Susan O' Brien
Susan O’Brien, Founder of Hail Merry Snacks. Susan O’Brien, Native Houstonian and UT Austin design graduate started Hail Merry Snacks in 2006 after traveling to Maui where she fell in love with the raw food lifestyle. For Ms. O’Brien “Going Raw”, an evolution of Vegan, seemed a natural progression from her decade-long yoga practice. Her journey would take her to California where she trained with famed raw food chef, Juliano. Back home in Dallas, her cabana would be transformed into a test kitchen for raw snacks, which were then sold into a local natural foods market. Hail Merry quickly gained a devout following of vegan, gluten-free and raw enthusiasts who share a love for fresh, great tasting, pure ingredients which heal the body.
Ms. OBrien spent years designing clinical laboratories and feels right at home in a commercial kitchen. “I get to use my design skills nearly everyday designing packaging, new product development and the expansion of our commercial kitchen,” states Susan. She also exclaims “Don’t mess with a mother when it comes to the health of her children.” She is adamant about seeing to it that her kids are not riddled with toxic food additives and dyes. Hail Merry can be found at all Dallas, Houston and Austin Whole Foods locations as well as DFW Central Markets and other select health conscious retailers.
Sarah Palisi Chapin
Sarah Palisi Chapin is Hail Merry’s CEO. Sarah began her career in food retailing on the boardwalk of the Jersey Shore and fine dining restaurants, beachside. A graduate of Purdue, she managed restaurants while putting herself thru school, interning as a designate for Disney EPCOT & American Airlines, after serving as the GM for a campus Noble Roman’s in the development of a fleet of mobile restaurants. Her career hallmark has been innovation, pioneering the creation of the food industry’s first miniature express cooking kiosks to retail in airports, stadiums, offices and universities. Sarah has also operated skunk works including trucks that “baked in the driveway”, co-developed a global purchasing coop, and headed an established food equipment patenting/invention/licensing company. In her 15 years of public and private food company board of director work, she has focused on accelerating new product expansion and commercialization, as well as capital sourcing for growth. Sarah was also previously head of food and packaging globally for a $6 billion fast food restaurant chain. She truly understands the food supply chain. She is committed to influencing how America eats by helping to make all natural products available on a broad scale. She is currently on her own organic and natural journey in a quest for improved health and wellness.
Alison Brushaber
Alison Brushaber serves as the Chief Operating Officer for Hail Merry snacks. Starting her career as a working chef and completing further studies at the Culinary Institute of America she then attended and graduated from the University of Minnesota with a degree in Food Science and Nutrition. For over twenty years she worked in the restaurant business for various corporations as head of research and development developing menu items, new innovative products and processes and leading organizations research efforts for operational efficiency. A ‘foodie’ at heart, today she is focused on natural and organic foods.
