Having witnessed their parents successes and struggles in their marriage and parenting journey, Mark Merrill and his wife, Susan, desired to make their marriage thrive according to Gods design for a husband and wife and ensure their kids knew they were fiercely loved.
With a seven-year career as an attorney, Merrill served for a year in the Supreme Court for Justice OConnell. He also served on the transition team for former Florida Governor Jeb Bush in Tallahassee. Governor Jeb Bush even offered Merrill a position in his cabinet for the Juvenile Justice Department. To work in politics was his dream job, however, he declined the offer, unwavering in his commitment to helping families through a nonprofit organization.
After careful consideration, counsel, and prayer, Merrill left his for-profit career as an attorney and launched Family First Inc. in 1991.
Family First Inc. provides parenting, marriage, and relational truth that helps people love their family well and gives them greater hope for the future. The organization significantly impacts millions of individuals daily through its iMOM and All Pro Dad programs.
Mark is tenacious, undaunted and a catalyst, always willing to go to the mat for Family Firsts mission, said his staff. He has a natural talent for building relationships that benefit the organization and the individual.
Since the founding of Family First, Merrill has built one of the largest and most successful nonprofits in Tampa Bay over the last three decades. The company has grown even more recently and +362% just since 2020. Merrills ability to cultivate business and government leaders in Florida and all around the country has influenced many people to help Family First on its mission of loving families well.
Merrill has been a part of many chief executive officer groups, including C-12, and has networked with hundreds of local business leaders, school district leaders, and professional sports icons in Tampa. He is a role model in his integrity and respect for others and expects little recognition, making him a great leader, said his staff. His leadership has undoubtedly left a lasting legacy in Tampa Bay and beyond.
According to Merrill, his superpower as a leader is persuasion, connecting with people to conquer challenges and accomplishing set goals with excellence. Guided by my passion for the mission of Family First, I persevere and continue to fight for fatherhood and the well-being of all families with unwavering determination, energy, and tenacity, he said.
