Daniel Mercer is a Yukon native who has spent most of his life in Oklahoma City and its surrounds. He graduated from OCU, began his career in venture capital and made several transitions throughout two decades, including consulting, flying in the US Air Force, corporate finance and, most recently, beer. Mr. Mercer co-founded COOP Ale Works in 2008 with a goal of creating a production brewery Oklahoma City would be proud of. He led the company through its 2014 expansion and is currently spearheading COOP’s $28 million renovation and expansion of the historic 23rd Street National Guard Armory. The Armory, a nearly forgotten Oklahoma City architectural gem, is slated to become a world-class brewery, hotel and resort destination with a target opening of November 2020.
As the Principal of FSB’s Civic & Education markets, John Semtner, works closely with local governments, schools and stakeholders to develop projects that promote strong civic pride and enhance community relationships.
John’s 17-year experience as a project manager and mechanical engineer is a diverse background of complex projects. His strength is to simplify advanced options, help clients work through tough choices, and keep experts and consultants focused on important milestones. Those complex projects have included data centers, historic high-rises, advance energy saving projects, medical projects, laboratory projects, and iconic architectural projects.
In addition to focusing on the improvement of our community through his work at FSB, John also dedicates his personal time to a variety of local organizations. John volunteers on the boards of the Boys and Girls Club of Oklahoma County, the Santa Fe Family Life Center, and Arts Council Oklahoma City. He is active in the Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce, the Rotary Club of Oklahoma City, and the United Way of Central Oklahoma. He is a past president of the Central Oklahoma Chapter of ASHRAE, and graduate of the Leadership Oklahoma City LOYAL program.