Cheryl Merchant
Chief Executive Officer
Cheryl has 40 years of leadership and management experience in manufacturing. She has held leadership positions with industry giants like GM, Mazda, Ford, and Lear Corporation and led teams in the U.S., Mexico, Canada, and throughout Europe and Asia. Cheryl spent 19 years as the President and CEO of Hope Global, a manufacturing company with over 2,000 employees and operations in the U.S., Mexico, the Czech Republic, China, and Brazil. During that period, Hope Global grew five times in revenue and became a Tier II leader in the Automotive Industry. In 2019, Cheryl joined Taco as President of Taco Family of Companies, North America. In March 2020, Cheryl was promoted to CEO of Taco Family of Companies Global operations. Since taking the helm, Taco has doubled in revenue, expanded the workforce by 350 team members, acquired a new business unit in England, and has planned global operational facility expansions of over 243,000 sq, ft. in the next 3 years.
Cheryl has received awards over her career that include Providence Business News Rhode Island Business Women’s Career Achievement Award (2022) and Leadership Award (2001, 2014), New England Business Woman of the Year (2014), Mentor of the Year PBN RI (2016), Crain’s Women in Manufacturing of the Year (2018), Trailblazer in Business / Cheryl Watkins Snead Award (2018). She holds two Honorary Doctorates from New England Institute of Technology for Humane Letters and Bryant University for Business.
Her community work includes being a member of the Board of Governors for the Rhode Island Commodores, Advisory Board Member for the University of Rhode Island, member of the Rhode Island Manufacturers Association Advisory Board, and a Board member of the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce. Cheryl has also served in the past as a Trustee (Secretary and Chair of Student Affairs) for Bryant University, Board of Governors, and a Trustee of the Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council. She has also served on the boards of Rhode Island Economic Development, Governor’s Workforce Board, the Rhode Island Hospital Foundation, and the Northern Rhode Island Chamber of Commerce.
Taco Company News
Taco Presents Dan Holohan Comfort Award at 2024 AHR Expo
For Immediate Release Contact: John Vastyan, Common Ground717/664-0535; JohnV@SeekCG.comOrKen Scannell, Taco Comfort Solutions401/942-8000Richard Medairos, P.E., Taco Senior Systems Engineer and Commercial Trainer, was presented the Dan Holohan Lifetime Contribution...
Taco’s Hazen White puts people first
PROSPERING TOGETHER: Despite facing many challenges over the years, including the COVID-19 pandemic, Taco Inc. owner and Executive Chairman John Hazen White Jr. finds ways to collaborate with employees and other manufacturers to help the sector thrive. COURTESY TACO...
Pickell, Hazen White honored at PBN’s Manufacturing Awards ceremony
CLOSE TO 200 people representing the manufacturing sector attended Providence Business News' 2023 Manufacturing Awards ceremony Wednesday at the Crown Plaza Providence-Warwick in Warwick. / PBN PHOTO/MIKE SKORSKI By James Bessette WARWICK – Craig Pickell...
Taco Facility Approved through Hydraulic Institute’s Program
The Hydraulic Institute announced that Taco Comfort Solutions’ pump test laboratory in Cranston, RI recently received approval through HI’s Pump Test Lab Approval Program.
Taco Earns Best Places to Work Award
Taco Comfort Solutions has earned a 2016 Best Places to Work in Rhode Island award, presented by Providence Business News. This is a second Best Workplace award occasion for Taco (the company was previously recognized in 2011.)
Taco Awarded President’s
Taco was one of 123 companies honored with a 2016 President’s “E” Award at the ceremonies; the only recipient from RI, and a company that enjoys the distinction of being a previous “E” Award winner.
Taco Presents Dan Holohan Comfort Award at 2020 AHR Expo
John Barba, Director of Training for Taco Comfort Solutions®, was presented the Dan Holohan Lifetime Contribution to Comfort Award at Taco’s press conference at the AHR Expo on Monday, February 3, by John Hazen White, Jr., Executive Chairman and CEO of Taco Family of...
ECM Circulator Myth-Busting
Anthony Tosco, president of Avanti Plumbing, Heating & Mechanical, installs Taco’s 0018e ECM circulator. The ECM-powered 0018e features Bluetooth communication to a mobile app, providing real time control, diagnostics and reporting, such as installation history,...
Vertical Turbine Pumps
With 6” to 18” bowl diameters, the VT Series provides quiet, dependable performance for cooling tower and chilled water applications. Taco Vertical Turbine Pumps provide the ultimate in reliability and ease of installation.