[1] Biography [ edit] Merage was born in Iran in 1943 to a Jewish family, [2] the son of Katherine and Andre Merage. Photo Essay: L.A.'s Iranian Jews repaying Alliance's generosity In 1974, David and Paul formed a company in Southern California, which they originally called General American Foods. In later years the company expanded the brand to Lean Pockets, Croissant Pockets and Breakfast Pockets. He eventually rose to the position of director of new products. They have gone on to invest the funds in real estate and the capital markets. Its history. He named it Hot Pockets, and promoted it as the Hot Meal without a Big Deal. 2023 Celebrity Net Worth / All Rights Reserved. The team worked with internal stakeholders to identify program priorities, built connections to national incentives for guidance on actions and metrics for success and worked with local partners and experts to build upon years of engagement across creative communities to identify best practices. In 1983, Hot Pockets were introduced to retail supermarkets and, within a short time, was a household staple. Included were four Stanley Cup final appearances and a pair of Cup wins. He brought his son and one of his brothers as co-founders. At 15, David attended secondary school in England. by Ernie Smith, Orange County Business Journal: "Profiles of wealthiest in Orange County", Jewish Journal: "Photo Essay: L.A.s Iranian Jews repaying Alliances generosity" by Karmel Melamed, School receives $30 million gift and new name, UCI Paul Merage School of Business, University of California - Irvine, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Paul_Merage&oldid=1141890543, This page was last edited on 27 February 2023, at 11:16. Our plan includes developing the ecosystem of agricultural tourism in the Negev, by improving the quality of existing agritourism products, supporting the establishment of new ventures and creating jobs. 18 Inverness Place East, Englewood, CO 80112. In 1976, David Merage co-founded Chef America, Inc., a national frozen food manufacturer known for inventing and marketing products including Hot Pockets, Lean Pockets, and Croissant Pockets. The Merage Foundations have positively impacted hundreds of thousands of peoples lives both in the US and globally. The Merage Foundation Israel they established. "I don't know of any other country where people can succeed through their best efforts as they can here," David says. The David and Laura Merage Foundation is centered on the belief that education is the gateway to optimal life outcomes. Soon after arriving in California, with absolutely no experience in the food industry and equipped only with ambition, drive, and the support of my brother and father, we founded Chef America, Inc., a frozen food manufacturer in 1977. She paid $100,000 to have a proctor rig their ACT exam and she paid $200,000 to have one of the girls labeled as a fake volleyball recruit. Upon arrival, a wonderful Farsi speaking partner would meet them at the airport, help them fill their paperwork, arrange for transportation and give them supplies and a Hebrew dictionary. The CIG Group manages more than $2 billion worth of assets. "Only four food companies were in a position to buy a business the size of Chef America," says David. One of Merages major ongoing philanthropic programs is Merage Institute for U.S.-Israel Trade. Our foundation, headquartered in Denver, Colorado, is centered on the belief that education is the gateway to optimal life outcomes. "And we wanted to sell to an operating company that would retain our management team and other employees.". At the age of 15, he traveled to England to pursue his studies and then completed his formal education in the United States with a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing from California State University. Today, David Merage runs Consolidated Investment Group (CIG), a Denver-based company investing in real estate, capital markets and private equity. 5 Iranian-American Siblings Who Harnesses the Power of - Entrepreneur Records now reveal the buyer is Sabrina Merage Naim, an heiress to the fortune of tasty microwave snack Hot Pockets, which were invented and popularized by Naim's father David Merage and uncle Paul Merage in the 1980s. Operation Varsity Blues college admissions scandal, Jewish Journal: "Photo Essay: L.A.s Iranian Jews repaying Alliances generosity" by Karmel Melamed, "Merage Jewish Community Center of Orange County, California", "Special Lecture by David Merage, Entrepreneur and Co-Founder, Chef America", "Nestle to Move HOT POCKETS and LEAN POCKETS Business to Ohio", "Hot Pockets heiress Michelle Janavs gets 5 months in prison in admissions scandal", "Admissions scandal: Heir to Hot Pockets fortune sentenced to 5 month", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Merage_family&oldid=1131811897, Pages using infobox family with unknown parameters, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 5 January 2023, at 21:52. Americans fell in love with Belgian waffles. In 2005, Paul and Lilly Merage donated $30 million to the School of Business at University of California, Irvine, which was renamed Paul Merage School of Business in his honor. She resides in Newport Coast, California. David Merage is a successful entrepreneur and venture. David Merage is a successful entrepreneur and venture philanthropist who lives with his wife, Laura, an accomplished artist, in Denver, Colorado. Specifically, we are currently working on two main programs: DeserTech: Our program aims to support the development and commercialization of climate change and desert technologies (such as AgTech, WaterTech, renewable Energy, and other sustainable innovations). Paul Merage is chairman of MIG Capital which he co-founded with his son Richard and Greg Merage, a member of the extended family, while David Merage runs Consolidated Investment Group. In 1974, Paul and David co-founded their own food company. It doesn't matter what it is; it has to be superb. David has created a company that is founded on high ethical standards that puts its people first, fosters an environment of respect, integrity, and tolerance of others. In 2020, Sabrina founded Evoke Media as a subsidiary of SMF in order to create connection, cultivate conversation, and drive social impact through the power of storytelling. Paul Merage - Wikipedia Where Is Michelle Janavs After Her Operation Varsity Blues - Bustle These young people have made significant sacrifices by leaving their homes and families to move to Israel and protect our Jewish homeland. David is principal of Consolidated Investment Group (CIG), a Denver-based investment firm that focuses on Wall Street and real estate investments and holds one of the most diverse