Shon grew up on a small family farm in South-Central Kansas.  After running track and field while attending Hutchinson Community College, he graduated from Kansas State University in Architectural Engineering in 1992. He began his employment as a design engineer for Brack & Associates in Topeka, KS, receiving his professional Certification as a Professional Engineer (PE) in 1996.

In 1997 he started working for Mercer-Zimmerman, Inc. as a Lighting Sales Representative in Topeka, Kansas.  During this period he served as President for the local IES chapter for two years and, in 2001, earned his LC (Lighting Certified) certification from the National Council on Qualifications for the Lighting Professions (NCQLP).   In 1999 Shon became an owner in Mercer-Zimmerman and subsequently moved his family to Spring Hill, KS just outside of Kansas City in 2002 to take on the role of Vice President of Mercer-Zimmerman.

During the period from 2001 – 2005 Shon was instrumental in growing Mercer-Zimmerman into the largest lighting manufacturers’ representative in the Kansas and Western Missouri market.  With the retirement of his partner in 2005, Shon became sole owner in Mercer-Zimmerman, Inc. with four offices and approximately 40 employees. 

During the same period while taking over as sole owner of Mercer Zimmerman 2005, Shon became the primary owner and managing partner in Yust Farms, located in Sylvia, KS.  With the help of his father, brother and two employees, they have grown the family farm to over 4000 acres and 100+ cow/calf heard.  Everyone that knows Shon, recognizes his and his family’s passion for the farm and outdoor activities.  There are many weekends where you will find him working long hours on a tractor or combine in the central plains of Kansas. 

Shon feel’s his most important accomplishments are those tied to raising his family of four kids and his marriage of 25+ years to his wife Jenny.  Shon loves to cook, hunt, coach basketball, snow ski, water ski and spearfish.  Shon is most at home surrounded by family, friends and customers enjoying events such as farming, Jambalaya and BBQ cookouts, fishing, hunting and skiing.

Kate Wimer joined Mercer-Zimmerman, Inc. in 2002 as a specification salesperson. After she graduated from the University of Kansas in 1990 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration, Wimer began her career with Eveready/Energizer. There she dealt with electrical distributors and industrial accounts within the region. After joining Regent Lighting in 1996, she realized her passion for lighting. From that time, Wimer became a manufacturer's representative in the lighting industry where she has worked closely with area architects, engineers and lighting designers for numerous years. One of the most rewarding aspects of her career is seeing a person's design become a reality. In her free time, Wimer enjoys gardening, yoga, creating jewelry, and spending time with husband Bob and dogs Simi, Frodo and little Pixie.

Trevor Kramer graduated from Kansas State University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a Masters of Accountancy. Upon graduation, Trevor obtained his CPA license and kicked off a degree in public accounting at Deloitte. After a couple of years as a public accountant, Trevor joined a lighting manufacturing company, which led to his eventual career at Mercer-Zimmerman. He joined the MZ family in 2016, where he continues to follow his passion for teamwork and growth as Vice President, Operations.

Outside of work, Trevor enjoys spending time with his family and wife Ariele, whom he met while attending K-State. It goes without saying they spend a lot of time cheering on the Wildcats. More than just a sports fan, Trevor also enjoys playing softball, basketball and golf, spending time at the lake, cheering on KC sports teams, reading, and playing with his dog Lucy.

Kathy Deming received her Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Communications from the University of Delaware in Newark, Delaware, and has over sixteen years of experience in product and retail marketing with some of the industry’s top companies. Deming enjoys the feeling of family among her coworkers, and feels lucky to be with Mercer-Zimmerman. In her personal life, Kathy enjoys spending time with her two wonderful children, as well as her two four-legged children. She loves to exercise and spend time at the dog park, and when she isn’t in the Midwest, she is likely found visiting her family in Savannah, Georgia, or spending time with her friends.

