Meet

Merle Gilley

President and Founder of TriQuest USA

Merle Gilley is the Founder and President of TriQuest USA and has been a leading figure in the life insurance industry since 2003. Widely regarded as one of the nation’s top experts on Index Universal Life (IUL), Merle has played a pivotal role in product innovation and has been a trusted advisor to major insurance companies for over 20 years.

Driven by a passion for empowering agents to excel, Merle’s mission is to help them become retirement income specialists and rank among the top 10% producers in the industry. Recognizing the challenge many professionals face in scaling their practices to 6-7 figures while maintaining work-life balance, Merle responded by creating Agent to Advisor—a groundbreaking training platform. The platform provides agents with step-by-step sales training, state-of-the-art marketing tools, and strategies to enhance their business and deliver exceptional value to clients.

Before entering the financial services industry, Merle proudly served in the U.S. Air Force’s Strategic Air Command (SAC) as a B-52 crew chief with the 93rd Bomb Wing. Following his military service, he returned to his hometown of Virginia Beach, VA, where he and his wife of 40 years, Monica, built a successful family business.

Merle’s journey into the insurance world began when, after selling his first business, he sought a secure way to invest his earnings. Discovering the power of IUL, he thoroughly tested its potential and recognized that it could benefit all Americans, not just the affluent. This realization became the foundation of TriQuest USA, a company built on a commitment to helping individuals and families achieve long-term financial security.