David and Paul Merage[3] co-founded Chef America Inc. where they created the popular microwavable snack Hot Pockets in the early 1980s. David and Laura Merage Foundation's philanthropic investments are focused on social change and result in children, families and communities improving the quality and circumstances of their lives. It has advised Funky Chunky on matters such as designing equipment, redistribution channels and human resources. Wings ensures that these courageous, young individuals do not fall through the cracks of Israeli society, it offers a supportive safety net and helps them achieve their personal goals and aspirations. Echo has also invested in Stacked Wines, based in Southern California, which sells individually packaged, sealed wine glasses filled with quality wines, suitable for picnics or occasions when people don't want to open a bottle of wine. Laura received her bachelors degree in Fine Arts from the University of Southern California and her masters degree in Art from New York University. Andre, David, and his brother, Paul, founded Chef America, Inc. in 1977 and subsequently developed Hot Pockets, a frozen-food product that quickly became a staple in supermarkets across the country. Laura Gets Honest for a Future Without Art - David & Laura Merage Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie were powerless to save a couple of their faves this time. Spotting an opportunity, they set out to develop a nutritious frozen-food product that women and their families could pop into a microwave oven for a quick meal or snack. 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. David Zalubowski, Associated Press Ivanka Trump, daughter of and special adviser to Republican President Donald Trump, wrapped up a two-day tour in Colorado by visiting a child care center near Denver on Friday to highlight the administration's affordable child care efforts. The business really took off in 1985 when Chef America started selling Hot Pockets in retail supermarkets nationwide. Each of the 13 children born to the four brothers manages a separate foundation supported by the family. Our foundation works in two ways first through direct philanthropic investment and, secondly, through partnerships. In partnership with the Jewish Agency, Wings offers a continuum of services, from the time they first arrive in Israel and years after their release from the IDF. A Teeny Tiny Blemish There's just one. He then started a private family office whose portfolio is now valued at more than $2 billion and includes philanthropy among its ventures" by Deanne Stone, Atlas Obsura: "How the Family Who Got Rich with Hot Pockets Is Giving Away Their Fortune - Its a lot of money." Foundation's History. Founder of Consolidated - Early Learning Ventures | Facebook Through a rigorous selection process, this program works with reserve companies that demonstrate a high degree of leadership and commitment to community building. "I've been fortunate to do what I love for the past 40 years and derive such joy from my work. The 67-year-old Merage came to the U.S. in 1968 in pursuit of a college education. It has been shown that youth teaching technology to seniors fosters generational connections while promoting happier, more confident lifestyles. Total revenues. David, who grew up in Tehran, remembers everyone in the familyincluding the womentaking a keen interest in business. Joe made his money thanks to a company called Sakura Paper Inc., which makes high-end custom party invitations, place cards, menus, thank you cards, and save-the-dates. Sabrina Merage Grantee at DOC NYC - David & Laura Merage Foundation Chef America Inc. Continuing The Value Creation Streak Evoke Media continues to support documentaries and podcasts that drive social change. At some point in the early 1970s, the brothers were vacationing in Europe and had their first ever Belgian waffle. Paul Merage was born to a Jewish family in Tehran, Iran in 1943. Initially, Paul Merage had to obtain three Mortgages on his home to fund the business. Iranian Community in Israel: For more than 20 years we have promoted the advancement of the Iranian community in Israel mainly through women leadership programs and the exposure of the Persian culture to Israeli society. Financial Aid Is Changing. Facebook gives people the power to. 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. The CIG Group owns more than 25,000 apartment units in America, 10 million square feet of office space and 2,500 acres of residential land. [6] MIG Real Estate, managed by Greg Merage is involved in development and management of commercial real estate. Early Childhood Education: The foundation is leading Early Learning Ventures, an initiative to enrich education for children ages birth to five years old. Today, David Merage runs Consolidated Investment Group (CIG), a Denver-based company investing in real estate, capital markets and private equity. Mental Health Colorado Expands its Focus on Criminal Justice There was nothing like them.". By 1977 their little company was selling $12 million worth of waffles per year. His sister, Sabrina Merage, has been vice president of corporate strategy at CIG and a core member of the business team since 2012. Wings: For the past 15 years, the Wings Program has been providing immigrant youth and lone soldiers with the tools they need to enter Israeli society as confident and active citizens. We are entrepreneurs at heart. They called the company Chef America, Inc. To get the company's first capital to launch, Paul took out THREE mortgages on his home. The Merage Foundation Israel they established. In 1975, David Merage co-founded Chef America, a national frozen food manufacturer known for inventing and marketing Hot Pockets, Lean Pockets, and Croissant Pockets. Working six and a half days a week, the Merages marketed their frozen waffles to coffee shops and restaurants. They quickly ran out of that money and the brothers were forced to ask for a loan from their parents. . Chef America already had breakfast covered with waffles, and the frozen dinner category already had a dozen dominant players like Swanson's. Sabrina Merage Naim, daughter of David and Laura Merage, is a passionate and engaged philanthropist working toward making the world a more equitable and unified. 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. The CIG Group manages more than $2 billion worth of assets. David's wife, Laura, also born in Iran, is an artist who has a strong presence in the Denver art community. 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. Just three years earlier his parents were living in France, where the father ran an antiques import/export business. Who Invented Hot Pockets? These Are the Geniuses Behind - Distractify "And we wanted to sell to an operating company that would retain our management team and other employees.". Following these guidelines, our Israel team develops programs and nurtures partnerships that bring about systemic, sustainable and bold results. "California felt like home," says David. DeserTech Jonathan Merage has recently boosted his continued donations to the University of Hawaii at Mnoas Science and School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology David Merage, founder of the David and Laura Merage Foundation, joined prestigious business leaders from Colorado as a presenting sponsor of EPICs (Executives Partnering to Cortney Lane Stell, executive director and chief curator of Black Cube Nomadic Art Museum was recently interviewed by Westword, a Denver based news publication. Through his company, Consolidated Investment Group (CIG), David invests in real estate and the capital markets. In 2002, Chef America generated $750 million in revenue. Along with my wife, Laura, I formed the David and Laura Merage Foundation, whose mission is to promote self-sufficiency through education and community involvement. In 1983, Hot Pockets were introduced to retail supermarkets and, within a short time, was a household staple. In 2013, David Merage received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, an award given to U.S. immigrants and native-born citizens who have made substantial contributions to American society. In 1974, David and Paul formed a company in Southern California, which they originally called General American Foods. 18 Inverness Place East, Englewood, CO 80112. They have gone on to invest the funds in real estate and the capital markets. 5 Iranian-American Siblings Who Harnesses the Power of - Entrepreneur Mr. At 15, my life finally intersected with art. The snack had to come fully-enclosed so no utensils were needed. "We think both of these products will appeal to millennials on the go, and we'll use all of our resources to make their manufacturing and operations more efficient. The David and Laura Merage Foundation, based in Colorado, focuses on community development and early childhood education. Submit a correction suggestion and help us fix it! Paulreferred to by David as a marketing geniuswas convinced that there was a big market for them in the States. Cities and what people think and feel about them frame in a deep way how we deal with housing policy and economics.