Lanham, Md. – June 29, 2007 – Merkle, one of the nation’s largest database marketing agencies, announced that President and CEO David Williams received the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2007 Award in the Consulting Services Category in Maryland. The award recognizes outstanding entrepreneurs who are building and leading dynamic, growing businesses. Williams was among nine winners announced Thursday, June 28 during an evening gala held at the Hyatt Regency Baltimore.
Merkle President and CEO David Williams was selected by an independent panel of judges for demonstrating leadership, commitment to innovation, and integrity. Williams raised the funds to acquire the company, which was then called Merkle Computer Systems, Inc. in 1988 at the age of 25, becoming the company’s 24th employee. Today, the privately held Merkle is one of the largest marketing agencies in the U.S. and employs over 850 in Maryland, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Seattle. Merkle is based in Lanham, Md. and will be relocating to a brand-new headquarters campus in Columbia, Md. in spring 2008.
The Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year awards program celebrates its 21st anniversary this year and continues to honor entrepreneurs who have demonstrated excellence in such areas as innovation, financial performance, and personal commitment to their businesses and communities.
“Ernst & Young is honored to recognize extraordinary business leaders, such as David Williams, and the companies they have built,” said David Jones, Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year program director for Maryland.
As a Maryland award winner, David Williams is now eligible for consideration for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2007 national program. Award winners in several national categories, as well as the overall national Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year award winner, will be announced at the annual awards gala in Palm Springs, California on November 17, 2007. The national Entrepreneur Of The Year celebration is part of Ernst & Young’s Strategic Growth Forum. The overall national Entrepreneur Of The Year award recipient is then considered for the world event held in Monte Carlo.
About Merkle
Merkle is one of the nation’s largest providers of data-driven marketing solutions that enable large national organizations to maximize the results from their marketing investment. Merkle provides customer strategy, business intelligence and analytics, data sourcing, media targeting and measurement, and marketing technology solutions to Fortune 1000 companies and leading nonprofit organizations. With over 850 employees, the privately held corporation is headquartered near Washington, D.C. in Lanham, Maryland with additional locations in Boston, Chicago, Denver, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle and Hagerstown, Maryland. For more information, contact Merkle at 1-877-9-MERKLE or visit www.merkleinc.com.
About Ernst & Young
Ernst & Young, a global leader in professional services, is committed to enhancing the public’s trust in professional services firms and in the quality of financial reporting. Its 114,000 people in 140 countries pursue the highest levels of integrity, quality, and professionalism in providing a range of sophisticated services centered on our core competencies of auditing, accounting, tax, and transactions. Further information about Ernst & Young and its approach to a variety of business issues can be found at www.ey.com/perspectives. Ernst & Young refers to the global organization of member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, a U.K. company limited by guarantee, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited does not provide services to clients. Ernst & Young LLP is a U.S. client-serving member firm of Ernst & Young Global Limited.