Jeannie Wilcox is the Marketing Manager for Mercer-Zimmerman. She works with the MZ teams to spread awareness of the MZ brand and to help ensure employees and clients have a good overall MZ brand experience at events, online and via social media. She has an MBA, as well as a BA in English – plus years of marketing and communications know-how. When she’s not at work, Jeannie and her husband Matt dine their way around Kansas City and spend the rest of their waking hours enjoying their home-away-from-home at Lake of the Ozarks.

Diana Kepferle graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from Fort Hays University, and went on to receive her Master’s degree from Webster University. She has worked for thirteen years in public accounting, one year with Learjet, and ten years in new home construction. Diana’s favorite part of working with the Mercer-Zimmerman team is their dedication to a great work environment and their caring attitude towards employees and clients. In her free time, Diana enjoys reading, gardening, sea shelling, and spending time with her husband and two cats.

Bev McMurray graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Interior Architecture, and has taken Masters-level courses in Architecture as well. After finishing college, Bev has spent 12 years working in design on both commercial and high-end residential projects. She has enjoyed her experience so far at Mercer-Zimmerman, and attributes this to the family environment, as well as the company integrity she sees throughout. When not working, Bev enjoys spending time with her best friend, who happens to be her husband, travelling both nationally and internationally. Her other hobbies include working with her hands, building, creating, designing, and renovating, especially within their newly purchased 1958 home.

Samira Kiger joined Mercer Zimmerman in 2008 with a healthcare background.  She graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Kansas with a degree in Behavioral Science with and emphasis in Community Health and Pre-Med, and spend much of her time at school on the Kansas river because of her involvement in the University of Kansas rowing team. Kiger loves working for Mercer-Zimmerman and enjoys the close knit family environment she has come to be a part of since joining the team. When Samira is not with her work family, she enjoys spending time with her daughter, Ryah, and husband and two dogs. She also enjoys living a healthy and fit lifestyle, loves style, and likes to watch the Chiefs play football.

Scott McMurray is a lighting designer who formerly worked for Derek Porter Studio. McMurray graduated the University of Kansas with a Bachelors of Film and Theatre, and a Masters of Architecture. In addition to working for an architect and an architectural lighting designer, Scott has continued to work on small independent design-build projects, and brings to Mercer Zimmerman a balanced experience of design and construction experience. Outside of work, Scott enjoys traveling with his wife Beverly, and is always pursuing the opportunity to direct an Oscar worthy Film.

Autumn Nieland joined Mercer-Zimmerman in 2013. She graduated from KU with a degree in Architectural Engineering, and began working in the lighting industry as a lighting designer at Schuler Shook in Chicago. She stayed in Chicago to work for io Lighting and Morr Sharp as a specification sales agent. A Kansas Citian at heart, she was glad to be back in 2009 working at LightWild/Flextronics until 2013. Autumn enjoys working at Mercer-Zimmerman because of the team oriented atmosphere. In her free time, Autumn can be found being active and outside with her two young boys.

Mitch joined the MZ team in 2018, following eight years in the outdoor Industry. New to lighting, but not new to product development and sales, Mitch also has a Bachelor’s degree in communications with a minor in business administration from Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, KS. Mitch enjoys the small-company feel that Mercer-Zimmerman offers, as well as the closely-knit family atmosphere. He’s an avid outdoorsman, and when not at work will either be found in a deer stand or on a golf course - depending on the time of year. His other interests include watching sports and spending time with his friends and family.

Ray Robins trained at Baker University in Stage Design and Technology, but has spent most of his career as an installer and designer of theatrical lighting, rigging, and curtain systems.  Following ten years as technical director for Indian Creek Community Church in Olathe, Ray joined Mercer-Zimmerman as a full-time controls field technician to provide programming services for MZ’s many controls brands, while also providing general troubleshooting for all things lighting control.  Ray and his wife Terry reside in rural Miami County in a continuously-under-remodel farmhouse with two very large dogs and a small herd of cats.

