Robert Merrick, SIOR, CRE, CCIM, MAI

Robert W. Merrick oversees the oldest and largest commercial and residential real estate operation in the Gulf South. With over 1,400 agents and staff and 27 offices located throughout Louisiana and Mississippi, Latter & Blum has helped generations of residents with all of their real estate needs since 1916.

The Latter & Blum residential companies consists of; Latter & Blum Inc./REALTORS in Greater New Orleans, CJ Brown REALTORS Inc. in Greater Baton Rouge, Noles-Frye Realty in Central Louisiana and Van Eaton & Romero REALTORS in the Greater Acadiana region. All of these residential companies are market leaders in the regions that they serve.

NAI Latter & Blum is the commercial division of the Latter & Blum Family of Companies. The commercial division has a staff of over 75 full-time specialists handle the sale and leasing of commercial and industrial property throughout southern Louisiana and the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Over the past year, these associates have completed over 700 commercial transactions.

As the largest property manager in Louisiana, Latter & Blum Property Management, Inc. maintains over 11 million square feet statewide that includes commercial, industrial, multifamily communities, and single family dwellings.

A nationally respected expert in real estate, Mr. Merrick is the only person in Louisiana, and one of a handful nationally, to earn the professional designations of the Appraisal Institute (MAI), American Society of Real Estate Counselors (CRE), Society of Industrial and Office Realtors (SIOR), and Commercial Investment Real Estate Institute (CCIM).

As an active real estate investor, Mr. Merrick has been one of the leading developers of industrial real estate in the area. A partnership formed by Mr. Merrick in 1990 resulted in the purchase of 241 acres in Elmwood Business Park, and a subsequent resurgence of business activity in that area. Merrick Partnerships control approximately 10,000 acres of investment properties in the metro area, as well as apartments, shopping centers and general commercial income providing assets.

In 1986, Merrick purchased LATTER & BLUM, the oldest and largest full-service real estate firm in the Gulf South. Since that time, LATTER & BLUM has acquired or merged with more than 24 brokerage firms including most recently Van Eaton & Romero in Lafayette. Under Merrick’s leadership, Latter & Blum expanded their services to include insurance, property management, mortgage and title services.

Not only has Mr. Merrick held active roles in business affairs, he has also held positions on the boards of numerous charitable and civic organizations. The American Red Cross honored Mr. Merrick as the 2005 Humanitarian of the Year. In 2012, the American Red Cross named him one of 25 found members of the American Red Cross Chairman’s Council in recognition of his support of the organization. Mr. Merrick is a leading financial contributor to worthy causes across the Gulf South, these organizations include; the United Way, Junior Achievement, Habitat for Humanity, the Fore Kids Foundation, The University of New Orleans, Volunteers of America, St. Martin’s Episcopal School, The NOCCA Institute and many, many more.