About

Meritus is comprised of a committed team of commercial and multi-family management professionals that take great pride in being stewards of the built environment, operating assets efficiently, and providing an outstanding tenant experience.

Our company was established in 1991 when founder Art DeMuro started Venerable Group, Inc, which was both a property management firm and development firm focused on adaptive reuse and historic restoration. Over the following twenty-nine years, Venerable touched many important historic properties in Portland, including the Minnesota Hotel, Telegram Building, Northwest Fence & Wire Works, the Ladd Carriage House, Mason Ehrman Building, Fire Station No. 7, and the White Stag Block. Venerable became highly-regarded in Portland’s historic preservation and real estate community.

Under the leadership of Art’s partner Craig Kelly, Venerable was transitioned to Meritus Property Group in 2020, which was the final step in a journey that had been underway since Art’s untimely passing in 2012. Though the legal entity that Art formed decades ago fulfilled its purpose, his vision for excellence in property management lives on in Meritus.

Part of the Ethos family of companies, Meritus currently operates retail, commercial, industrial, and multifamily properties in the Portland, Oregon metro area, including the Willamette Valley and Vancouver, Washington, through the Seattle, Washington metro area.