Our Team
Our Team
Merchology was founded in early 2014 with the principle of providing the highest quality custom logo decoration in the industry on apparel and gifts brands that customers know and love. Just as important, it was a founding principle that ordering corporate gear should be an easy and transparent process, which is why Merchology offers a seamless e-commerce ordering experience.
Making this vision come true is reliant on hiring and training fantastic people. Since our inception, we’ve grown into a team of 230+ employees across three locations in the US. This team proudly offers unparalleled customer service and the best logo decoration and gift presentation in the industry. Collectively, this team creates a vibrant and enthusiastic company culture that has won multiple top workplaces awards.
Merchology is family-owned and operated and is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with additional locations in Reno, Nevada and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
Merchology Management
Ally Ward-Delgado, CEO & Co-Founder
As CEO, Ally oversees operations, finance, human resources, marketing, and technology development. Prior to Merchology, Ally worked in Brand Management at General Mills, with new product innovation and P&L responsibility for the Nature Valley, Fiber One, and Helper brands. She started her career as a Strategy Consultant for Deloitte Consulting, serving Fortune 500 retail and consumer packaged goods clients. Ally received her B.S.B. from the University of Minnesota and her MBA from Harvard Business School.
Andrew Ward, President & Co-Founder
As President, Andrew oversees Merchology’s growth strategy including sales channel management, brand partnerships, key account management, and customer service. Prior to Merchology, Andrew spent a decade as a partner of SpaceNet Equities, a Minneapolis-based commercial real estate brokerage firm. Andrew received his B.A. in Business Management from St. John’s University.
Rob Bros, Vice President of Operations
Rob is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operational execution at Merchology to attain exceptional results and assure customer satisfaction. He has over 20 years of diverse operations product and process experience, expertise in continuous improvement, and leadership of strategic acquisition, integration, and expansion activities to support healthy growth. Rob graduated from the University of St. Thomas with a B.A. in Business Administration and is Lean Master Certified.
Mark Cherrey, Vice President of Finance
Mark is responsible for overseeing the financial operations at Merchology. He has over 15 years of finance and accounting experience. Prior to joining Merchology, Mark worked for two publicly traded companies serving in the Director of Finance and Interim Principal Financial Officer roles at Insignia Systems and as Controller at Digi International. Mark received his B.B.A in Accounting and Finance from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and has attained the CPA certificate.
Dana Blumberg, Vice President of People
Dana leads our People Team at Merchology, bringing over fifteen years of experience as a dedicated human resources and operations executive. With a non-traditional background that includes a degree in Theatre & Drama, Dana excels in using both proven methods and cutting-edge technology to streamline operations and foster a culture of continuous improvement and growth.
Andrea Ponto, Vice President of Marketing
Andrea Ponto leads our Marketing team at Merchology bringing over two decades of diverse experience across a wide spectrum of B2B, B2C, and B2B2C organizations. Before Merchology, she launched the national brand, Game One, and also led the marketing teams at Lifetouch/Shutterfly. Beyond her professional achievements, Andrea coaches and mentors young student-athletes in basketball and life. She holds a Bachelor's in Sport Management and Business from Bemidji State University.
Sara Batchelder, Vice President of Sales
Sara Batchelder leads our Sales and Key Account Management teams and is responsible for sales strategy and growth at Merchology bringing over 25 years of experience in sales and leadership. Before Merchology, she spent the last five years leading Retail Sales for a SaaS & Technology company and prior to that spent 18 years leading Sales and Marketing at an in-store media company. She attended the University of Minnesota's Business & Marketing Education Program.
Merchology is a Disability-Owned Business!
Merchology is incredibly proud to announce that it has officially been certified as a disability-owned business enterprise through Disability:IN’s Supplier Diversity Program. Having been approved by the National Certification Committee, Merchology is a DOBE-certified supplier in the United States. We're proud to join over 400 corporations in this honor and hope to continue expanding opportunities for people with disabilities across industries.
Merchology Board of Governors
Richard Ward, Chairman & Co-Founder
Dick is the co-founder and Chairman of Merchology, as well as the current CEO of Zusa, a sustainable corporate gift brand created by the Merchology team. He has over 35 years of experience in the corporate promotional products and incentive industries. Dick formerly was the CEO and managing partner of LA Loving, LightHouse Brands, and River’s End Trading Company. Dick received his B.S.B. from the University of Minnesota.
Jackie Schneider
Jackie is a retired sales and marketing executive that provides advisory services around building high performing teams and accelerating organizational growth. Most recently, Jackie was the Chief Revenue Officer at Field Nation, the leading marketplace platform for workforce management. Jackie’s career of over 31 years included leadership positions at Comm-Works, Concur, and also Proto Labs, where she grew revenues from $26M to over $300M before the company went public. Jackie was recognized as a Women in Business Honoree by the Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal in 2013. Jackie is a graduate of St. Cloud State University.