Brad Hull joined the Mercer-Zimmerman team in 2001 after graduating from the University of Kansas in 1999 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Theatre Design. Still active in the professional theatre design community, Hull has designed for Kansas City Civic Opera Theatre, Kacico Dance, Kansas City Symphony, Theatre at Vis, and Legacy School of Dance.  He is currently Resident Lighting Designer for Music Theatre for Young People and recently returned to his alma mater to design for the University Dance Company at the University of Kansas. As the entertainment and architectural lighting worlds continue to converge, this practical experience keeps him current with new technologies and practices in the lighting controls industry.  This experience makes Hull a valuable resource to the specification community as he works alongside them on the design of lighting control and energy management systems. In his free time, Hull enjoys running, following KU Basketball, and skiing. He especially enjoys quality time with his family.

Tim McCray has been working in the lighting business for almost thirty years, and is very experienced in working as a lighting designer, as he was the Artistic and Lighting Director for Theater at Vis for many years. Tim received his Bachelor’s degree in theater and math from Central Missouri State University (now University of Central Missouri). In his free time, Tim loves to spend time with all eighteen of his grandchildren at their large family get-togethers. His hobbies include running, golf, and working on hands-on projects. He is also very involved in his church theater group.

Ross Hasler has been working with Mercer-Zimmerman for the past five years, with two years of experience in the applications department, and three years and counting with the controls department. He received his degree from Kansas State University located in Manhattan, Kansas. Hasler enjoys the variety of his career at Mercer-Zimmerman, and loves that each day is so different from the one before. When Ross isn’t working in the controls department, he enjoys home brewing, and kicking back with his homemade creations to watch a Sporting KC game.

Ryan interned at Mercer Zimmerman while completing his BA in Interior Design from Park University in 2007. During his education at Park, he attended a presentation by Mercer-Zimmerman and he instantly knew that lighting was the path he wanted to follow. With the growing LED market, Ryan went on to represent architectural lighting manufactures in various roles over the next 8 years.

Throughout these years, Ryan gained experience in many areas from small offices to facades, and even stadiums. Ryan’s passion for lighting grew throughout his cross country travels, and he is very enthusiastic to share this with the local design community.

His free time is spent working on his house or spending time with friends and family. Otherwise you can catch Ryan enjoying a great cocktail at local hotspots around town.

Michael Doyle joined the Mercer-Zimmerman team already equipped with extensive experience in sales. He worked both as a Senior Estimator for a contractor, and as a lighting quotes estimator for a distributer, both which gave him unique skills perfect for working in Contractor and Distributer sales. He enjoys working at Mercer-Zimmerman because the teams fun attitude makes it a great place to work. In his free time, Michael enjoys going to concerts and spending time with his wife, going fishing with his father, and spending time with his son.

Zach Pickett graduated from Baker University with a degree in Business Marketing and Management. Zach loves the atmosphere and culture at Mercer Zimmerman and really enjoys being apart of the team. If you don't find Zach on a golf course in his free time, the weather must be poor. Some of Zach’s other interests include playing baseball, basketball, volleyball, snow skiing & hanging out at the lake.  He also loves to hunt, fish and relax with his family and friends. 

Brandin Lazenby joined Mercer Zimmerman in 2011, after working in the Cooling Technologies unit of SPX Corporation, a global provider of technical products and systems. Through the years, Brandin has grown in experience and responsibility. He typically leads by partnering with bright teammates to drive continuous improvement and growth. Brandin and his wife Natalie have three wonderful and active children. Their daughter, Haylie loves Olympic weightlifting, oldest son Dylan enjoys playing competitive baseball. In 2014, the Lazenby’s adopted their youngest son Xander, who fills their home with many adventures. Brandin has a heart for giving back and getting involved with local charity groups. Brandin loves traveling with his family and just about any outdoor activity you can imagine including, riding motorcycles with his wife.

