When Melissa Meschke graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire with a degree in marketing in 2012, she was excited to explore the broad spectrum of career paths that her education offered her. And explore she did, across a wide range of industries and business types.
It was not until 2017, with a move back to Wisconsin after five years in Michigan, that Meschke found herself entering the realm of economic development.
Meschke was hired as the director of the Small Business Development Center at UW-Stevens Point and spent the next four years building her expertise in economic development.
“I completed two certificates from the International Economic Development Council, and I just knew this was going to be my future,” Meschke says. “I get to touch so many things, from work with housing and childcare to workforce development and literally everything in between.”
Meschke then took a position as the manager of economic development outreach for the Universities of Wisconsin, and, since January 2024 has served as executive director of the St. Croix Economic Development Corp. In October, she received Momentum West’s 2023 Young Professional of the Year Award for her extensive work in west-central Wisconsin.
Steve Jahn, executive director of Momentum West, praises Meschke’s long-standing commitment to creating more opportunities for the people in the region.
“Since taking over as the executive director of St. Croix EDC, Melissa has already become a very active, innovative partner in the economic development arena, not only in St. Croix County, but the region as a whole,” Jahn says.
Meschke is honored by this recent recognition and looks forward to continued opportunities to bring attention and growth to the St. Croix region she now calls home.
We recently had the chance to catch up with Meschke to ask about her Blugold experience and the people and opportunities that have guided her career success.
Since graduating from UWEC, what have you been up to?
Since graduating, my husband and I have had three major moves and two beautiful children together, so it’s certainly been a journey on the personal side. On the professional side, it took me a bit to find my calling, but I certainly feel like I’ve landed it now. Over the last decade plus, I have worked in entrepreneurship and recently settled into an economic development career where I get to still work with small businesses, but also get to dive into other initiatives such as housing, child care, workforce development, business attraction and retention and more.
How did your experience at UWEC impact the path of your life and career?
I am a strong believer that I would not be the person I am today without my time spent at UW-Eau Claire. The five years I spent there helped me grow so much as a person. My out-of-classroom experiences with Student Senate, the University Activities Commission and even the job I had as a bridal consultant at David’s Bridal helped me develop people skills to understand how to work with a wide variety of personalities. Skills in the classroom like presentation and communication play a role in every single day of my professional life.
What would you say are the biggest challenges and payback of the work you do?
Economic development is one of those fields that requires vision and often patience to see all the ultimate outcomes come to life. For instance, our library in New Richmond just broke ground, and that has been in the works for 25 years.
From searches for available space to multimillion-dollar investments to calls from people looking to start a business, every day is different. This is rewarding and challenging work with ever-changing demands and opportunities, and I love that.
Who is one person you knew at UWEC who you still talk with, think about or reference? Tell us about their impact on you.
Well, I met my husband, Andrew Meschke, at UWEC. We’ve been together for almost 15 years and have built a beautiful life and a beautiful little family in our time together. I’m so thankful our paths crossed when we both lived in Bridgman Hall all those years ago; I cannot imagine my life without him.
On the professional side, I would highlight Ray French. Ray was a few years ahead of me in school, but we met through the choir programs on campus. Ten years later, we ran into each other, both working in the world of economic development. We have grown to be close friends and close colleagues as we work in the same region of the state. He’s a fantastic mentor for me in this relatively new role as an economic developer and I find myself often reaching out for more information, connections and advice.
Where on campus did you spend most of your time as a student?
I had a music minor and was also in choir and was an accompanist, so I spent a lot of time in Haas Fine Arts Center. The Haas lobby was always hopping and bubbling with energy, so it was a great place to hang out.
What is something you’ve done that your 20-year-old self wouldn’t believe?
The fact that I’ve managed so many people over the years that went on to be incredibly successful in life. In my various roles, I have managed almost two dozen people; we stay connected on LinkedIn and I’m always amazed at where they are now. Several are in leadership roles, some work at Fortune 500 companies, some are running successful businesses of their own. Of course, I wasn’t the only leader in their life, but I am proud to have had some impact on their future as professionals.
Conversely, what do you wish you had known at 20?
I wish I had known more about prioritizing my mental health and creating strong boundaries in relationships.
What advice would you give to current and future Blugolds?
Make time to meet all the people you can. I’ve found repeatedly that we never know where a new connection will lead, so take the time to grab a coffee, have a virtual visit, share a phone call with people you run into or are introduced to. Those single connections can bloom into so much more.
