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Executive Q&A: IT franchise chief bucks retirement to open successful venture [The Oklahoman, Oklahoma City](Daily Oklahoman (Oklahoma City) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Sept. 22--Davis Merrey, owner and president of TeamLogic IT of Oklahoma City, says he failed at retirement -- twice. In 2000, Merrey -- who worked for years in the professional sound systems business and holds two U.S. patents for digital sound system design -- retired to care for his aging parents. But eight months later, he was called out of retirement to serve a second stint as president of Altec Lansing. Merrey "retired" again in 2005, only to open an Oklahoma City franchise of the Mission Viejo, Calif.-based TeamLogic IT in 2007. The company serves as an outsourced information technology department for some 120 firms throughout greater Oklahoma City, Ardmore, Tulsa, Perry and Lawton. "I always wanted to own my own business," Merrey, 73, said, "and I figured people will need information technology forever. It's a way to help clients and my fellow employees be successful." TeamLogic employs nine, including Merrey's wife, TeamLogic IT's co-owner and public relations specialist; his son, who works in sales, and daughter, who handles payroll and billing. His children, who are in their 40s, are the employees closest to his age, but Merrey said he doesn't mind. "Being around a lot of young, smart people is always fun," he said. From his offices at 5909 NW Expressway, Merrey sat down recently with The Oklahoman to talk about his life and career. This is an edited transcript: Q: Tell us about your roots. A: I was born in Roanoke, Va., and have two sisters, five and 10 years younger. Our mother was an elementary school teacher and father, plant manager for Continental Can Co., for which he worked his entire career. We moved around a lot, which gave me comfort in moving. Growing up, my passion was baseball. When I was 12, 13 and 14 and we lived outside Houston, my friends and I, in the summers, would jump on our bikes first thing and seek out pickup games; sometimes we'd play three a day. Later, I won a partial baseball scholarship to Virginia Military Institute, where I played shortstop and third base, and earned a degree in electrical engineering. Today, my team is the Detroit Tigers. Q: How did you meet your wife? A: Her mom worked for me on my first job out of college. I worked as a quality control manager for a manufacturing facility in Greenwood, Miss., and Barbara's mother was a chief inspection officer. Sadly, her mom was killed in a car accident two days before Christmas one year. Barbara, who was in the car with her mother, sustained several broken bones and I visited her in the hospital. When I left, I told her to let me know if she needed anything. And as I was walking out of her hospital room, she said "Wait, I don't have your phone number." ___ (c)2014 The Oklahoman Visit The Oklahoman at www.newsok.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |