Greetings! My name is Jeff Shumas, founder of Meridian Sea Society after a 25-year career in corporate America. The picture shown is me along with my amazing family - my beautiful partner and wife Lisa, our son Andrew and our daughter Avery. Thank you for taking some time to learn about Meridian.

First and foremost, we are not a travel agency. We design luxury cruise experiences with offerings managed through our established travel agency partner. However, most group travel brands market itineraries to the general public. The difference is simple: we connect people before itineraries. We are launching Meridian Circle - an exclusive online community of like-minded people navigating life's next chapter. I've found that many people in their 40s and 50s are asking similar questions, such as:

• Should I leave corporate and start a second career?
• Should we finally move out of the suburbs and shake things up?
• Are there more modern ways to approach retirement planning?
• How do we help our kids achieve success in a constantly evolving AI-driven world?

I have found it challenging to have deep discussions around these topics with people in my current professional and social circles.

So we begin with personal engagement. Our first goal is to foster genuine connection and drive thoughtful discussion around these topics with people navigating similar waters. These are not water cooler conversations at the office about the weather or last weekend's big game. Or neighborhood gossip about the controversial unkempt lawn down the street or talk about your kid's new science teacher. You already have a place for that. These are conversations that often stay in your head, because they're difficult to have with co-workers, neighbors, or even close friends. Meridian Circle is built from the ground up to be a place to share who you are and converse openly about topics that matter to you today. Careers, early retirement, family, finances, business ideas, health, happiness, and beyond! But to be clear, we are NOT an anonymous community. There are already plenty of places for that on the internet. We are creating an environment where friendships are built on shared experiences and mutual understanding with the vision for something bigger - a lifelong community of people who appreciate the opportunities to travel the world in curated, upscale voyages.

It's okay if you aren't sure about the travel part yet! There is never a requirement to cruise with us and you are free to engage in Meridian Circle without any expectation. However, we think travel has the power to make this community really something special! We believe one of the best ways to explore the world is on a modern luxury cruise ship. For this, we will partner with new and upcoming luxury cruise line, Explora Journeys. Make no mistake - this is anything but your typical cruise. These are upscale voyages for people choosing a more elevated travel experience compared to typical trips for young, growing families on tighter budgets. For many of us, family vacations were all about the kids. Now it's your turn to be part of the adventure again. On a Meridian curated journey, you won't find an overly crowded pool overrun by young kids or the need to wake up at 6 AM to reserve a pool chair. Many of us have already experienced the world's largest ships, theme parks, crazy crowds, and Mickey Mouse breakfast. You also won't find yourself on stuffy ships waiting for tea time with retirees in a completely different stage of life. With Meridian, you get to experience an entirely new world of modern cruising and exploration...perhaps one you didn't even know existed. And when you add the Meridian Circle community, that's where everything changes. You're no longer simply seeing the world - you're experiencing it with new friends and family. Our goal is to curate groups of 25 to 50 people...not too big, not too small. And we won't move around like a rigid group tour. You will enjoy your voyage in whatever way that best suits how you and your family like to travel. Within that, we will weave in various Signature Meridian touches - experiences designed to foster fun, social interaction and lasting friendships!

That's why Meridian starts with community. Not because we're trying to create another social network, but because enriching friendships enable more meaningful, memorable, and fun travel experiences!

So have a look around. Learn more about the Founders, spend some time reading Jeff's Journal and have a look at what we are building with the Meridian Circle Community. If the ideas resonate with you, fill out the interest form and let us know why!

Meridian Circle is intentionally being built one member at a time. Rather than opening the doors to everyone at once, we'll send invites thoughtfully as we grow. Your interest form is private and only requires your first name and email address. We hope this encourages you to answer openly and honestly—we're interested in your thoughts, not your resume. If you're invited to join, you decide whether and when you'd like to join us!

If you prefer, you can always reach out to me directly with any questions at jeff.shumas@meridianseasociety.com . Welcome aboard!