Merriah Harkins
Seattle,WA
Summary
Dynamic, tenacious, executive-level leader with a 30-year track record of demonstrated success driving sales growth, securing customer loyalty, and providing organizational mentoring and management in highly competitive, multi-channel markets
Overview
30
30
years of professional experience
Work History
Chief Services Officer and Head of Retail Capital Markets
Beneficient
Dallas, TX
2016.04 - Current
- I am responsible for the main product lines and driving traffic via technological, sales, and marketing solutions to promote achievement of the Company's goals
- I also have responsibility for the money-raising sales functions and teams, the introduction and development of new investment products, securing and managing top relationships, product marketing, due diligence, and team building.
Founder and Managing Director
VIADEIA LLC dba trvlvip.com
Seattle, WA
2014.03 - 2017.04
- VIADEIA dba trvlvip.com was a search engine and travel consulting organization targeted to the high-end users of the world's best travel loyalty programs.
Executive Level Sales and Business Development Leadership and Consulting
Peak Advisor Alliance
Omaha, NE
2009.12 - 2014.04
- During a 6-month assignment, successfully reorganized the sales department to promote retail and institutional revenue growth.
Head of Business Development
GWG Holdings, Inc.
Minneapolis, MN
2011.01 - 2013.09
- Both as a consultant and as Head of Business Development, provided sales management, budgeting, coaching, national accounts, and business development leadership.
Noble Royalties, Inc.
Dallas, TX
2009.12 - 2010.12
- During a 1-year assignment, provided sales management, sales structure, coaching, compliance, and national accounts and business development advice to improve efficiency and processes.
Head of Capital Markets
Bluerock Real Estate
New York/Phoenix, NY/AZ
2009.01 - 2009.10
- Designed and implemented enhanced procedures and processes, activity metrics and company-wide training, which significantly improved overall production.
Executive Vice President, National Sales Manager
DBSI Securities
Boise, ID
2006.08 - 2008.11
- Designed and implemented enhanced procedures and processes, activity metrics and company-wide training which resulted in 300% sales growth in my first full year managing the teams.
Executive Vice President, National Sales Manager, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Compliance Officer
ATEL Securities Corporation
San Francisco, CA
2002.02 - 2006.08
- Succeeded in a complete turnaround of an underperforming sales region by increasing sales by 500% within my first full year at ATEL as a regional sales executive before receiving a promotion to lead ATEL's distribution efforts.
Director - Schwab Institutional Trading and Operation Group
Charles Schwab & Company
Phoenix, AZ
1999.06 - 2002.02
- Successfully led an 80-member team responsible for supporting over 1,000 Registered Investment Advisors that represented $100 billion in assets under management at Schwab Institutional.
Senior Sales Support Manager
Aetna Retirement Services
Phoenix/Hartford, AZ/CT
1996.10 - 1999.06
- Successfully managed the startup of Aetna's first remote service and operations center in Phoenix, AZ, and reorganized Aetna's Hartford center.
Training Manager
The Vanguard Group
Phoenix, AZ
1995.08 - 1996.10
Registered Representative
Massachusetts Mutual Life
Camp Hill, PA
1994.05 - 1995.05
Skills
- Sales growth
- Customer loyalty
- Organizational mentoring
- Management
- B2B relationships
- Venture capital
- Private equity
- Debt funds
- Product marketing
- Due diligence
- Team building
- Public speaking
- Content creation
- Online engagement
- Social media management
- Brand management
- Affiliate advertising
- Sales management
- Budgeting
- Coaching
- Business development
- Compliance
- National accounts
- Sales structure
- Efficiency improvement
- Capital markets
- Broker dealer relations
- Inside sales
- Outside sales
- Operations management
- National sales management
- Strategic relationships
- Distribution
- Compliance management
- Chief operating officer
- Chief compliance officer
- Schwab Institutional trading
- Sales support management
- Financial products management
- Training management
- Registered representative
- FINRA Series 7, 63, and 24
- BSBA in Finance
Academic Credentials
FINRA Series 7, 63, and 24
B.S.B.A in Finance - Shippensburg University with undergraduate studies at the University of Georgia
Timeline
Chief Services Officer and Head of Retail Capital Markets
Beneficient
2016.04 - Current
Founder and Managing Director
VIADEIA LLC dba trvlvip.com
2014.03 - 2017.04
Head of Business Development
GWG Holdings, Inc.
2011.01 - 2013.09
Executive Level Sales and Business Development Leadership and Consulting
Peak Advisor Alliance
2009.12 - 2014.04
Noble Royalties, Inc.
2009.12 - 2010.12
Head of Capital Markets
Bluerock Real Estate
2009.01 - 2009.10
Executive Vice President, National Sales Manager
DBSI Securities
2006.08 - 2008.11
Executive Vice President, National Sales Manager, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Compliance Officer
ATEL Securities Corporation
2002.02 - 2006.08
Director - Schwab Institutional Trading and Operation Group
Charles Schwab & Company
1999.06 - 2002.02
Senior Sales Support Manager
Aetna Retirement Services
1996.10 - 1999.06
Training Manager
The Vanguard Group
1995.08 - 1996.10
Registered Representative
Massachusetts Mutual Life
1994.05 - 1995.05