Longstanding and trusted relationships with our clients allow us to take a personal approach to each aspect of their business. We believe that our services and personalities should be a complement to anyone we work with. We work alongside our clients to make sure our objectives and aspirations are aligned to meet a common goal. By implementing these values we are able to offer unparalleled resources across a vast range of services.
After an accomplished career in politics, Cheka made the move to the advertising and marketing industry in 2012 after a lot of urging from Michael. She learned the business from the ground up and excels at all aspects of client relations and campaign formation, implementation, and reconciliation. She takes special care to foster and grow personal relationships with both clients and vendors alike and, as CEO of Mercury, focuses on ensuring constant communication and the success of every campaign. Cheka was born in Sweden, grew up in San Diego, went to Colby College in Maine, and now lives in Maryland; needless to say she is an explorer at heart and loves to travel. Oh and by the way, she’s also a California high school basketball champion.
What’s your favorite team and sport?
Being originally from San Diego, I will always be a Padres fan as baseball is my favorite sport. However, living in DC and Maryland for the last 16 years, I have also become a die-hard Capitals and Nationals fan and have been lucky enough to see them both win Championships in the last few years.
If you could learn another language, what would it be?
I attempt to speak Italian and Spanish (and still am learning both), but I would be really interested to learn Swedish.
Where did the name Cheka come from?
I was named Francesca (my real name) after my great-grandmother. They called her Cheka and so that was the nickname I inherited as well.
Michael has worked in the advertising and marketing industry for over 16 years and has a wide breadth of experience, having worked his way up from an intern to Chief Operating Officer. He heads up the strategy and execution of the digital arm of Mercury and provides invaluable insight and experience with negotiating sports and athlete partnerships.
Michael is originally from Rockville, Maryland, played hockey all the way through college at the University of Pennsylvania and loves to golf and cook in his spare time. He even started hosting his own Instagram cooking show throughout the recent pandemic, reviews have been mixed.
Did you and Cheka meet at work?
No, we decided to work together after getting married, just like all married couples want to do, right?
What is your dream golf course to play?
Augusta National, however unlikely that may be.
Where would you go if you could go anywhere in the world tomorrow?
Sydney, Australia
Mercury’s ethos is centered around personal relationships, with our clients and with key media and sports executives.
We look at our relationship with clients as partnerships where we are as equally invested in their success as they are.
We pride ourselves on the fact that the executives pitching your business are the ones that are handling the day-to-day activities that help your business grow. We tap into our vast network of executive-level media, sports, and athlete representatives to ensure the most efficient deals for our clients.
