As the Nazis approached France, the Merage parents made the wise decision to get on a boat and move to their native Tehran. Laura holds a Masters degree in Art from New York University and is an accomplished artist/photographer with works in public and private collections nationally and internationally. I think philanthropys role is to empower people so that they realize their full potential. David and Laura Merage Foundation's philanthropic investments are focused on social change and result in children, families and communities improving the quality and circumstances of their lives. One of Evokes most recent creative media grantees, 1946: The Mistranslation That Shifted a Culture, premiered at the DOC NYC film festival in November. I never considered it for one minute," he says. The brothers later sold the Chef America Inc. company to Nestl for $2.6 billion. In the early 1960s Paul and his younger brother David moved to the United States to attend the University of California at Berkeley. He personally led the effort to formulate this product and after two years of testing and experimentation he developed and patented a unique process which resulted in a product with tasty fillings and a crispy crust. I knew I was destined to become an entrepreneur and it would happen here.". In her interview, Rocky explains the importance of the film to her and for the LGBTQ+ community. She founded the Sabrina Merage Foundation in 2008 with the intention of building bridges between diverse societies. There's just one teeny, tiny blemish on the family's track record. Similar to MIG, the CIG Group also invests in commercial real estate, capital markets and private equity. "We couldn't compete against the lunch and dinner market," says David, "so we started thinking about satisfying snacks that kids could make in a microwave oven without cutting or burning themselves and that adults could eat on the run.". "California felt like home," says David. Sabrina Merage Naim, daughter of David and Laura Merage, is a passionate and engaged philanthropist working toward making the world a more equitable and unified place. In 2020, Sabrina founded Evoke Media as a subsidiary of SMF in order to create connection, cultivate conversation, and drive social impact through the power of storytelling. The scheme was uncovered before the girls were actually admitted. Community Development: The foundation founded Equitas in December of 2013, to raise public awareness and to implement sensible programming and policy for managing mental and behavioral health challenges. CIG is in the process of buying another food company, which David declines to identify because the deal has not yet closed. They spent months testing and perfecting a recipe for frozen waffles. David's nephew Ben Levy started working with CIG in 2011 as a private equities manager. The David and Laura Merage Foundation, based in Colorado, focuses on community development and early childhood education. According to the David and Laura Merage Foundation, the family takes a hands on approach to their philanthropy, bringing their business acumen, entrepreneurial spirit, and creativity to each and every project.. By incorporating real business experience, an entrepreneurial spirit, and a passion for social impact, we provide the best services and quality no matter what we do, and we go where not many people are willing to go. Outside of their investment firms, the brothers also dove head-first into philanthropy. At 15, my life finally intersected with art. Total revenues. They have gone on to invest the funds in real estate and the capital markets. He serves as chairman of MIG parent companies. On one European trip, the brothers discovered Belgian waffles. Stell 18 Inverness Place East, Englewood, CO 80112. At 15, David attended secondary school in England. Mr. Merage continues as a very successful businessman and currently leads one of the largest and most diversified real estate and investment companies in the United States. It manages a large portfolio of commercial properties coast to coast. [1], Merage was born in Iran in 1943 to a Jewish family,[2] the son of Katherine and Andre Merage. Chef America wanted a more central location between its California and Kentucky manufacturing operations. David Zalubowski, Associated Press Ivanka Trump, daughter of and special adviser to Republican President Donald Trump, wrapped up a two-day tour in Colorado by visiting a child care center near Denver on Friday to highlight the administration's affordable child care efforts. I am also leading an effort to engage business leaders in early childhood education advocacy. Jonathan attended Purdue University and conducts severe weather research throughout the country. Included were four Stanley Cup final appearances and a pair of Cup wins. [8][2] He has been an active member of the Business Schools Advisory Board which he chaired for a number of years. Sabrina Merage Naim Daughter of Hot Pockets co founder David Merage; niece of Paul Merage; Echo Capital Group wife Paul set up an in investment firm in Southern California, and David started Consolidated Investment Group (CIG), an investment management company in Denver that invests for a select group of clients. A few