Melinda Pike rolls with the punches, whether in the boxing ring or through her role as chief marketing officer at Thanksgiving Point. Melinda is a marketing maven — with expertise in telling brand stories through omnichannel marketing strategies, as well as in PR, social media, influencer marketing and more. On top of her work with Thanksgiving Point, Melinda runs her own marketing and advertising agency (18 years and counting). Did we mention she was also a brand and fashion photographer for 15 years? Her work has been featured in COSMO UK, Oprah’s O Magazine and the TODAY Show, to name a few. In her free time, she loves a good boxing session, game of golf, or a hike with her family and dogs. From marketing to momhood, she’s acing it.
Dealer’s Choice My day starts with taking care of our dogs and getting my family ready. Once I’m at Thanksgiving Point, no two days are ever the same. Serving as an executive at Thanksgiving Point is both intellectually stimulating and rewarding. After work, I come home to my family, and more often than not, my kids want to head back to Thanksgiving Point to play at one of the venues. In the evenings, I plan for the next day and take care of my commitments with other organizations I support, including SheTech and the Women Tech Council.
The Flop One of my greatest surprises was what life looked like when I left the U.S. mainland for nearly a decade, living in Hawaii and building a life there. I learned that paradise is something you choose and it’s something you create.
Shuffle the Cards I moved to Germany for a study abroad and got to meet several family members that no one in my immediate family had ever met or known. There was a language barrier, but I had studied German in college to prepare for the opportunity. It was truly life-changing to sit with family members and hear stories about my ancestors.
Go-to Game I’m always up for Candy Land or go-fish with my kids.
Ace Up Your Sleeve I’ve been boxing for a year and it has been such a great workout for me! I also golf and love to hit the ranges in my spare time.
Tomorrow’s Bets I’d love to become a CEO or a lawyer, if I’m able to block out a few years and finish law school.