Merle has experience with industry ranging from GE, IBM, and Ford to small fabricators and industrial sales. He has been involved in ownership, plant management, operations, design, and quality systems with direct experience installing and using the ISO 9000 Quality Management System for a Ford Motor Co. supplier. Merle began working in Iowa industrial outreach activities as a member of the community college Heartland project in 1992 and has been with CIRAS since 1995. He is the author of three patents.