Merge

Another year has come and gone, and the time is upon us to reflect on all the things we are thankful for.

In no particular order, but all equally important, here is the Top 10 from your friends at Merge:

10.  Greenville:  As with our previous November editions, Greenville always makes the list.  It is a great place to work and play, and we are thankful for the support from a booming business community. 

9.  The Manufacturing Industry:  It is no secret that the manufacturing industry is the bread and butter of South Carolina’s economy.  During the economic downturn, it has taken a beating like many industries, but the communities here have proven resilient and committed to job creation.  A number of our clients are large manufacturers, and we are thankful that they seized the opportunity to take their companies to the next level with innovative digital technology, that ultimately has helped grow their businesses, and ours.  Shout outs to our friends at Bonitz, Carver Covers, T&S Brass, D&W Finepack, Spartanburg Forest Products, and Michelin.

8. Exponential Growth:  Merge saw a record year in terms of profitability and personnel growth.  Over the course of 2011, we added a production team, a developer intern, brought on a Creative Director, and surpassed 2010 revenues by mid- year.  We are thankful for new business and new friends, and are excited for the opportunities that await in 2012.

7. The NEXT building:  In late 2010, we moved into our current office space in Greenville’s NEXT building, which houses high-tech innovators and start-ups poised for growth.  We are lucky enough to work around many inspiring individuals, fresh new ventures, and are surrounded by the buzz of entrepreneurship on a daily basis.  Great things are happening at NEXT, which also means great things for Greenville and its economy.

6.  The Arts:  This year, we decided to combine our love of two things… our super cool, loft-style office space, and our love of the arts.  The Merge Gallery was born, and we have been fortunate enough to host the works of several of Greenville’s best artists, including Lynn Greer, Liz Rundorff-Smith, Judy Verhoeven and Melissa Anderson.  (We also got to throw a couple awesome opening parties, so that wasn’t bad either.) Couple this with the ability to work with the Metropolitan Arts Council on the Open Studios app, and we'd say there was plenty for which we are thankful.

5.  Our Beloved Clients:  We acquired a number of new clients this year, from near and far, from an e-commerce solution for a custom-tailored men’s shirt company based in London, to an admissions strategy for one of the oldest church affiliated colleges in the south.  We love the new challenges that come with crafting unique, digital solutions for each of our clients.

4.  Beards:  The dudes at Merge took the “Movember” Challenge this month, growing out their facial hair to raise funds for men’s health awareness, including prostate cancer.  While most of our guys are going for the beard, a couple will be growing the rogue mustache, and the adventurous Matt McFadden is allowing the public to choose his weekly look every Friday, in exchange for a donation to our team’s effort.  Check out the Merge Buffalos team page here, and make a donation to a good cause:  http://us.movember.com/mospace/2191766/. 

3.  GitHub Version Control:  Here we go, getting our geek on.  Mid- year, GitHub for Mac was released and makes light work out of code sharing.  For a full explanation, check out this article: http://mashable.com/2011/06/25/github-for-mac/

2.  Tech Accomplishments:  This year Merge attained Google Adwords Partner status, making us one of only 15 businesses in South Carolina holding this certification, and granting greater access to Google’s marketing and SEO tools.  Merge also attained Apple Developer Status, allowing us to create and distribute mobile apps in the Apple Store.

1.  Our Families:  Someone has to put up with our crazy antics… and those weird mustaches.  We are thankful for the “behind the scenes” Mergians who support us every day.  From spouses and kids, to Suzy’s dogs, to Jeff’s mom who supplies delicious homemade baked goods, this kind of special could not exist without them!