SPECIALTIES• Award-winning brand and marketing strategies, content creation, and creative direction. • Management of digital team expertise that includes organic and Paid Ad campaign development, website creation and development, email campaigns, blogs, and more.AUTHOR: • Delight: A Founder's Legacy. 2022. • History of the Von Maur department stores, released December 2017• Editor and publishing advisor, One Man's Journey: History of the Brenton Arboretum• Contributing author to The New York Times Circuits: How Electronic Things Work (Hardcover on Amazon) • Brenton Banks, a corporate historyAWARDSMelinda has won ADDY Best of Show, Best of Category and Gold for Kalona Organics Website; Judge's Choice Award & Silver for Packaging2021 Fastest Growing Companies in the Corridor2019 Coolest Places to Work in the Corridor 2017, Congressman Dave Loebsack, recognized Melinda Pradarelli and Meld as part of National Start Up Day.2016 Voted one of Corridor Business Journal's Most Influential Persons2016 Urban Acres Real Estate Website and Brand2015 and 2014 CASE Awards Judge and Gold Suffolk University Yield Piece2013 Two Gold CASE Awards Hawaii Pacific University (HPU). "Experience HPU" digital experience 2013 Gold Higher Education Marketing Award: “Experience HPU” microsite2013 Gold AdFed HPU visit brochure; 2 Silvers (viewbook and recruitment campaign)2012 ADDY Gold - New College of Florida Recruitment Campaign 2011 BEST of SHOW ADDY Emory University MBA Viewbook2010 APEX AWARD Univ. of Iowa College of Business Website2010 ADDY University of Iowa Community Credit Union annual report2009 ADDY Silver Shawnee State Univ. Brand Portfolio2008 Admissions Ad Award Two Golds for Univ. of Penn Ad Launch & Ad Series 2008 Gold ADDY Univ. of Penn brand campaign ad series; Gold UICCU annual report; and Silver UI Children’s Hospital Report-- UI Foundation

Brand strategy and content development for hundreds of companies and non profit organizations.

The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) is an international organization of aviation enthusiasts based in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Since its inception, it has grown internationally to more than 170,000 members.• Named top 100 non-profit in 1998. Oversaw program development, creative process, print and media buying to promote membership. Developed multi-tiered promotions; wrote ads, brochures, and tv commercial that aired on ESPN; and helped staff national fly-ins in Florida and Texas.

Agency specialized in marketing, advertising and communications. Supervised staff of writers. Wrote, edited and strategized on national accounts such as: Marriott, Hershey’s, Otis Spunkmeyer, Blue Bunny, Pierce Manufacturing, Anchor Food Products and dozens more. Handled business and retail promotions through direct mail, print and radio advertising, public relations, speeches, sales marketing concepts and Internet. Also, created brand names, trade booths, etc.

Edited course catalog, wrote and edited articles for alumni magazine. Coordinated and wrote complete series of admissions publications. Helped organize and write university’s first web site.

Award-winning reporter in Spartanburg, South Carolina for a New York Times Regional Group Newspaper. Finalist, South Carolina Presbyterian College Hammet Award for Social Change. Judged by David Broder of The Washington Post. Awarded "honorary citizen" by the city for reporting on public housing.