weeks ago I was doing some research on the largest home in one of the wealthiest zip codes in America, the Orange County enclave of Newport Coast. Upon arrival, a wonderful Farsi speaking partner would meet them at the airport, help them fill their paperwork, arrange for transportation and give them supplies and a Hebrew dictionary. $3,601,544. Sales took off, generating new varieties of "pockets." $7,948,855. The end result of this brilliant chain of decisions? The Merage Foundations have positively impacted hundreds of thousands of peoples lives both in the US and globally. Chef America Inc. Continuing The Value Creation Streak After graduating from Sacramento State University with a degree in marketing, David began investing in real estate with his father and demonstrated a keen eye for identifying and capitalizing on market trends. "Rather than supporting people's health and providing access to quality care and education, we . [4][2] In 1977, the company had $12 million in sales and was the largest mass-producer of frozen Belgian waffles in the US. With Lauras leadership, the organization founded RedLine, an urban art laboratory promoting the creative expression of resident artists. In my research I learned that Joe C. Wen took the record for largest home in all of Orange County from a person named Paul Merage. David and Laura Merage: Philanthropists supporting Israel CIG supports five family foundations: the David and Laura Merage Foundation, the Andre and Katherine Merage Foundation, Early Learning Ventures, the Jonathan Merage Foundation and the Sabrina Merage Foundation. Merage family - Forbes . In order to create opportunities for economic growth and high-quality jobs, the foundation acts as an integrative body to convene and mobilize the key stakeholders and nurture an environment where these clusters can mature and flourish. The year he graduated, Paul and David's parents joined them in California. The films director, Sharon Rocky Roggio, was even interviewed by the Daily Beast. Brothers Paul and David Merage created a snack sensation with their Hot Pockets, which became a household name. Younger brother David joined Paul in California in 1968. Michelle Janavs served time in prison after being convicted for her involvement in the scheme. Founder of Consolidated - Early Learning Ventures | Facebook Paul Merage (born 1943) is an American billionaire businessman who co-founded Chef America Inc., the company that popularized the microwavable frozen snack Hot Pockets . "The role of CIG is to support our non-profit activities," he says. Over time sales started to take off. Connected to Life: This program supports and trains senior citizens to use smartphones as a means of strengthening their social and familial ties. Merage developed the concept of a quick two-minute microwaveable meal which was all enclosed in a crust for ease of handling, using nothing more than a paper towel. Mike Tyson talks a possible WWE match with Logan Paul, the WWE-UFC merger and the launch of Tyson Pro. Having strung thousands of racquets while his daughter was pursuing her passion on the tennis courts, he created Last Second Stringing, a purely philanthropic endeavor and donates all funds collected to a foundation that runs a school for children in Uganda. After the sale, he co-founded MIG group of investment companies in 2003 with Richard Merage and Greg Merage. However, I did not visit Israel until I was in my early 40s. David and Laura, who came to the U.S. as teenagers, recognize that America has been very good to them. In February 2020, Michelle was sentenced to five months in prison. Most recently, we have completed a new model focused on promoting regional economic development. 2023 Forbes Media LLC. After selling the company, Paul launched a private investment firm called the MIG Group. MIG Capital LLC, managed by Richard Merage is a highly ranked US Hedge fund managing over US$1 billion in assets. After two years of trial and error, they developed a frozen sandwich that tasted good and didn't get soggy when heated. Spoiler alert, that person is named Joe C. Wen. The Hollywood superstar and entrepreneur opens up about the ways her haircare line is expanding and offers advice to other working professionals on how to succeed in business today. need for a hot meal or snack that children could easily prepare themselves when returning from school. As such, Governor John Hickenlooper proclaimed May 11th as David Merage Day in Colorado. She has studios in Denver, Hawaii, and Israel. He approaches opportunities by asking not only what assets can we unlock but also whether we are the right fit in terms of corporate culture. Merage family - Wikipedia And that segues nicely into the actual article I ended up wanting to write. A Colorado Couple Brings a Venture Approach to Family Philanthropy "We run our philanthropy with the same discipline and high expectations as we do our business.". "We think both of these products will appeal to millennials on the go, and we'll use all of our resources to make their manufacturing and operations more efficient. Through his company, Consolidated Investment Group (CIG), David invests in real estate and the capital markets. Its oppression, says Rocky. They