Clint Elliott joined the ranks of Mercer Zimmerman in January 2003, and has been working in his field for almost seventeen years.  He is responsible for bidding and negotiating lighting packages for commercial construction and design/build projects and enjoys what he does at Mercer-Zimmerman. His ability to work well with distributors makes him a valuable addition to the team. Elliott has a B.S. in Mass Communications from Central Missouri State University, with an Associate’s Degree in Criminal Justice. He enjoys spending his free time with wife Andrea and their 5 boys.

After serving 4 years in the United States Navy, John began his electrical career working for a manufacturer’s rep that primarily sold pipe and wire. They had one lighting manufacturer that they represented, and that is where his love of lighting began. Eventually he started calling on Distributors and Contractors and eventually moved into specifications sales.  From there he went to work for a Manufacturer as a Regional Manager and traveled extensively over the western 11 states calling on manufacturer’s reps and doing specification sales. An opportunity to become VP of Operations of a manufacturing firm took him out of the electrical business for a number of years.  After several years, John found that he missed the lighting business that he loved and re-entered the electrical business working for an electrical wholesaler doing lighting quotations before joining Mercer Zimmerman’s team 2 years ago. He has been extremely impressed with the culture here at Mercer Zimmerman, the family atmosphere, the camaraderie and all the fun activities that they schedule together, what a great place to work!

Kevin Hooey graduated from the University of Texas at Dallas with a bachelor's degree in Arts and Technology. He enjoys working at Mercer-Zimmerman because of the relaxed family like atmosphere, and because he feels motivated to push himself to do his best work. In his free time, Kevin can be found spending time with his wife and their three daughters.

E.J. Hiss is a member of the project quotations department, coming from a lighting agency in Texas. E.J. has a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture, with a minor in Business from Kansas State University. He was reared in Great Bend, Kansas and grew up in a dairy farming family. He enjoys spending his free time attending sporting events, volunteering, and spending time with friends and family. E.J. values working in the quotes department because he enjoys the process of project negotiation, and appreciates working at Mercer-Zimmerman because of the high-quality group of people at the company.

Diane Thurston graduated from Kansas State University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Agricultural economics, and joined the Mercer-Zimmerman team in 2011 after working nine years in the insurance industry. Diane enjoys her work at Mercer-Zimmerman, especially because of the family environment, and the way the company cares about both their clients and their employees. When not at Mercer-Zimmerman, she can be found spending time with her two adult sons. Her hobbies include weightlifting, working outside, and playing softball.

Jennifer Blais became apart of the Mercer-Zimmerman team nine years ago, and has loved working with Mercer-Zimmerman! Jennifer has been married to her husband Keith for twenty-four years, and has three children; Austin, her oldest, is 21 and attends University of Central Missouri, her son Matthew is 19 and attends Kansas State University, and her daughter emily is currently a senior at Olathe East High School, and will be graduating in 2016.

Melisa Young started her career in the lighting industry as an Administrative Assistant for an electrical contracting company. There she became familiar with Mercer-Zimmerman and says she knew what a reputable company MZ was LONG before she became an employee! She feels her work with a contractor was the perfect lead-in for her current position as a Project Manager. She says she was honored to join MZ, after having worked closely with their knowledgeable team in the past.

Lindsey Osborn joined Mercer-Zimmerman from the new home construction industry. She graduated from Fort Hays State University with a Business Administration degree, with an emphasis in management – perfect prep for her Project Management role at MZ. Lindsey enjoys her work at Mercer-Zimmerman, as she is able to build positive relationships with clients and employees in a relaxed, family-friendly environment. When not at MZ, you will find her spending time with her husband and daughter, cheering on the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals, University of Kansas Jayhawks, and volunteering with the City of Shawnee and her church.

