Rael Merson
Submission in support of application for Laguna Beach Finance committee
Please accept my apologies for not being at the interview in person but my wife and I had committed to babysitting our grandchildren while their parents took a hard-earned break.
We have been residents of Laguna Beach since 2008 and deepened our commitment to the city by buying Broadway Plaza in 2013 and continuing to own it. As you can tell from my resume, I have an extensive education in Finance with a Bachelor of Commerce, CPA and MBA as well as a specialist degree in taxation. My work experience includes auditing, taxation, controllership, vice president of finance as well CEO positions in two different industries, retail and media. I have been a Director of the Board and a member of the Audit Committees of a number of companies. Most recently I was the Chair of the Audit Committee of Second Cup, a publicly listed Canadian company. I left the Board in 2019 when the company switched its focus to cannabis and it has rebranded itself as Aegis Corp.
I believe that my skills and experience would be a valuable addition to the Finance Committee. I am committed to preserving the quality of life in Laguna Beach and believe that working with the Committee is my best way to contribute to it.