quickly ran out of that money and the brothers were forced to ask for a loan from their parents. These young people have made significant sacrifices by leaving their homes and families to move to Israel and protect our Jewish homeland. Laura is an artist and photographer with works in public and private collections nationally and internationally. The boot camps are focused practical, best practices, on how to best introduce and promote new Israeli technologies in the U.S. to the mutual benefit of both nations. Iran was not a promising country for entrepreneurs when Andre was starting out. Our foundation works in two ways first through direct philanthropic investment and, secondly, through partnerships. That, plus a culture of respect and honesty in everything we do, makes CIG an exciting environment in which to work.". How do I decide what to invest in? In partnership with the Jewish Agency, Wings offers a continuum of services, from the time they first arrive in Israel and years after their release from the IDF. I kid you not. Early Childhood Education: The foundation is leading Early Learning Ventures, an initiative to enrich education for children ages birth to five years old. [3][4] His father ran an import/export business in France before he was forced to flee back to Iran prior to World War II. David and their father began investing in real estate while Paul was toiling away at General Foods. From Star Trek, Dr. Kildare, The Twilight Zone, The F.B.I. We believe in the power of empowerment, leadership development and community building. David and Laura's 33-year-old son, Jonathan, has forged his own path as a storm chaser interested in extreme weather and its consequences. Reese Witherspoon Sold Her Los Angeles House to a Hot Pockets - DIRT She wanted to run away to Israel and asked me for help. Meet David & Laura - David & Laura Merage Foundation 18 Inverness Place East, Englewood, CO 80112. [1]. 18 Inverness Place East, Englewood, CO 80112 Ivanka Trump visits daycare center near Denver, touting administration We constantly look for opportunities that tap into existing networks and infrastructures that avoid duplication. CIG currently has a staff of 74, including David's daughter, Sabrina, 29; his wife's nephew Ben Levy, 34; and Rob Nelson, one of six former managers from the Chef America team. When they were ready, the brothers went door-to-door marketing their frozen Belgian waffles to coffee shops, supermarkets and restaurants. Soon after arriving in California, with absolutely no experience in the food industry and equipped only with ambition, drive, and the support of my brother and father, we founded Chef America, Inc., a frozen food manufacturer in 1977. When the company ran out of initial funding the brothers also had to borrow money from their parents. In 1977, annual sales topped $12 million, but the brothers recognized that they would have to expand beyond the breakfast market for the business to keep growing. While most people tend to think of the Maldives as the epicenter of romance (and it certainly is that), it has so much more to offer. 2020. Negev Development Division: For the past 15 years, I have been actively involved in the Negev, supporting a variety of projects, from employment and entrepreneurship programs, dozens of festivals and cultural events and supporting local municipalities in the development of strategic plans for demographic growth, urban development, economic growth, health and transportation. They called the sandwiches Hot Pockets and, in 1983, started marketing them to vending machines, catering businesses and schools. Janavs is the daughter of Paul Merage, who, with his brother, co-founded Chef America Inc., which created the Hot Pockets microwavable snack. With the support and encouragement of my mother Katherine and my wife Laura, we agreed this would be another great project for the Merage Foundation. My parents have always been involved in supporting Israel and the Jewish community in Iran. In 1975, David Merage co-founded Chef America, a national frozen food manufacturer known for inventing and marketing Hot Pockets, Lean Pockets, and Croissant Pockets. Today, David Merage runs Consolidated Investment Group (CIG), a Denver-based company investing in real estate, capital markets and private equity. Following these guidelines, our Israel team develops programs and nurtures partnerships that bring about systemic, sustainable and bold results. In 2005, Paul and Lilly Merage donated $30 million to the School of Business at University of California, Irvine, which was renamed Paul Merage School of Business in his honor. Where Is Michelle Janavs After Her Operation Varsity Blues - Bustle [6] MIG Real Estate, managed by Greg Merage is involved in development and management of commercial real estate. Paul Merage is chairman of MIG Capital which he co-founded with his son Richard and Greg Merage, a member of the extended family, while David Merage runs Consolidated Investment Group. The Negev is rich in a wide range of agricultural sites and is a fertile ground to turn these into tourism attractions. ". By 1985 Chef America was finally getting Hot Pockets stocked on shelves in supermarkets around the United States. How did they do