[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ fullwidth=”on” admin_label=”Header” _builder_version=”4.27.2″ background_enable_color=”off” background_image=”http:\/\/artomerisalo.fi\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Bio-kansikuva.png” module_alignment=”center” custom_padding=”0px|0|0px|0px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_fullwidth_header title=”A Man Named Merisalo” text_orientation=”center” content_max_width=”99%” admin_label=”Fullwidth Header” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ title_font=”Merriweather||||||||” title_text_align=”center” title_font_size=”80px” title_line_height=”1.4em” content_font=”Open Sans||||||||” content_text_align=”center” content_font_size=”18px” content_line_height=”1.8em” background_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0)” use_background_color_gradient=”on” background_color_gradient_direction=”140deg” background_color_gradient_stops=”rgba(0,0,0,0.9) 0%|rgba(80,103,147,0.5) 100%” background_color_gradient_start=”rgba(0,0,0,0.9)” background_color_gradient_end=”rgba(80,103,147,0.5)” background_image=”http:\/\/artomerisalo.fi\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/venture_02.png” custom_button_one=”on” button_one_text_size=”14px” button_one_bg_color=”#ff6d29″ button_one_border_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0)” button_one_border_radius=”0px” button_one_letter_spacing=”1px” button_one_font=”|700||on|||||” button_one_custom_padding=”16px|28px|16px|28px|true|true” custom_button_two=”on” button_two_text_size=”14px” button_two_border_width=”2px” button_two_border_radius=”0px” button_two_letter_spacing=”1px” button_two_font=”|700||on|||||” button_two_custom_padding=”16px|28px|16px|28px|true|true” width=”100%” max_width=”100%” custom_margin=”|||” custom_padding=”10vw||10vw||true” custom_padding_tablet=”100px||100px||true” custom_padding_phone=”|||” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|desktop” title_font_size_tablet=”54px” title_font_size_phone=”34px” title_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” content_font_size_tablet=”” content_font_size_phone=”16px” content_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_css_header_container=”max-width: 1280px;||width: 100%;” button_one_border_color_hover=”#ff8a3d” button_one_border_radius_hover=”100px” button_one_letter_spacing_hover=”5px” button_one_bg_color_hover=”#ff8a3d” global_colors_info=”{}” button_one_text_size__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_text_size__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_text_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_text_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_width__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_width__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_color__hover=”#ff8a3d” button_two_border_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_radius__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_radius__hover=”100px” button_two_border_radius__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_letter_spacing__hover=”5px” button_two_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_bg_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_bg_color__hover=”#ff8a3d” button_two_bg_color__hover_enabled=”off”][\/et_pb_fullwidth_header][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_blurb use_icon=”on” font_icon=”{||divi||400″ icon_color=”#565656″ icon_alignment=”left” _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” header_level=”h5″ body_font=”||||||||” body_text_align=”left” body_font_size=”16px” body_line_height=”1.8em” image_icon_custom_margin=”||-18px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
“Let’s believe in tomorrow, that’s the only way we can survive in life! Along this journey of life, we always need each other, friends and comrades.”<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n – Arto Merisalo<\/strong><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_blurb use_icon=”on” font_icon=”{||divi||400″ icon_color=”#565656″ icon_alignment=”left” _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” header_level=”h5″ body_font=”||||||||” body_text_align=”left” body_font_size=”16px” body_line_height=”1.8em” image_icon_custom_margin=”||-18px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n “Whatever you do, when you do it right, you take into account the feelings of others, try to understand, even your friend, the weaker one…”<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n – Vexi Salmi, Anna kaikkien kukkien kukkia<\/strong><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ disabled_on=”off|off|off” admin_label=”Mission” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ background_color=”#22272a” background_image=”http:\/\/artomerisalo.fi\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/venture_03.png” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_5,2_5″ _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||1px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_5″ _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_text_color=”#c6c6c6″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n I was born in the summer (on July 1) 1965 in Ruovesi, on the old border between South Ostrobothnia and North H\u00e4me. My grandfather, editor-in-chief and sawmill manager Lauri Merisalo (1901\u20131976), came to the area in 1925, and over the decades he became \u201cMr. Ruovesi,\u201d as the Ruovesi newspaper described him in a feature published in 2001 to mark the 100th anniversary of his birth. I grew up in my grandfather\u2019s family circle, steeped in the sawmill industry and local journalism. My grandfather Lauri was also an avid steamship man and for decades served as manager and board member of the Tarjanne Steamship Cooperative (which owned the vessels S\/S Pohjola and S\/S Tarjanne). My father Heikki (1932\u20132019) worked as a forestry manager for the sawmill company and also managed our family\u2019s forest assets. My mother Taimi (1933\u20132020) was born in Pohjaslahti at the Peltola farm into a family of 11 children, and she worked for nearly 25 years in the restaurant industry, including for Kantaravintolat Oy. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Ruovesi cultural parish Upper Secondary School, which my grandfather Lauri founded back in 1945, was the place where I gained the tools for life. I also did a \u201cstint\u201d at a business college in M\u00e4ntt\u00e4 in 1982\u201383. After a period of writing and practicing as an assistant and freelance journalist for various papers, I moved into the sawmill and engineering sectors, working in marketing and management roles at companies supplying machinery and equipment to the sawmill industry in 1982\u20131985. I was also involved in a couple of smaller industrial firms (a printing house and a gasket company) in various marketing roles. Over the years I\u2019ve crossed paths with the music business several times as well, working and collaborating with, among others, my late friend Tapani Kansa and later with Rainer Friman. <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”2_5″ _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”http:\/\/artomerisalo.fi\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/WhatsApp-Image-2024-02-16-at-14.31.58_c8bb12bf.jpg” alt=”Arto Merisalo” title_text=”Arto profiilikuva” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” transform_scale=”87%|87%” transform_translate=”0px|-36px” transform_translate_linked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”6px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_text_color=”#c6c6c6″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n During my school years I was active in peer support, the school council, and wastepaper collection projects to raise funds for Ruovesi Upper Secondary School, and I\u2019ve been active in various other local associations. Alongside everything else, I also worked summer jobs at the Kotvio Oy sawmill, where at age 15, in the summer of 1980, I suffered a serious workplace accident that changed my life plans in many ways. Before the 1980 accident I had two goals: either to become a sawmill manager and attend sawmill industry school, or to become a fire chief and attend the state fire academy. From a young boy until 1986 I was involved in the volunteer fire brigade (Ruovesi VPK), and in later decades I became known, through the companies I represented, as a collector of vintage fire engines. Both of my original career dreams ultimately went unfulfilled due to what happened in the summer of 1980, although my involvement in the fire brigade and my work in the sawmill industry did materialize in other ways. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Since the autumn of 1985, I have been involved in the real estate and corporate acquisition sector in one form or another, both in my own and in companies owned by others. In the years 1987-1993, I lived in \u00c4ht\u00e4ri and at the same time worked as an investment director in the companies of a large private investor in South Ostrobothnia and in our own family companies. During that period (1987-1993), we lived in the historic V\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4koski mansion<\/a>, where my only child, my beloved daughter Anniina Katariina, was born in 1989. That period was the happiest of my life so far! In parallel with my work as an Ostrobothnian investor, I also worked as an investment director and a management consultant in the companies of a real estate investor in H\u00e4meenlinna and Helsinki from 1990-1995. I worked in the furniture trade and furniture industry from 1996 to 1998, and partly at the same time I worked as a unit manager at Kanrak from 1995 to 2001 and again from 06\/2010 to 05\/2011. From the beginning of 2002 until June 2009 I worked as a business director and the CEO of the development subsidiary of the Nova Group (probably familiar to many from the media), a national company specializing in commercial premises brokerage, commercial premises consulting, real estate development and expert services in land use and construction. At the same time, I continued in the real estate business as the property development director of Virsseli Oy, owned by Motonet’s founder (now deceased) economist Lauri Juntunen, as the business director of Kanrak Oy, and as a business consultant and CEO at Suomen Toimitilapavelut Oy. In 2010-04\/2012, I also worked as a division manager at Hansa Deal Oy (currently Aninkaisten Kiinteist\u00f6nv\u00e4litys Oy), a real estate development, premises and business services company belonging to the Lease Deal Oyj group, until I went on a “forced vacation” ordered by the Finnish state on 19 April 2012, i.e. to serve my prison sentence for the consequences of Nova’s bankruptcy, which ended with my probation starting on 23 December 2013 and my final release on 21 June 2014. