# Ben Merritt

> Ben Merritt is the founder and former CEO of Merritt Group and co-founder of Merritt & Rose Communications. A former journalist and US Navy officer stationed in Japan, he has worked in agency and corporate communications, including roles at Regis McKenna and Network General. His later agency work focuses on emerging technology and cybersecurity companies. His public LinkedIn profile lists Wilmington, North Carolina.

- **Role:** Co-founder, Strategy & Media Relations at Merritt & Rose Communications
- **Organizations:** Merritt & Rose Communications, Merritt Group, Regis McKenna, Network General, US Navy, Lumina Communications, HOPZERO, Bluewater
- **Education:** University of Florida
- **Known for:** Founded Merritt Group and served as its CEO., Built and later sold a communications agency described in his official biography as a 50-person firm., Co-founded Merritt & Rose Communications; its May 2023 announcement reports work with more than 15 companies since 2020.

## Career timeline

- **—** — Graduated from the University of Florida; subsequently served in the US Navy, including as an officer stationed in Japan.
- **—** — Worked as a journalist and in corporate and agency communications; professional biographies identify senior positions at Regis McKenna and Network General.
- **1996** — Founded Merritt Group; the agency’s own later listings use 1996, while some older directories use 1995.
- **2003** — Listed as president of The Merritt Group and a PR/communications strategy presenter for an April 15 event in McLean, Virginia.
- **2012** — As Merritt Group CEO, discussed technology clients and client-selection criteria in a May industry feature.
- **2014** — An agency directory lists Merritt as chairman and founder and Alisa Valudes Whyte as CEO.
- **—** — Sold Merritt Group, as described in his Merritt & Rose biography; a transaction date and terms are not given.
- **—** — Participated in a San Francisco B2B storytelling roundtable as EVP of Lumina.
- **2020** — The 2023 Merritt & Rose announcement dates its founders’ collaborative client work to 2020.
- **2023** — Co-founded the Merritt & Rose Communications brand, publicly announced May 23 with Kira Rose Wojack and other PR veterans.

## Achievements

- Founded Merritt Group and served as its CEO.
- Built and later sold a communications agency described in his official biography as a 50-person firm.
- Co-founded Merritt & Rose Communications; its May 2023 announcement reports work with more than 15 companies since 2020.

## Latest updates

- **2023-05** — Merritt & Rose Communications announced its new brand on May 23, naming Ben Merritt and Kira Rose Wojack among its founders and focusing on emerging technology and cybersecurity startups.

## Links

- Website: https://www.merrittandrose.com/dt_team/ben-merritt/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-merritt-17b7b

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/ben-merritt
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-23