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Friday, March 29, 2024

Archdiocese names new chief financial officer

Mertens

Tom Mertens of Medina has been named the new chief financial officer for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.

Mertens will succeed the John Bierbaum, who has served as CFO since 2005 and is retiring, the archdiocese announced.

“I felt it would be a great opportunity to work for an institution like the Catholic Church and all the good that the Church does within the community,” said Mertens, who will start in his new position Nov. 19.

He brings 22 years of experience in the areas of finance, financial management, financial and management reporting, operational efficiencies and cost control.

“I think they really wanted somebody . . . that could look at procedures and the way the archdiocese is run, and help make it as efficient as possible,” Mertens said.

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He currently serves as chief financial officer and controller at Macquarie AIR-serv Holding, Inc., in Mendota Heights.

As archdiocesan CFO, Mertens will oversee the finance department but also will be engaged in helping parishes and schools with their financial goals and objectives, he said.

“I am delighted that Tom is joining our leadership team at the archdiocese,” said Archbishop John Nienstedt.

“Tom’s immediate focus will be to help lead us to the next level of financial accountability and implementation of best practices in operations,” he said.

Mertens was selected after an extensive search that involved Chancery leadership and members of the Archdiocesan Finance Committee, which is made up of both clergy and laity with expertise in finance and operations management.

Lifelong Catholic

An avid outdoorsman, Mertens was born in Prior Lake and grew up in Grinnell, Iowa.

He said he enjoys running, golf, tennis, snow skiing, hunting and fishing in addition to spending time with family.

Mertens attended St. John’s University in Collegeville, graduating in 1987 with a degree in accounting. He earned his CPA in 1989.

“I appreciate Tom’s wealth of experience and demonstrated skill in finance and operations, ”Archbishop Nienstedt said. “And as a lifelong Catholic, Tom brings to this work a great love for the Church as well as a solid understanding of parish life.”

Mertens and his wife Paula live in Medina with their two children and are members of St. Anne in Hamel.

 


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