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n During the aforementioned process, on September 18, 2013, I started a magazine renewal project at the department store company K\u00e4rkk\u00e4inen Oy, owned by my old friend Juha K\u00e4rkk\u00e4inen, where the company discontinued its old magazine and a completely new magazine with a new name and completely new content, etc. was published on December 5, 2013 under the name KauppaSuomi. The new magazine became Finland’s largest weekly free magazine, with a national circulation of over two million and a circulation of over a million for the basic magazine, and the magazine has over 2-3 million readers. It was a nice project to be involved in, and my return to civilian life and working life through this interesting and challenging project was realized through interesting work, and I am especially grateful to my friend Juha for that. For me, the magazine project came to a conclusion\/end point in accordance with the goals in early 2014 and from 17.02.2014 I moved to the position of Real Estate Director of the K\u00e4rkk\u00e4inen Group and its subsidiaries (where I worked until the end of 2017) and, in addition to my main job, to the position of Real Estate Development Director and Senior Advisor of the consulting company Sadepisara Consulting Oy (later NordPoint Group Oy), founded in 1989 and owned by Juha K\u00e4rkk\u00e4inen. I worked in this position until autumn 2019 and resigned from there and moved out of the company with my team, when the ownership of the company changed twice after K\u00e4rkk\u00e4inen’s ownership and was quite unclear with its foreign owners. The operations of the aforementioned company ended just over a year after our team left. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Currently (since September 2019) I am the Property Director of Nordicon, i.e. Nordic Icon Consulting Oy and Nordic Icon Group NG Oy in Finland, and the Business Director of Nordicon in the Baltics (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n During the election money frenzy, the fact that I have been involved in developing, building and implementing over two million square meters of various office spaces with various partners in different parts of Finland, worth over one and a half billion euros, has created over 10,000 new jobs during my 39 years in the office space business. In addition to these, I have been involved in project development and construction of a large number of residential properties and other real estate projects. This activity continues through my work at Nordicon (www.nordicon.fi<\/a>) both in Finland and in the Baltic countries. <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”42px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_blurb use_icon=”on” font_icon=”{||divi||400″ icon_color=”#565656″ icon_alignment=”left” _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” header_level=”h5″ body_font=”||||||||” body_text_align=”left” body_font_size=”16px” body_line_height=”1.8em” image_icon_custom_margin=”||-18px||false|false” module_alignment=”center” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n \u201cRecognition of facts is the beginning of all wisdom.\u201d<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n – President J.K. Paasikivi [\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ custom_padding_last_edited=”on|desktop” prev_background_color=”#ffffff” disabled_on=”off|off|off” admin_label=”About” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ background_color=”#ff6d29″ background_image=”http:\/\/artomerisalo.fi\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/venture_04.png” custom_padding=”130px||130px||true|false” custom_padding_tablet=”” custom_padding_phone=”60px||60px||true|false” top_divider_style=”triangle” top_divider_height=”60px” top_divider_flip=”vertical” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ text_font_size=”16px” text_line_height=”2em” header_2_font=”Merriweather||||||||” header_2_font_size=”50px” header_2_line_height=”1.4em” text_orientation=”center” background_layout=”dark” max_width=”800px” max_width_tablet=”” max_width_phone=”” max_width_last_edited=”on|phone” module_alignment=”center” header_2_font_size_tablet=”36px” header_2_font_size_phone=”24px” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|desktop” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n In my work I have traveled (and still do) around Finland an average of about 130,000\u2013150,000 km per year (I now have roughly 5.7 million kilometers behind the wheel) and likewise have sat in an average of 1,500\u20132,000 meetings annually and traveled 180\u2013240 days a year. And one \u201chobby\u201d is spending time on the phone when I\u2019m not in a meeting. As you can tell, I drive a lot outside of work as well. Work and travel are my job, my lifestyle, and, you could say, my hobby too. In my record year 1990 (while in \u00c4ht\u00e4ri) I drove 179,000 km in a year and traveled about 240 days domestically. <\/p>\n \n Over the years and decades I have also been involved in dozens of different projects run by various organizations, both professionally as a consultant and on a voluntary basis. As a young teenager I was active in the tourism sector; I spent a couple of summers running a local tourist service point and even completed the Finnish Tourist Association\u2019s guide courses. Travel remains a hobby and something of a passion for me. I\u2019m happy to spar with industry players and entrepreneurs. In 2015, I also worked as a consultant on the renovation and