Mary graduated from the University of Kansas with a Business degree in Marketing and a Minor in Psychology. She’s proud to have been part of the Women’s Rowing Team while at KU and proud to be part of the MZ team now. In her free time, Mary loves to hang out with friends and family, spend time at the lake, and go on as many adventures as possible.

Brian Eads has worked in the electrical industry for 18 years at the distributor and representative level. He enjoys working at Mercer-Zimmerman because they are one big family. He feels well taken care of, and like he is more than just an employee.

Before Adrianne Salyer found Mercer-Zimmerman, she spent 19 years in the world of retail as a Store Sales Leader for New York & Company stores throughout Kansas City. She’s put those many skills to work in her role as Sales Administrator at MZ. Since joining the MZ family, she was quick to recognize the culture was unlike anything she had experienced before – and she loves it! Besides work, Adrianne feels fortunate to be married to her very best friend for many, many years. Together, they enjoy watching their daughter Hailey tear it upon on her high school and club softball teams.

Krista Romeo is the Accounting Assistant for Mercer-Zimmerman and one thing you can count on: she’s a Jayhawk fan among the dozens of K-Staters. She attended University of Kansas and has Bachelor's in Sociology. Before finding MZ, she worked in procurement and accounting for large and small businesses but loves that Mercer-Zimmerman is truly a company that values employees and their families. In her spare time, Krista practices yoga, enjoys cooking, and spends time with her husband Tommy and their dogs Indy and Albus.

Jon Lee, like many of his colleagues, is a Kansas State graduate. He brought to MZ a degree in architectural engineering and an interest in the world of lighting, after having worked as a consulting engineer. He’s grown to love the family culture at MZ, where he says everyone has each other’s back - which he recognizes as rare in a work environment. When not at work, Jon cheers on his Wildcats, the Chiefs and Royals – and also loves playing pretty much any sport: golf, water sports, skiing, boarding, basketball.

He’s also engaged with a number of philanthropic organizations around Kansas City, including Big Brothers Big Sisters KC, Shadow Buddies, Team Hally, The Aidan Project and SocialHeart. Giving back to the community is an integral part of his life.

Chad Fagg has spent twenty-one years with Mercer-Zimmerman since graduating from Missouri State University. While he was in school he also spent three summers working with H.E. Williams. Chad enjoys working at Mercer-Zimmerman because of their dedication to excellence and their knowledgeability of their products. In his free time, Chad likes to go golfing, spend time at the lake, and just be outdoors. He also can be found spending time with his wife and seven year old son.

Kevin Irby joined the Mercer-Zimmerman team in 2010 after working in electric, quotations, and sales for 12 years prior. He currently resides in Springfield, Missouri, where he moved to approximately fifteen years ago from Virginia. In Springfield he worked at Lloyd’s Electric Supply for several years as counter sales and lighting quotations. Kevin enjoys his job at Mercer-Zimmerman, and likes being a part of such a friendly and knowledgeable team. In his free time Kevin enjoys all things boating, especially when accompanied by his dog FeBe! His other hobbies include grilling, Barbecue, and wine making.

Ashley Young works at Mercer Zimmerman as a project manager. Ashley enjoys working at Mercer Zimmerman because they stand behind their work, and they strive to provide top quality products. She also enjoys working with her fun, close knit group of coworkers. In her free time, Ashley likes to spend time with her two children, doing anything that involves the outdoors.

Morghan graduated from Missouri State University in 2007, with a degree in Hospitality and Management. Prior to joining the Mercer-Zimmerman team in July of 2015, she worked in the food and beverage industry as a Kitchen Manager for Cheddars, a food sales rep for US Foodservice, and a Red Bull Brand Manager for the Midwest Region. After a few career changes in her life, she has thoroughly enjoyed working for Mercer-Zimmerman because of the tight-nit environment, where everyone works together as team. In Morghan's spare time, she teaches and practices yoga, enjoys running, and loves slowing the mind down with a relaxing hike. Morghan loves to travel and experience the world, and enjoys seeing just about anything and everything!

