Group President Melissa Lackey Named 2025 St. Louis Titan 100 Hall of Fame Recipient

Titan CEO announced Melissa Lackey, Standing Partnership Operating Group President as a 2025 St. Louis Titan 100 Hall of Fame recipient. Lackey was honored at the Titan 100 awards ceremony on April 24, 2025, at The Factory.

The Titan 100 program recognizes St. Louis’s Top 100 CEOs & C-level executives. They are the area’s most accomplished business leaders in their industry using criteria that include demonstrating exceptional leadership, vision, and passion. Collectively the 2025 St. Louis Titan 100 and their companies employ over 42,148 individuals and generate over $77 billion in annual revenues. This year’s honorees have been published in a limited-edition Titan 100 book and profiled exclusively online.

Titan award recipients are allowed to make the Titan 100 list for up to three years, with each year getting progressively more difficult. To make it to the Hall of Fame, Titans must complete on-camera interviews and answer a series of questions where they do not know what will be asked in front of a live judging committee. The Titan 100 Hall of Fame are a class of elite executives that have consistently shown over the past three years their ability to demonstrate the characteristics of a Titan who is a pillar of our community.

“The Titan 100 are changing the way that business is done in St. Louis. These preeminent leaders have built a distinguished reputation that is unrivaled in their field. We proudly recognize the Titan 100 for their efforts to shape the future of the St. Louis business community. Their achievements create a profound impact that makes an extraordinary difference for their clients and employees across the nation,” says Jaime Zawmon, President of Titan CEO.

Lackey is a visionary leader and strategic growth expert with a passion for helping organizations achieve measurable business results. She leads a team that specializes in business strategy, marketing, communications and sales enablement, helping clients drive revenue growth, improve customer engagement and manage risk to build resilience. Lackey has built a reputation for guiding companies through transformational change, developing strategies that drive long-term success.

Lackey’s career trajectory has been defined by bold moves and transformative vision. Originally a journalism major, Lackey began her professional journey in the financial services industry. In 1999, an invitation from the founder of Standing Partnership brought her into the world of strategic communications as an account manager. Lackey seized the opportunity and never looked back. A decade later, she ascended to the role of president and became a part-owner of the firm. Her entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to innovation culminated in her acquisition of the company in 2014, successfully navigating a seamless ownership transition. Lackey drove the transformation of Standing Partnership from a traditional PR agency into a marketing consultancy to align with shifting market dynamics and to be better positioned to make a tangible impact on the clients’ business goals. After decades of growth as a women-owned business, Lackey and her partner sold the company at the end of 2023 to longtime collaborator and industry peer, Dix & Eaton, enabling the Standing to team to join Dix & Eaton’s Employee Stock Ownership Plan. Today, as an enterprise-level executive leader and Standing Partnership group president, Lackey works toward charting a growth path for the new entity while integrating two rich corporate cultures.

“I couldn’t be more humbled and proud to be named among this talented group of leaders and to represent my amazing team at Standing Partnership,” said Lackey. “This award is a reflection of the remarkable team I have the privilege of leading every day. Our success is measured by the impact we make—on our clients, our team and the communities we serve.”

“On behalf of all the partners and associates at Wipfli, we congratulate all the Titan100 winners. It’s an honor to recognize this diverse group of leaders in the St. Louis community. We appreciate the lasting impact each leader has made, and continues to make, in building organizations of significance both here in St. Louis and abroad. Your ingenuity and creativity have set you apart, and the honor of being seen as an industry Titan is richly deserved,” says Adam Herman Partner at Wipfli.

Titan 100 Hall of Fame, Class of 2025