Paul Merage (born 1943) is an American billionaire businessman who co-founded Chef America Inc., the company that popularized the microwavable frozen snack Hot Pockets.
Merage was born in Iran in 1943 to a Jewish family,[2] the son of Katherine and Andre Merage.[3] He has four siblings: Louise, Camron, David, and Lin.[3][4] His father ran an import/export business in France before he was forced to flee back to Iran prior to World War II.[4] He attended Alborz High School in Tehran.[citation needed]
In 1961, at the age of 17, he immigrated to the United States to attend the University of California, Berkeley, where he earned a B.A. in economics and an M.B.A.[2]
After college, he worked for nine years in a succession of increasing responsibilities in product management[5] at General Foods (now Kraft Heinz Company), Hunt Wesson and Specialty Foods where he was director of new products.[2] In 1977,[5] he Founded Chef America, Inc. with his younger brother David. Initially, Paul Merage had to obtain three Mortgages on his home to fund the business. When the company ran out of initial funding the brothers also had to borrow money from their parents.[2] Chef America started by selling frozen Belgian waffles - then largely unfamiliar in the United States - to restaurants as they were difficult to cook.[4][2] In 1977, the company had $12 million in sales and was the largest mass-producer of frozen Belgian waffles in the US.[4]
In 1983, he noticed that as more women entered the work force there was a newly emerging need for a hot meal or snack that children could easily prepare themselves when returning from school. This demographic trend coincided with the development of microwave oven for home use. Even though in 1983 microwave ovens did not have widespread distribution in US households, Merage correctly predicted that Microwave oven usage would continue to grow exponentially. Merage developed the concept of a quick two-minute microwaveable meal which was all enclosed in a crust for ease of handling, using nothing more than a paper towel. He named it “Hot Pockets”, and promoted it as the “Hot Meal without a Big Deal’. He personally led the effort to formulate this product and after two years of testing and experimentation he developed and patented a unique process which resulted in a product with tasty fillings and a crispy crust. Chef America then marketed Hot Pockets nationally. By 1986 approximately 25% of US households owned a Microwave.[2] As microwave ownership increased and as more women entered the workforce Hot pockets gained greater recognition and eventually became a success. In later years the company expanded the brand to Lean Pockets, Croissant Pockets and Breakfast Pockets.[4]
In October 2002, he sold Chef America to Nestlé SA for $2.6 billion;,[2] at the time, the company had sales of $750 million and over 1,800 employees.[4]
After the sale, he co-founded MIG group of investment companies in 2003 with Richard Merage and Greg Merage. He serves as chairman of MIG parent companies. MIG Capital LLC, managed by Richard Merage is a highly ranked US Hedge fund managing over US$1 billion in assets.[6] MIG Real Estate, managed by Greg Merage is involved in development and management of commercial real estate. It manages a large portfolio of commercial properties coast to coast. MIG Private Equity is a fund of funds with a portfolio of investments ranging from consumer products to technology companies.
Philanthropy
In 2005, Paul and Lilly Merage donated $30 million to the School of Business at University of California, Irvine, which was renamed Paul Merage School of Business in his honor.[2][7] Merage also donated $3 million to the Merage Jewish Community Center of Orange County, California.[8][2] He has been an active member of the Business School’s Advisory Board which he chaired for a number of years. He has been board member and a leading donor for the Pacific Symphony and has served on the board of the Orange County Performing Arts Center.[2] For over a decade Merage has been a major and active supporter of El Sol Academy, a dual immersion charter school in Santa Ana, California founded in 2001 with 110 students, later enrolling nearly 1,000 students in preschool through eighth grade. One of Merage’s major ongoing philanthropic programs is Merage Institute for U.S.-Israel Trade. The Institute’s Innovation Bridge Program has brought almost 1000 of the leading high tech Israeli scientists and business leaders to Newport Beach for a special two week business “boot camps”. The “boot camps” are focused practical, best practices, on how to best introduce and promote new Israeli technologies in the U.S. to the mutual benefit of both nations. It addresses new technologies in such fields as life sciences, security, military, IT, food/agriculture and Financial Transactions.
