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’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...
Pickell, Hazen White among 10 honorees for PBN’s 2023 Manufacturing Awards
By James Bessette PROVIDENCE – Craig Pickell, CEO of Lincoln-based abrasive products manufacturer Bullard Abrasives Inc., has been named the 2023 Strategic Leadership Award winner for Providence Business News’ annual Manufacturing Awards. Pickell, who has been among...
Taco Tops Off Steel Structure of New Innovation & Development Center
Taco marked an important milestone in the construction of the new Innovation & Development Center, the centerpiece of its $18 million expansion project, with beam raising and topping ceremonies last week
Taco Rolls Out Two New Video Series For Viewing At The Taco Youtube Channel
Cranston, RI, May 3, 2011 – Taco has produced two new short video series available for viewing at Taco’s YouTube.com channel. One series features Taco President and CEO John Hazen White, Jr. discussing aspects of the company’s past, present and future. The other series has Taco Executive Vice President Chris Integlia discussing Taco’s involvement and commitment to sustainable operations and practices.
Green Schoolhouse to Beat the Heat with Taco Chilled Beam System
Innovative heating and cooling system is part of the plan to achieve LEED-Platinum status Phoenix, AZ – January 20, 2011– The Green Schoolhouse Series , a national Green School initiative, announced that Taco, the nation’s leading provider of hydronic heating and cooling systems, will provide innovative HVAC technology to be featured in the series’ high-performance, eco-friendly Phoenix Safari Schoolhouse.
LeakBreaker Water Heater Shut-Off Now with eLink
The LeakBreaker, a water heater leak protection device that guards against flood damage from a leaking water heater, is now available with Taco Comfort Solutions’ eLink wireless technology.
Taco Introduces Hot-LinkPlus-e™ ECM Recirculation System
Hot-LinkPlus-e™ by Taco Comfort Solutions® offers high-efficiency, intelligent domestic hot water recirculation ideal for retrofit applications. A dedicated return line is not required. It combines a 006e3™ ECM hot water circulator with Taco’s Hot-Link® Valve and...
Taco Introduces eLink™ Connectivity Platform
With the addition of eLink, Taco Comfort Solutions® avails rapid, mobile access to all product information. eLink uses NFC tags installed on Taco products to provide users with all relevant information by linking to a digital document library of the most up-to-date...