Our Team

Merritt McNeely

Chief Executive Officer, Visionary Marketing Leader and Community Advocate

Merritt (McHaffie) McNeely, an award-winning marketing and communications thought leader in South Carolina, has made a transformative impact on Flock and Rally since assuming the role of CEO of the agency in September 2022. Under her leadership, Flock and Rally has become known as one of the state’s leading full-service firms providing branding, strategy marketing, advertising and communications services to a variety of major destinations, institutions, nonprofits, government agencies and businesses across the state and beyond.

After joining Flock and Rally in 2018 as vice president of marketing, Merritt contributed a wealth of expertise in marketing and organizational leadership, enabling the firm to grow its client base to serve larger clients with broader audiences and more complex needs. She was promoted to executive vice president in June 2020, ultimately assuming the position of CEO in 2022. She has achieved remarkable success through strategic restructuring of the organization, with a focus on empowerment of staff, a collaborative attitude toward client service and a passion for serving the community.

A graduate of the University of South Carolina, Merritt earned her degree in public relations from the School of Journalism and Mass Communications. Her career has been marked by her involvement in numerous high-profile events, campaigns, and organizations. Notably, she served as the executive director of the Five Points Association from 2005 to 2013, where she accomplished groundbreaking projects for the neighborhood, including becoming the youngest and first female chair of the annual St. Pat's in Five Points festival, South Carolina’s largest single-day event.

From 2013 to 2018, Merritt held the role of director of marketing and membership at the South Carolina State Museum, overseeing the management of an annual marketing budget of significant magnitude. Her leadership played a pivotal role in statewide marketing and communications efforts for the launch of the museum’s major expansion in 2014, and she founded and co-chaired the Total Eclipse Weekend, Columbia, S.C. campaign, a landmark initiative that drew hundreds of thousands of travelers to the Midlands in 2017.

Since her arrival at Flock and Rally, Merritt has led the team to garner numerous “Best in Show” awards from the S.C. chapters of the Public Relations Society of America and the International Association of Business Communicators, as well as multiple Gold ADDYs and Best in Show awards from the American Advertising Association Midlands chapter. The firm has been honored with many statewide awards including S.C. Biz News’ 2025 “Empowering Women” and 2024 “Best Women-Owned Businesses” awards, as well as national and international awards via the American Public Transportation Association and the International Association of Fairs and Expos.

Her contributions to the community have earned her accolades such as inclusion in prestigious lists such as SC Biz News’ “2025 Most Influential Leaders,” the MidlandsBiz “Celebrating 50 South Carolina Women 2025,” the Post and Courier’s “2024 Power List for Columbia,” the State Media Company's “20 Under 40,” Columbia Regional Business Report’s “Women of Influence,” Columbia Business Monthly's “50 Most Influential 2011,” Indexx Publishing’s “S.C. Women in Business 2022,” and the Free Times’ “Power” and “Next 50” lists as well as runner-up for Best Local Leader in the Free Times’ 2023 “Best of Columbia” readers’ poll.

McNeely’s greatest priority in her personal and professional life is to make an impact. In 2024 and 2025, she served as the City of Columbia’s representative on the volunteer committee tasked with rebranding the region’s riverfront, which will have a long-lasting impact on economic development and tourism in the area. She served for years on the board of the Five Points Association, a full-circle moment since the first role of her professional career was to serve as the executive director of the merchants’ district. In 2025, she was elected to serve a three-year term on the Shandon Neighborhood Council and assists with the communications committee, as she and her husband are Shandon residents.

In addition to years of board service and multiple leadership roles with the Congaree Vista Guild, Merritt served as president of the board from July 2018 to July 2020. She also has served on the boards of the Columbia Design League, the Animal Mission and the Babcock Center Foundation.

She lives in downtown Columbia with her family and enjoys cooking, travel, adventure sports, culinary experiences and supporting community events. She is an avid runner who has completed three full marathons and regularly lands on the podium at various running events.