^ abcdefghijkLos Angeles Times: "Merage Makes It His Business to Help Others - UCI's biggest donor began giving away his money after moving to Newport Beach in 2003" by Jeff Gottlieb April 1, 2005
^ abNew York Times: "Paid Notice: Deaths Merage, Andre" December 27, 2001
^ abcdefFamily Business Magazine: "A continuing streak of value creation - David Merage and his brother sold Chef America Inc., makers of Hot Pockets, to Nestlé in 2002. 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 September–October 2015
^ abAtlas Obsura: "How the Family Who Got Rich with Hot Pockets Is Giving Away Their Fortune - It’s a lot of money." by Ernie Smith May 31, 2016
^Orange County Business Journal: "Profiles of wealthiest in Orange County" August 16, 2011
^Jewish Journal: "Photo Essay: L.A.’s Iranian Jews repaying Alliance’s generosity" by Karmel Melamed November 2, 2008
UCI Paul Merage School of Business, University of California - Irvine
El Sol Science and Arts Academy
Swiss Israel Lean Launchpad
January 06, 2023
paul, merage, born, 1943, american, billionaire, businessman, founded, chef, america, company, that, popularized, microwavable, frozen, snack, pockets, born1943, tehran, imperial, state, irannationalityamericaneducationuniversity, california, berkeleyoccupatio. Paul Merage born 1943 is an American billionaire businessman who co founded Chef America Inc the company that popularized the microwavable frozen snack Hot Pockets Paul MerageBorn1943 age 79 80 Tehran Imperial State of IranNationalityAmericanEducationUniversity of California BerkeleyOccupationBusinessmanKnown forCo founder and CEO of Chef America Inc SpouseElisabeth Lilly MerageChildrenRichard Michelle and Lauren In 2015 his net worth was estimated at 1 8 billion 1 Contents 1 Biography 2 Philanthropy 3 Personal life 4 References 5 External linksBiography EditMerage was born in Iran in 1943 to a Jewish family 2 the son of Katherine and Andre Merage 3 He has four siblings Louise Camron David and Lin 3 4 His father ran an import export business in France before he was forced to flee back to Iran prior to World War II 4 He attended Alborz High School in Tehran citation needed In 1961 at the age of 17 he immigrated to the United States to attend the University of California Berkeley where he earned a B A in economics and an M B A 2 After college he worked for nine years in a succession of increasing responsibilities in product management 5 at General Foods now Kraft Heinz Company Hunt Wesson and Specialty Foods where he was director of new products 2 In 1977 5 he Founded Chef America Inc with his younger brother David Initially Paul Merage had to obtain three Mortgages on his home to fund the business When the company ran out of initial funding the brothers also had to borrow money from their parents 2 Chef America started by selling frozen Belgian waffles then largely unfamiliar in the United States to restaurants as they were difficult to cook 4 2 In 1977 the company had 12 million in sales and was the largest mass producer of frozen Belgian waffles in the US 4 In 1983 he noticed that as more women entered the work force there was a newly emerging need for a hot meal or snack that children could easily prepare themselves when returning from school This demographic trend coincided with the development of microwave oven for home use Even though in 1983 microwave ovens did not have widespread distribution in US households Merage correctly predicted that Microwave oven usage would continue to grow exponentially Merage developed the concept of a quick two minute microwaveable meal which was all enclosed in a crust for ease of handling using nothing more than a paper towel He named it Hot Pockets and promoted it as the Hot Meal without a Big Deal He personally led the effort to formulate this product and after two years of testing and experimentation he developed and patented a unique process which resulted in a product with tasty fillings and a crispy crust Chef America then marketed Hot Pockets nationally By 1986 approximately 25 of US households owned a Microwave 2 As microwave ownership increased and as more women entered the workforce Hot pockets gained greater recognition and eventually became a success In later years the company expanded the brand to Lean Pockets Croissant Pockets and Breakfast Pockets 4 In October 2002 he sold Chef America to Nestle SA for 2 6 billion 2 at the time the company had sales of 750 million and over 1 800 employees 4 After the sale he co founded MIG group of investment companies in 2003 with Richard Merage and Greg Merage He serves as chairman of MIG parent companies MIG Capital LLC managed by Richard Merage is a highly ranked US Hedge fund managing over US 1 billion in assets 6 MIG Real Estate managed by Greg Merage is involved in development and management of commercial real estate It manages a large portfolio of commercial properties coast to coast MIG Private Equity is a fund of funds with a portfolio of investments ranging from consumer products to technology companies Philanthropy EditIn 2005 Paul and Lilly Merage donated 30 million to the School of Business at University of California Irvine which was renamed Paul Merage School of Business in his honor 2 7 Merage also donated 3 million to the Merage Jewish Community Center of Orange County California 8 2 He has been an active member of the Business School s Advisory Board which he chaired for a number of years He has been board member and a leading donor for the Pacific Symphony and has served on the board of the Orange County Performing Arts Center 2 For over a decade Merage has been a major and active supporter of El Sol Academy a dual immersion charter school in Santa Ana California founded in 2001 with 110 students later enrolling nearly 1 000 students in preschool through eighth grade One of Merage s major ongoing philanthropic programs is Merage Institute for U S Israel Trade The Institute s Innovation Bridge Program has brought almost 1000 of the leading high tech Israeli scientists and business leaders to Newport Beach for a special two week business boot camps The boot camps are focused practical best practices on how to best introduce and promote new Israeli technologies in the U S to the mutual benefit of both nations It addresses new technologies in such fields as life sciences security military IT food agriculture and Financial Transactions Personal life EditMerage is a member of the University Synagogue in Irvine California 2 References Edit Merage family Forbes Retrieved 2021 03 31 a b c d e f g h i j k Los Angeles Times Merage Makes It His Business to Help Others UCI s biggest donor began giving away his money after moving to Newport Beach in 2003 by Jeff Gottlieb April 1 2005 a b New York Times Paid Notice Deaths Merage Andre December 27 2001 a b c d e f Family Business Magazine A continuing streak of value creation David Merage and his brother sold Chef America Inc makers of Hot Pockets to Nestle in 2002 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 September October 2015 a b Atlas Obsura How the Family Who Got Rich with Hot Pockets Is Giving Away Their Fortune It s a lot of money by Ernie Smith May 31 2016 Orange County Business Journal Profiles of wealthiest in Orange County August 16 2011 Jewish Journal Photo Essay L A s Iranian Jews repaying Alliance s generosity by Karmel Melamed November 2 2008 School receives 30 million gift and new nameExternal links EditMerage Institute website UCI Paul Merage School of Business University of California Irvine El Sol Science and Arts Academy Swiss Israel Lean Launchpad Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Paul Merage amp oldid 1100849365, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
