Melissa Lackey is enterprise president of Dix & Eaton, a full-service strategic communications and marketing consultancy formed through the combination of Cleveland-based Dix & Eaton and St. Louis-based Standing Partnership. She leads the firm’s operating groups across both markets, helping organizations accelerate growth, strengthen stakeholder relationships, and anticipate and manage risk to enhance enterprise value.
Before the firms joined forces, Melissa served as majority owner and president of Standing Partnership after she and her partners acquired the firm from its founder in 2014, following 15 years in a variety of leadership roles. Under her leadership, Standing Partnership evolved from its public relations roots into a full-service strategic marketing consultancy known for integrating brand strategy, digital marketing, and communications to drive measurable business results.
Melissa’s expertise spans B2B marketing, lead generation, sales enablement, reputation management and crisis communications. She is a trusted advisor to executives and leadership teams, helping organizations navigate complex business challenges, manage change and position themselves for long-term success.
Melissa has been recognized with numerous honors, including Enterprising Women magazine’s Enterprising Women of the Year award, YWCA Metro St. Louis Leader of Distinction, Inspiring Workplaces’ Inspiring Leader, and the St. Louis Business Journal‘s Most Influential Business Women award. In 2025, she was inducted into the St. Louis Titan 100 Hall of Fame.