development project of SPA Hotel Runni as it passed into the ownership of the distinguished commercial counselors Eero Lehden and Kari Hautanen and financial counselor Arja Hautanen. <\/p>\n \n In politics, in 2006 we formed a coalition with my friends Ky\u00f6sti Kakkonen, Toivo Sukari, Harri Toivainen, Pekka Lind, and the now late Tapani Yli-Saunam\u00e4ki, Risto Bono, and Lauri Juntunen under the name KMS = Kehittyvien Maakuntien Suomi (\u201cFinland of the Developing Regions\u201d). We were heavily involved in the 2007 parliamentary elections, helping pave the way for a center-led (Vanhanen II) bourgeois government. Then, in spring 2008, partly due to that (and Timo Kalli\u2019s arrogant TV appearance), we became part of the emerging campaign finance scandal, whose colorful stages many still remember. The scandal, in various forms, lasted nearly five years. In politics, I remain in contact with influencers across parties at the local, regional, and national levels\u2014especially within the bourgeois parties. I myself belonged to the National Coalition Party (Kokoomus) until 1988, then became disillusioned with my now late acquaintance Harri Holkeri\u2019s actions in the 1987 parliamentary elections and the 1988 presidential election. After careful consideration, in 1988 I switched to the Centre Party led at the time by Paavo V\u00e4yrynen. I was involved until 2010 and resigned when Mari Kiviniemi and Timo Laaninen were elected to lead the party. For nearly 10 years I didn\u2019t belong to any party\u2014an unaffiliated conservative\u2014but in 2018, 30 years after leaving the National Coalition, I rejoined as a rank-and-file member, and it felt like \u201ccoming home\u201d to return\u2014now to the Helsinki National Society! <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#22272a” background_image=”http:\/\/artomerisalo.fi\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/venture_02.png” background_position=”top_center” custom_padding=”42px||0px|||” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||49px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_blurb use_icon=”on” font_icon=”{||divi||400″ icon_color=”#FFFFFF” icon_alignment=”left” _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” header_level=”h5″ body_font=”||||||||” body_text_align=”left” body_text_color=”#FFFFFF” body_font_size=”16px” body_line_height=”1.8em” image_icon_custom_margin=”||-18px||false|false” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”||31px|||” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n \u201cUnless we know for sure how things will turn out, let\u2019s assume that everything will go well.\u201d<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n – President Mauno Koivisto [\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”56px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ use_custom_gutter=”on” gutter_width=”2″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n My dear, wonderful, one and only child, my daughter Anniina, born in 1989, graduated as a practical nurse and, with a double degree from DIAK University of Applied Sciences, as a Bachelor of Social Services and a church youth worker. She\u2019s into music (she sings and plays saxophone, bass, and piano), just like her mother Aija. From Ruovesi, my life\u2019s journey first took me for seven years to \u00c4ht\u00e4ri, to V\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4koski Manor together with Aija, then to Espoo and Sipoo, back to Espoo and to Kirkkonummi, where I lived for seven years in Kylm\u00e4l\u00e4, and then a little over two years in T\u00f6\u00f6l\u00f6, Helsinki. After my \u201cforced vacation trip,\u201d I moved briefly to Nurmij\u00e4rvi and from there for nearly seven years to Vihti, where I lived from summer 2014 until March\u2013April 2021, when I moved to Heinola, the gem municipality of Eastern H\u00e4me. I still feel the pull to the Plains, especially \u00c4ht\u00e4ri, and I continue to miss our former home, V\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4koski Manor, very much! <\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”http:\/\/artomerisalo.fi\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/WhatsApp-Image-2024-02-16-at-16.13.44_b0f44051.jpg” alt=”Arto Merisalo tytt\u00e4rens\u00e4 kanssa” _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ use_custom_gutter=”on” gutter_width=”2″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”57px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”http:\/\/artomerisalo.fi\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/WhatsApp-Image-2024-02-16-at-14.38.54_ae233625.jpg” alt=”Arto Merisalo laivalla” _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n In winter, I also pursue various Lapland activities. In summer, my hobbies include boating, cycling, and road trips in Finland and across Europe. Old steamships (on Lake N\u00e4sij\u00e4rvi, S\/S Tarjanne and the now permanently scrapped S\/S Pohjola, as well as similar steamers on other inland waters) are still close to my heart, and I\u2019m involved in the Finnish Steam Yacht Association too (as far as time allows). I\u2019m also still engaged behind the scenes with various Christian organizations, speculate on politics, and collect items on patriotic themes\u2014especially on Marshal Mannerheim of Finland\u2014a collection that has grown quite extensive. I\u2019m a member of dozens of organizations, including Mikkeli Club, the Marshal Mannerheim Heritage Association, the Association of Finnish Sawmill Industry Men (STMY), and the UKK Society. Reading is also a great passion of mine, and I maintain a private library of more than 8,000 books. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n On the spiritual side, I came to faith at the beginning of 1988 within the Pentecostal movement, and since then I\u2019ve served both in the church and in so-called free denominations, including the Pentecostal movement and so-called \u201cnew churches.\u201d I currently belong to the Evangelical Lutheran Church and for several years was part of the Awakened movement known as the Her\u00e4nn\u00e4iset, or k\u00f6rtit; I described myself then as a Paavo Ruotsalainen\u2013style charismatic k\u00f6rtti, until in 2016 I moved to the Evangelical movement (SLEY), which, after these various phases, I have experienced as my spiritual home. Within SLEY I have been involved together with my friend, Doctor of Theology Markku Koivisto, as well as in the activities of S\u00e4rkyneiden Seura (a peer support group for people broken in various areas of life). The interdenominational Radio Dei is also an important channel for me; I value their work, and the companies I represent have supported it considerably over the years. In our family circle, Jippu has been active in spiritual work, and I\u2019ve had the privilege of supporting her behind the scenes whenever needed\u2014if she has needed help, support, or advice. It has been, and is, a privilege!<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”58px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Life has been, to put it mildly, quite eventful and colorful, in many respects, but it has also taught me a lot in different areas of life. And generally, the headlines I\u2019ve been in over recent years have related either to faceplants in life (bankruptcies) and the associated court cases and convictions, or to the campaign finance scandal from 2008\u20132012. Those old matters\/issues\/events are easy tools to beat me with, but that must also be endured and accepted, because all that is lived life, and all the problems, difficulties, and past events in life are, in a sense, self-inflicted through one\u2019s own choices and\/or caused! But we have to move forward despite these past matters and live in the present\u2014this moment! With these thoughts, I have managed to cope! <\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ custom_padding_last_edited=”on|desktop” prev_background_color=”#ffffff” disabled_on=”off|off|off” admin_label=”About” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ background_color=”#ff6d29″ background_image=”http:\/\/artomerisalo.fi\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/venture_04.png” custom_padding=”49px||49px||true|false” custom_padding_tablet=”” custom_padding_phone=”60px||60px||true|false” top_divider_style=”triangle” top_divider_height=”60px” top_divider_flip=”vertical” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_blurb use_icon=”on” font_icon=”{||divi||400″ icon_color=”#FFFFFF” icon_alignment=”left” _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” header_level=”h5″ body_font=”||||||||” body_text_align=”left” body_text_color=”#FFFFFF” body_font_size=”16px” body_line_height=”1.8em” image_icon_custom_margin=”||-18px||false|false” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”||31px|||” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n \u201cLook back, be grateful. Look forward, trust. Look up, believe.\u201d<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n – President Urho Kekkonen [\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ custom_padding_last_edited=”on|desktop” disabled_on=”off|off|off” admin_label=”Stats” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ custom_padding=”85px||85px||true|false” custom_padding_tablet=”” custom_padding_phone=”60px||60px||true|false” bottom_divider_style=”graph” bottom_divider_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.04)” bottom_divider_height=”80%” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n You can find more of my thoughts on my blog at Uusi Suomi: Through the link above to Uusi Suomi\u2019s Puheenvuoro forum, you\u2019ll find, in addition to my blogs, a brief life history, if you\u2019re interested.<\/p>\n You can find samples of my musical taste on YouTube via the following link, where I have compiled a small collection of my favorite music: <\/p>\n You can find the documentary Vaalirahoittaja, produced by YLE \/ journalist Arvo Tuominen and his team (aired in August 2014 on YLE TV1), via this link: <\/p>\n Below you\u2019ll find a link to journalist Maria Pettersson\u2019s profile interview of me for Helsingin Sanomat\u2019s monthly supplement in March 2015: <\/p>\n You can also find me on Twitter, and via LinkedIn you\u2019ll find my detailed work history here: <\/p>\n Arto Merisalo involved In the YLE Raha-Suomi program’s profile photo podcast published on March 24, 2025: <\/p>\n
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\n https:\/\/puheenvuoro.uusisuomi.fi\/author\/artsime\/<\/a>\n<\/p>\n
\n http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/suomimusaa<\/a>\n<\/p>\n
\n https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=y_snxphTAek<\/a>\n<\/p>\n
\n https:\/\/www.hs.fi\/kuukausiliite\/art-2000002806136.html<\/a>\n<\/p>\n
\n https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/arto-merisalo-20760739\/?locale=fi_FI<\/a>\n<\/p>\n
\n https:\/\/areena.yle.fi\/1-73939335<\/a>\n<\/p>\n