Building value through partnership.

Shawn Pearce

Shawn is a Partner with more than 15 years experience in finance and markets, building and operating businesses, and consulting. Before Meritas, Shawn spent 12 years working at Bank of America Merrill Lynch in New York City and Santiago, Chile. His most recent role at BofA was Managing Director and Global Chief Operating Officer for BofA's Fixed Income, Currencies, and Credit Emerging Markets (FICC EM) business. FICC EM's physical offices are located in 15 countries and include 1,000 employees including 200 front office personnel and 800 supporting team members generating more than $500 million in annual pretax profit. As Global COO, Shawn played a key role in strategy, technology development, expanding global market access, and interacting with global regulators.

Prior to Shawn's COO role, he spent nine years trading derivatives at BofA. He was Managing Director and Head of Trading for Chile, Colombia, Argentina, and Peru. He managed significant VaR, made markets in interest rate and foreign exchange derivatives, and worked on dozens of large structured transactions. Shawn also played a key role in funding business growth, building capabilities including BofA's presence in Chile, counterparty credit risk management, and deepening client relationships in major financial centers around the world.

Prior to his time at Bank of America, Shawn's role as Senior Consultant at KPMG focused on strategy and risk management consulting in the energy industry including stints in Houston, San Francisco, and New Delhi, India. He started his career as a junior interest rate derivatives trader at AIG Trading Company in London, England. Shawn and his wife also own a vineyard in Argentina and produce wines under the Familia Vicente Pearce label.

Shawn is a strong believer in educational opportunities for the underprivileged and is a consistent supporter of the cause in WNY. Shawn received a Masters from Columbia University in International Affairs with a dual concentration in International Economic Policy and Latin American Studies. He holds a B.S. in Business and Minor in Economics from Wake Forest University, and a certification in Winemaking from the University of California at Davis.

Spencer Farrell

Spencer brings experience as both an operator and investor, spanning private equity, sales leadership, and business operations. Before co-founding Meritas, he worked in private equity, partnering with management teams to accelerate growth. Earlier, he served as Chief Revenue Officer at a global software company, leading revenue generation and international go-to-market execution. He is an active investor in early-stage ventures and real estate projects in Western New York, and serves on multiple boards, including as President of the Canisius High School Board of Governors. He holds a B.S. in Finance and an MBA from Niagara University.