Branch Manager Gary Fagg brings an important manufacturer's viewpoint to Mercer-Zimmerman. Prior to joining Mercer-Zimmerman, Fagg served as vice president of sales and marketing and manager of national accounts for H.E. Williams. The invaluable experience gained during 30 years of working for H.E. Williams brought a great deal to Mercer-Zimmerman, Inc.  In 1999, Fagg joined Mercer-Zimmerman in its Springfield office as branch manager. Fagg handles outside sales for the Springfield office and has built on the strong relationships that he formed as a manufacturer. When not harassing specifiers and contractors, he loves to golf and fish.

Paul joined the Mercer-Zimmerman team in 2017 with more than fifteen years of experience working for distributers in southwest Missouri. He says he really appreciates the professional, yet family-like atmosphere at MZ. When not at work, you can find Paul enjoying the outdoors with his friend Monica: hunting, fishing, camping, and kayaking.

Darrell Huffman graduated from Mid-America Nazarene University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sports Management and a minor in Business. Darrell enjoys working at Mercer-Zimmerman as an outside sales representative, and feels as if he is a part of a family at his job. In his free time Darrell can be found spending time with his wife Kadie, his two children Bryant and Myla, and his dog Louie. His other hobbies include playing golf and watching the Royals.

Anne Heinrich has been with Mercer-Zimmerman for almost 18 years now, and enjoys working with a company which has strong values and integrity. When she is not working in the sales department at Mercer-Zimmerman, you can find her spending time with her family or tending to her perennial flower gardens.

Kim Crum has been working in the electric industry for over thirty years with companies such as Amfac Electric and Illumination Sales, and has been a part of the Mercer-Zimmerman Wichita team since 1998. Her favorite part of working with Mercer-Zimmerman is how professional, skilled, and resourceful her team and the company overall are. In her free time Kim enjoys spending time with her daughter Kylie and her husband Robbie, going to the lake or up to the mountains.

Amy R. Chapman graduated in December 1998 with a B.S. in Architectural Engineering from Kansas State University. She served as a consulting engineer for eleven years before starting her career in lighting sales in July 2011. Her primary responsibilities as a consulting engineer included working with owners, architects, and other engineering disciplines to coordinate quality designs for clients, manage projects within time and budgetary constraints. When Amy is not working at Mercer-Zimmerman, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two dogs in their Salina, Kansas home. Amy loves watching Kansas State University sports, spending time outside hunting and fishing, taking rides on her Harley, and spending time with friends.

Brady Yust joined the Mercer-Zimmerman team in 2011 after working 14 years with Utility Contractors, Inc. as a project manager and estimator. Before that, he graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Construction Science/ Architectural Engineering from Kansas State University. In his free time Brady enjoys spending time with his wife Tricia and his son Noah, who is currently in high school. His hobbies include water skiing, snow skiing, and working on the farm.

Kyle Lang joined Mercer Zimmerman at their Wichita location in March of 2012. Lang graduated from Kansas State University in 2008 with a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, as well as a minor in Spanish and a Certificate of International Business. Between graduating from college and starting at Mercer-Zimmerman, Kyle worked the counter at CED-Wichita and completed the bronze, silver, and gold levels of the Electrical Products Education Course. When he is not working for Mercer-Zimmerman, Kyle enjoys sports, whether it is watching them or playing them, and loves to root for his alma mater. He also spends much of his free time enjoying the company of his wife Lisa and three sons, Christian, Thomas, and Johnathan.

Heidi Lauppe joined Mercer Zimmerman in 2007.  She is currently attending Butler County Community College for her Associates degree while working on the Mercer-Zimmerman team, and hopes to attend Wichita State University when she has completed her associates to work towards her Bachelor’s degree. When she is not busy with work or school, she enjoys spending time with her friends and family, especially her husband Justin and her miniature dachshund Ozzy.