Ellen Merlo held the position of Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs, Philip Morris USA, from March 1995 until her retirement in March of 2003. During that time Ms. Merlo was responsible for directing internal and external communications, public affairs activities, corporate responsibility planning and programs, consumer affairs and community relations, including charitable grants on behalf of the company. She also served as the senior spokesperson for Philip Morris USA. In her over 40 years in corporate America, Ms. Merlo held a variety of positions for Philip Morris, as well as for several other companies before she joined Philip Morris in 1969. At Philip Morris most of her career was focused on marketing activities, including as Group Director of Brand Management and Vice President of Marketing Services. In those positions Ms. Merlo helped to create Event Marketing, Database Marketing and Continuity Promotions for the company.
Prior to joining Philip Morris, Ms. Merlo was managing Editor of Motor Trend Magazine in Los Angeles from 1966 to 1969. In addition to her position at Motor Trend, she held several other positions with magazine publishing companies.
Since her retirement Ms. Merlo has undertaken a more active role in the philanthropic community. She is currently the National Chair of ACWIS, after serving as Chair of the New York Region of ACWIS and as member of its executive committee. Ms. Merlo served as the Vice President of the Baron de Hirsch Fund, she is a member of Brand Israel Group, an organization working to maintain close ties between Americans and Israel, and heading up a charitable foundation of her own, The Pearl Welinsky Merlo Foundation. Ms. Merlo has long had a passion for the State of Israel and Jewish-related causes both here in the United States and in Israel. Ms. Merlo makes her home in Manhattan.