Robert W. “Bob” Merrick ’62

NAI Latter & Blum, Chairman of the Board
Attended StM 8th - 12th grade 
Martin de Tours recipient, 2002

Since its founding in 1947, St. Martin’s Episcopal School has been blessed with hundreds of outstanding alumni. As we reflect on this season of gratitude, we are especially thankful for our Saints who have made a difference in the world around them, including Robert “Bobby” Merrick, of the Class of 1962. 

Bob’s generosity has had an extraordinary impact on the St. Martin’s community and its campus, which bears his name from end-to-end, from the Latter & Blum Track to the Merrick Visual Arts Center, and the Merrick Conference Room inside Saints Hall. His support and vision for his alma mater goes beyond his named projects; Bobby has always recognized the resources and possibilities that the St. Martin’s curriculum provides, and he finds ways to champion the school’s continued growth for generations to come.

To add to his many service awards and honors, Bobby was most recently recognized for his 55 years of service to the United Way of Southeast Louisiana, which awarded him its inaugural Tocqueville Society Lifetime Achievement Award. This month, we sat down with Bobby to talk with him about his decades of service to the greater New Orleans community, and to thank him for all that he has done and continues to do for St. Martin’s.

What are some of your memories of your time at St. Martin’s?

“In general, I look back at high school as some of the finest four years of my life. Everything I needed to learn in life, I learned in high school. Some of my fondest memories include attending Chapel in the morning and singing the psalms.” Bobby is also quick to recall his time on the field, the court, and the track during his years at St. Martin’s. “St. Martin’s is blessed with a campus that’s amazing - nobody else comes close,” he says, referring to the 18-acre campus, including its practice field and the Latter & Blum Track, which he funded in April 2008. The 400 meter, seven-lane, all-weather track is quite a step up from the grass and dirt track on which Bobby himself competed, where he was an all-state member of the track team. He was also co-captain of the football team, and named MVP, All-District and Times-Picayune Player of the Week. In addition, Bobby was voted by his peers as “Most Popular” his senior year.

Bobby’s classmate and longtime friend, retired StM coach and teacher, Jim Marsalis ’62, recalls that Bobby was a “terrific athlete and nice guy… I like to think that his remarkable character incubated during his days at St. Martin's.” 

Marsalis points out that while Bobby may have been “Most Popular” senior year, Bobby’s dedication and philanthropy has never been about him. “His philanthropy is accomplished with a modesty that sets him apart. When I think of the spirit of St. Martin de Tours in a contemporary context, my thoughts immediately turn to Bobby Merrick. I love Bobby’s commitment to his community.” 

At StM, we try to focus on Service as one of our core values. You have lived that! What does Service mean to you?

“I guess I’ve always had a bit of a bleeding heart. Growing up, I always wanted to help the underdog in our class.” 

Just as his successes in real estate have allowed him to give so generously, his early years in the business first drew him to the United Way and its mission. “I first learned about the United Way because I had bought and sold the building that is now their headquarters multiple times. I remember I was 25 when United Way bought it, and I was curious about what they were all about. I became a campaign manager, so I quickly learned how much poverty is in this city.”  

More than five decades later, Bobby has continued to work with the United Way where he has served on the Board of Directors and ultimately became Chairman of the Board of Trustees in 1999. In 2014, he became the first individual in Louisiana to join the United Way Million Dollar Roundtable, a national membership reserved for million dollar donors. 

“I have been blessed, and that means I have an obligation to help others. I give because my heart tells me there are a lot of people hurting in our city.” 

What advice would you share with young Saints for how to follow in your footsteps with a focus on serving others?

“Whatever you go into, become a student of it. Live it, breathe it, eat it, sleep it. Digest it 100%. Immerse yourself in it. I train new real estate agents when they first start at Latter & Blum, and I tell them, ‘If you follow my advice, you will be successful and make money. Your responsibility is to share that money with those who need it, because to whom much is given, much is expected.’”