portfolios in the country in terms of product type and geography. Since they were young, my children have been actively involved in our philanthropic work, and now they are leading their own foundations, and are promoting their own endeavors with great success. Working six and a half days a week, the Merages marketed their frozen waffles to coffee shops and restaurants. It has been shown that youth teaching technology to seniors fosters generational connections while promoting happier, more confident lifestyles. Shawn Naim - Add Relationship - LittleSis What initiatives does your foundation support in Israel? In receiving this prestigious award, David joined the ranks of distinguished medalists, including six United States presidents, Nobel Prize winners, and the leaders of industries, educations, the arts, and sports. "Retirement? Andre Merage died in 2001. (303) 789-2664. Foundation's History. . Mike Tyson talks a possible WWE match with Logan Paul, the WWE-UFC merger and the launch of Tyson Pro. In 2005 Paul donated $30 million to the University of California's School of Business, which was then renamed the Paul Merage School of Business. By incorporating real business experience, an entrepreneurial spirit, and a passion for social impact, we provide the best services and quality no matter what we do, and we go where not many people are willing to go. She has studios in Denver, Hawaii, and Israel. View the profiles of people named David Merage. [1], Merage was born in Iran in 1943 to a Jewish family,[2] the son of Katherine and Andre Merage. Yet another amazing example of a massive fortune made from a totally random business. [1] In 2004 the Merage Jewish Community Center[2] opened in Irvine, California; the center was named after the Merage Family and serves the needs of Orange County. I also believe it is my responsibility to contribute greatly of my time, my network and my business acumen. The program has helped Iranian immigrants become an essential part of every aspect of Israeli life, including Israeli culture, education, military, business, and politics. David was born to Andre and Katherine Merage in Tehran, Iran, in 1949 as one of five children. The glorious frozen creations known as Hot Pockets were created by two Jewish-Iranian brothers named Paul and David Merage, who immigrated from Tehran to the U.S. for college, according to Saveur.After earning an MBA, Paul worked in marketing at Maxwell Coffee House, but a trip to Europe inspired him to start a frozen waffle business alongside his brother, and thus, former frozen food giant . Nelson has worked with David for 30 years, as vice president of food services, sales and marketing at Chef America and, since 2005, as a member of CIG's executive team. The Forgotten Immigrant Origins of America's Most Iconic Microwavable Snack I never considered it for one minute," he says. Mental Health Colorado to Lead The Equitas Project with Generous My vision for Israel is a prosperous and cohesive society that is committed to the well-being of all its citizens. David Merage was co-owner and co-founder of Chef America, Inc., a national frozen . Who was the person who could afford to pay $15 million for two undeveloped plots of land in Newport's most-expensive gated community and then proceed to build a White House-sized mansion on a hilltop overlooking the ocean? MIG Private Equity is a fund of funds with a portfolio of investments ranging from consumer products to technology companies. By 1985 Chef America was finally getting Hot Pockets stocked on shelves in supermarkets around the United States. I always wanted to take my knowledge of business and management, to give back to the communities that directly affected my life. Paulreferred to by David as a marketing geniuswas convinced that there was a big market for them in the States. In 1971, Andre and Katherine also moved to California. David is married to Laura Merage, who was also born in Tehran. That's enough to make them one of the richest families in America. david Merage Business Owner & Philanthropist David is principal of Consolidated Investment Group (CIG), a Denver-based investment firm that focuses on Wall Street and real estate investments and holds one of the most diverse portfolios in the country in terms of product type and geography. Their instincts were right. In February 2020, Michelle was sentenced to five months in prison. [4][2] In 1977, the company had $12 million in sales and was the largest mass-producer of frozen Belgian waffles in the US. I think philanthropys role is to empower people so that they realize their full potential. Meet David & Laura - David & Laura Merage Foundation Through a rigorous selection process, this program works with reserve companies that demonstrate a high degree of leadership and commitment to community building. The cornerstones of this culture are Davids business imperatives: respect, accountability, innovation, collaboration, a drive for excellence, having fun, and making our world a better place. David Merage Profiles | Facebook So far, Echo has invested in Boomerang Pies, a company in Austin, Texas, that sells frozen, handheld, all-natural, minced meat and kidney pies, adapted from Australian recipes. need for a hot meal or snack that children could easily prepare themselves when returning from school. Poring over thousands of historical documents, centuries of ancient texts, and Bible translations in many languages, the experts in the film conclude that two Greek words were mistranslated to mean homosexual. In 2015, his net worth was estimated at $1.8 billion. Along with his brother, Paul, and late father, Andre, he founded Chef America, a San Fernando Valley-based. Paul Merage (born 1943) is an American billionaire businessman who co-founded Chef America Inc., the company that popularized the microwavable frozen snack Hot Pockets . There's the American Dream, and then there's the spectacular success achieved by immigrant brothers David and Paul Merage. David and Laura are natives of Tehran, Iran, who immigrated to the United States in their early teens with hopes of a better future. At the time, Sabrina was just graduating from college and thinking more about her career. There are four rules that I absolutely live by without compromise. "He instilled in us the belief that family members working together were stronger than any one of us could be working alone.". He personally led the effort to formulate this product and after two years of testing and experimentation he developed and patented a unique process which resulted in a product with tasty fillings and a crispy crust. Arik Sharon and his administration encouraged my organization to embrace this challenge. History - David & Laura Merage Foundation