Jack Judd
Jack is a retired financial executive and has been consulting on financial and strategic issues since 2019. Previously, Jack was CFO at Proto Labs, Inc. overseeing the transition for this high-growth company from a private to a publicly-held company. Prior to Proto Labs, Jack was at storage-technology company Compellent Technologies where he led the financial transition from a venture-backed organization to a public company. Jack was awarded CFO of the Year in 2010 and a Career Achievement Award in 2014 from the Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal. Jack is a graduate of the University of St. Thomas.
Tony Harris
Tony is a highly regarded thought leader, CEO coach, senior executive mentor and author. He is a subject matter expert on a wide range of global B2B marketing topics including eCommerce modernization, intellectual property matters, experiential marketing, strategic planning, and more. His strategic expertise includes marketing database and ERP/CRM systems, as well as operational procedures with a focus on enabling organizational success in the global digital economy. Harris is a graduate of the University of St. Thomas.
Joe Delgado
Joe Delgado leads finance and healthcare services for Preceptis Medical, an early stage medical device company. Prior to Preceptis, Joe’s experiences include product development and management for UnitedHealth Care and Optum, corporate development and strategy for Optum, and M&A and Operations consulting at Deloitte Consulting. Joe received his BS in Finance at the University of Minnesota and MBA from the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University.
Merchology Committees
At Merchology, we're driven to help our company grow and succeed as a team as well as make a positive impact on our local communities. We have 4 employee-led committees that help our crew learn, grow, volunteer, and celebrate throughout the year!
Merchology Giveback Committee - Our Giveback Team is made up of hard-working, genuine, caring people who organize and coordinate volunteering opportunities for our whole company!
Merchology DE&I Committee - Merchology’s DE&I Committee (Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion) leads the charge to educate our team and dive into the opportunities that help us grow together!
Merchology Social Committee - Our Social Team goes above and beyond to make sure everyone in the company has the best time. From celebrating the everyday wins to showing appreciation during the big holidays of the year, the Social Committee is on it!
Merchology Wellness Committee - The Merchology Wellness Committee puts on events, provides resources, and spearheads programs to educate employees and provide a space to explore health and wellness.
Merchology Events & Outings
There's no better way to get closer as a team than with awesome company parties and group outings. That's why we take every opportunity to get together for company parties, volunteer events, team building activities, and more. Here's a look at some of our favorite recurring company events.
Win As A Team
One of our core values as a company is to celebrate and share our successes and we've found that the best way to do that is by throwing some amazing company parties. We routinely host celebrations for milestones and holidays at the office, but our two biggest bashes are our annual holiday party and summer boat party.
Merch Voyage Boat Party 2022 on Lake Minnetonka
Holiday & Social Events
We are always looking for a reason to have a team event both inside and outside of the office. Some events that we've hosted in the past year include golf outings, monthly summer barbeques, frequent potlucks, and Friday wine tastings. We even celebrate all of those made up holidays like National Taco Day and National Mojito Day!
Merchology Cinco de Mayo Party 2022
Protect the Planet & Serve the Community
We also have a great Giveback Team focused on making a difference in our community and beyond. Our Giveback Team is constantly looking for ways to help the environment and those in need through donation drives, volunteer events, sponsored social events and more. A few organizations that we've worked with in the past include Feed My Starving Children, The Mississippi Park Connection, Fill the Backpack, and Toys for Tots!
Merchology at the University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital in 2023
For Impact Week 2023, members of the Merchology team worked morning and afternoon shifts to help get items ready for the patients in need. Volunteering at the University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital making care kits and serving lunch to residents!
Merchology Reno Volunteering at the NNFB 2023
Our Merchology Reno team spent the day volunteering with the Northern Nevada Food Bank packing up boxes of meals for families in need for Impact Week 2023! This team also has won an award for its volunteer efforts in cleaning up and maintaining a local park right in Reno.
Merchology + Mississippi Parks Connection in 2023
One of our favorite charity organizations to work with in Minnesota, the Mississippi Park Connection, offers great monthly opportunities for members of our crew to get out and do some good in nature! From planting trees to clearing out weeds and cleaning tools, the Merchology crew is always ready to roll up their sleeves and help the beauty of our state really shine.
Get to Know Us
We've introduced ourselves, and now it's your turn! Contact one of our dedicated Merchologists if you have any questions about starting an order. Otherwise, visit our About Us section to learn more about how we make merch magic!