series. Currently, the LEGO Burj Khalifa is available only in Dubai, but come June 1, 2011, it will be available worldwide.