it? The team worked with internal stakeholders to identify program priorities, built connections to national incentives for guidance on actions and metrics for success and worked with local partners and experts to build upon years of engagement across creative communities to identify best practices. "The management shared the same culture as Chef America [and] had a high-quality product and room for growth," says David. CIG actively supports the work of the foundation by providing office space, resources, and human capital to ensure that the foundation can focus on tackling complex societal problems and creating lasting solutions within the community. [3] He has four siblings: Louise, Camron, David, and Lin. ", Sabrina was a teenager when her father and uncle sold Chef America, but she says she was unfazed by the publicity or comments from kids at school. At Chef America, David's strong suit was creating the company culture that contributed so much to the business's success. The David and Laura Merage Foundation, based in Colorado, focuses on community development and early childh Brothers Paul and David Merage created a snack sensation with their Hot Pockets, which became a household name. [4], In October 2002, he sold Chef America to Nestl SA for $2.6 billion;,[2] at the time, the company had sales of $750 million and over 1,800 employees.[4]. The David and Laura Merage Foundation has generously committed to providing continued support through 2022. He then started a private family office whose portfolio is now valued at more than $2 billion and includes philanthropy among its ventures" by Deanne Stone, Atlas Obsura: "How the Family Who Got Rich with Hot Pockets Is Giving Away Their Fortune - Its a lot of money." Attentive to shifts in American culture, they noted two coalescing trends: Sales of microwave ovens were increasing as more women entered the workplace. He brought his son and one of his brothers as co-founders. David and Laura have two adult children, Jonathan and Sabrina. Katherine remains active in her philanthropic endeavors. The mission of our Foundation in Israel is to empower individuals and communities; we incubate and accelerate circles of change those who are strengthened, strengthen others, and lead the way to promoting the prosperity of Israel and the well-being of all its citizens. Meanwhile, Laura saw that many of her peers were isolated by their artistic interests. Sign up for The Jerusalem Post Premium Plus for just $5, Upgrade your reading experience with an ad-free environment and exclusive content. The Merage Foundation Israel (MFI) has two main areas of focus: Community Development and Negev Development. Our plan includes developing the ecosystem of agricultural tourism in the Negev, by improving the quality of existing agritourism products, supporting the establishment of new ventures and creating jobs. The company created a considerable workforce employing 1,900 associates in three states, and generating over 6,000 national jobs through the supply chain. "My father used to tell us stories about successful family businesses," David says. "I bring together a team of the most creative and committed people I can find and set high expectations and goals," David says. Building on our early success, we soon began research and development of a frozen lunch product which we called the Hot Pocket and sold to schools, catering and vending companies. Panlong Tiandi opening attracts "Golden Week" crowd. Mental Health Colorado to Lead The Equitas Project with Generous So far, Echo has invested in Boomerang Pies, a company in Austin, Texas, that sells frozen, handheld, all-natural, minced meat and kidney pies, adapted from Australian recipes. Stell 18 Inverness Place East, Englewood, CO 80112. ", Philanthropy is the fourth CIG operation and, David stresses, is equal to the firm's other operations. Yet another amazing example of a massive fortune made from a totally random business. "My dad and I work together and talk about corporate strategy every day," she says. Paul and David decided Chef America should forget about breakfast and dinner as categories. In 1977, David Merage and his brother, Paul, founded Chef America, Inc. best known for developing the popular microwavable snack, Hot Pockets. Now enthusiastic about philanthropy, she sits on several non-profit boards and attends conferences on philanthropy. One of Merages major ongoing philanthropic programs is Merage Institute for U.S.-Israel Trade. When Nestl bought Chef America, the company had sales of $750 million a year, employed 1,800 people and generated 6,000 jobs through its supply chain. Americans fell in love with Belgian waffles. In 1976, David Merage co-founded Chef America, Inc., a national frozen food manufacturer known for inventing and marketing products including Hot Pockets, Lean Pockets, and Croissant Pockets. It invests domestically and internationally and mostly for the long term. The patchwork of government programs for adults with disabilities, and their varying eligibility rules, create complications and traps. Through our Merage Foundation initiatives we create opportunities that increase well-being and positive life outcomes.
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