Our Executive Team
Meritus Capital is a team of talented, multi-faceted professionals dedicated to the successful implementation of your short-term goals combined with careful consideration of long-term objectives.
Our unique blend of successful small business entrepreneurs and large corporate advisors provides you with experienced, intimate knowledge and the capacity to handle even the largest transactions. Over the years, each team member has contributed to the closing of hundreds of specialty finance and M&A transactions.
Meritus is committed to improving your bottom line by creating new sources of value through superior analysis, experienced insight, and strong execution. Our personable, entrepreneurial professionals offer a relentless commitment to serving your interests with experience and dedication. We look forward to meeting you and taking the first step in helping you reach your dreams.
Paul J. DeLuca
CEO/President
Mr. DeLuca is a successful corporate finance executive, having completed 100's of finance and M&A transactions. Mr. Deluca has extensive experience and contacts in the corporate capital markets, and healthcare and staffing industries. He has successfully started and sold a number of companies. At Meritus, he is the principal decision maker on finance transactions. Mr. Deluca looks for rewards where others may only see risk. In addition to serving as CEO of Meritus, Mr. DeLuca’s keen business finance and operations insight is utilized on several corporate boards. He takes pride in his entrepreneurial spirit and how it is enhanced by his experience and capacity to participate in his clients’ successes.
Rajesh P. Desai
Managing Director of M&A
Mr. Desai has 20+ years experience in advising the senior management of the world’s leading professional services and industrial companies on strategy and mergers and acquisitions. Mr. Desai has completed extended consulting engagements for the executive and senior management of numerous clients. Representative clients include Unisys, NEC, Young & Rubicam, Sprint, Nova Chemicals and Lafarge. Mr. Desai heads up Mergers and Acquisitions at Meritus. Prior to joining Meritus Capital, Mr. Desai was a principal at two boutique, entrepreneurial, Connecticut-based strategy consulting firms. Mr. Desai has an MBA in finance from the Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania.
Christina P. Griffiths
Senior Vice President Underwriting
Ms. Griffiths has a BA in Communication and over 20+ years experience with a diverse business, financial, healthcare and marketing background. She has been with Meritus Capital for over 10 years. As Senior VP of Underwriting, she works hand in hand with the CEO to provide her clients with the best possible deal. Her expertise is in Underwriting, Broker Management, Business Development, Sales, Executive Management and Administration, and Marketing. Ms. Griffiths has also worked specifically in the healthcare and general staffing industries. With her experience in executive management, sales, recruitment and job development she has a comprehensive inside working knowledge of the special dynamics pertaining to healthcare and staffing businesses, and the needs of senior management.
Tony Trowbridge
Senior Vice President
Mr. Trowbridge has over 20 years executive, business, finance, sales and marketing experience. He understands the needs of the healthcare and business industries. With his vision and competence, he provides turn key solutions that make the difference. Tony can meet any challenge with the right solution. With his strong background in sales and marketing, his broad experience at events, trade-shows and presentations, Tony has the breadth of knowledge to answer your questions.
Larry Carnahan
Senior Vice President
Mr. Carnahan has over a decade of award-winning performance in the financial transactions expanse. With his roots as a financial lender, a public motivational speaker, an education connoisseur and a business advisor, Mr. Carnahan has exceptional expertise in handling large business engagements and the judicious dexterity necessary to think outside the status quo.
Jessica Boyd
Senior Operations & Accounts Manager
Ms. Boyd has been in Sales and Marketing for over 15 years, primarily in the publishing industry. She has tremendous experience integrating marketing and branding messaging within the parameters of the ever-evolving world of social media, and particularly enjoys the technical piece of that puzzle. As the Senior Operations and Account Manager at Meritus, Ms. Boyd manages office operations and staff, client relationships, helps coordinate events, plus various marketing and social media projects as they arise. Her greatest strength is a willingness to jump in and try something, anything, new and to do whatever needs doing – however large or small a task that might be.
Mary Mullnix
Senior Healthcare Analyst
Ms. Mullnix has 30 years in the Healthcare arena with an emphasis on Practice Management, Accounts Receivable, Medical Procedural and Diagnostic Coding along with Auditing. She holds two certifications; one in coding (CPC) as a Certified Professional Coder and the other in auditing (CHCA) which is affiliated with the Association of Healthcare Auditors and Educators. Ms. Mullnix worked in multiple practices from Family Practice to Orthopedic Surgery along with experience on the Billing Service side. She is uniquely qualified as our Senior Healthcare Analyst to assist our healthcare clients. Additionally, she adds to her credentials a position as a College Instructor teaching the fundamentals of Practice Management focusing in on the coding and billing processes.