Mertz is a speaker, author, and successful real estate entrepreneur as president and owner of the Michigan-based firm Mayhood/Mertz Investment, Inc. Mertz’s book traces the ATHENA history and illuminates the ATHENA principles, with inspiring stories from Mertz and other leaders. Mertz was President of ATHENA International from its beginnings in Lansing, MI in 1982 to May of 1999. Now, a global board leads ATHENA and Mertz serves as a board member and ambassador, traveling the globe to share its message that women bring a distinctive, transforming approach to leadership, an approach that goes beyond gender to speak to all who would lead in the 21st century.   “We work to achieve a balance in the voices of leadership.  Time tested “women’s ways” of leading have become the gold standard for both genders, and the building blocks for success in today’s global environment,” says Mertz.   ATHENA International, formerly ATHENA Foundation, is a non-profit organization that seeks to support, develop and honor women leaders, inspire them to reach their full potential, and create balance in leadership worldwide. Since the program’s inception in 1982, more than 6,000 awards have been presented in over 500 communities in the United States, Canada, China, Russia, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.

Mertz was honored as one of the Top 25 Women Business Owners in Michigan by the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO), and selected as the Michigan Women-In-Business Advocate by the U.S. Small Business Administration. Other awards she has received include the Visionary Award from Office Depot, in 2004; the Vassilissa Award in Moscow, Russia; and induction in 2006 into the Enterprising Women’s Hall of Fame. Mertz received her B.A. in Women’s Studies and Psychology from Michigan State University.