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Merle Sampson is CEO & Owner of the various companies under the umbrella of Spectrum Health Companies. Merle has held this position since acquiring the first of these companies in 1998.

Previous to this Merle was founder and CEO of Focus Homes, Inc. This start­ up company grew from 1 site to 90 in 14 years and served 400 developmentally disabled men and women in group homes.

In 1981, Merle entered the long term care industry as a senior executive with the Good Neighbor Corporation. He helped grow and develop that organization until its sale to the Good Samaritan Society in 1992. At the sale Good Neighbor Corporation had 33 nursing homes and related businesses throughout Minnesota with 3,500 employees. Good Samaritan Society had operation in 26 states, with 25,000 employees. Merle stayed with the Society for 5 years, in several senior level corporate positions.

Prior to health care, Merle had a series of progressively responsible corporate and operating positions with NSP (Xcel), Honeywell, and Northwest Bancorporation (Wells Fargo).

Merle has a MBA and BA in Business from the University of Minnesota. He is a commercial pilot and has traveled to over 95 countries. He enjoys the outdoors and plays Squash regularly.