Mr. Gerleman is an Executive Vice-President of Merritt Research Services, overseeing its Cedar Rapids, Iowa operation. Mr. Gerleman’s primary charge is shepherding the employee-owned team that has redesigned the municipal bond industry’s first vendor software and database analytical package for municipal credit analysis.

Gerleman began his association with The Merritt System in July 1988 as a Municipal Surveillance Analyst for Van Kampen Merritt. From 1990 through 1996, he served in various sell-side research capacities at Everen Securities Inc (Chicago) and its predecessor firms (Kemper Securities Inc and Blunt Ellis & Loewi Inc) as a First Vice-President & Senior Tax-Exempt Fixed Income Analyst.

While at Everen, Global Guaranty named Mr. Gerleman to the All-American Analyst Team. He also served on the Chicago Municipal Analysts Society Board of Directors. In 1995, he was named to the All-Star Muni Analyst Team. In 1996 he returned to Van Kampen to head up the Cedar Rapids operations of the what has become Merritt Research Services. Mr. Gerleman’s multifaceted relationship with the product - first on the vendor side, followed by six years as a client, has had much to do with his success as the team's mentor.