After a summer filled with extended family and friends, Douglas Demarest Mercer, 88, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, September 18, 2024. He was the son of the late Henry D. and Catherine S. Mercer and was born in Passaic, New Jersey in 1935.
Doug graduated from the Merchant Marine Academy with honors and then joined the family shipping business, States Marine Lines between 1964-1980. States Marine had been founded in New York in 1930 by his father Henry D. Mercer. The company grew into a worldwide break-bulk shipping company, which at its peak had a fleet of 100 vessels, managed by 500 shoreside employees, plus a worldwide agency network. Initially, Doug learned the business by sailing as a Third Mate. He progressed up the ladder and assumed the presidency and then became CEO for the last ten years of his 25-year tenure. During this period, Doug also served on several boards, including Moore McCormack Resources, Maremont Corporation, and Paine Weber’s Family of Funds.




