President, Myers Mermel

Myers Mermel was born on a U.S. Naval base in Sasebo, Japan. He was raised in Virginia and graduated from St. Albans, the National Cathedral School for Boys. Mr. Mermel has over 35 years of experience in commercial real estate finance, advisory, acquisition, and principal activities in New York City. Over this period, he completed $42B in public/strategic advisory transactions, $23B in private financial advisory transactions, and 25MM square feet of acquisitions. He has served as the Managing Member of Mermel & McLain Management LLC, a real estate acquisition firm, which completed approximately $1B of value-add office redevelopments, and Chief Executive Officer of Tenantwise, a real estate advisory firm which is NYC’s largest intermediary of air rights. Mr. Mermel led Morgan Stanley's Corporate Real Estate Group within the investment banking division from 1990 to 1994 and earlier served as an Assistant Treasurer in the commercial lending division of The Bank of New York. Mr. Mermel received a B.A. from the University of Vermont; an M.A. from Columbia University in American History; and an MDiv. from Yale Divinity School with specialization in Old Testament and Puritan studies.

A Methodist, Mr. Mermel has raised over $181MM for houses of worship through the creative disposition of unused zoning rights. In addition, he was responsible for the largest single-asset bankruptcy purchase in history (up to that time) which resulted in the relocation of Morgan Stanley to Times Square, the catalyst for redevelopment of that area as an office district. Lastly, his firm acted as the sole real estate advisor to Governor Pataki in the resettlement of the 861 tenants from the 14 damaged and destroyed properties resulting from the events of 9/11. His firm also contributed strategic zoning and planning advice which resulted in policies advancing efforts to accelerate recovery in the years following the tragic event.

Mr. Mermel is a direct descendent of one of Ethan Allen’s Green Mountain Boys; he and his wife Jennifer have three children.

Vice President, John McClaughry

John founded the Institute in 1993 and served as its President until August 2009. He is a former member of the Vermont House and Senate and was Senior Policy Advisor in President Reagan’s White House.

Energy Policy Analyst, David Flemming

David is a 2016 Hillsdale College graduate with a B.A. in Economics, and a graduate of Essex High School. He is also an alumni of the Koch Internship Program and Koch Summer Fellow Program, and has researched and written for Economic and Policy Resources, the Independent Institute, Campaign for Vermont and the American Legislative Exchange Council.

Board of Directors:

Jack McMullen (Chair), Burlington

Wendy Wilton (Vice Chair), Milton

Catherine Clark, Williston

Milton Eaton, Brattleboro

Anne McClaughry, Kirby

Myers Mermel, Manchester

William Sayre, Bristol