MEXICO—Melissa Wilkinson has joined Missouri Military Academy as the director for human resources. She brings more than 12 years of human resources experience to the Academy, one of the nation’s top college prep military boarding schools for grades seven through 12, plus a post-grad year. She joined MMA on Oct. 3, 2022.
In her role at MMA, Wilkinson is responsible for directing, planning, developing, coordinating, and assessing human resource policies, activities, training, and performance. Additionally, she will work with the MMA leadership team to develop and implement strategies to support the Academy’s strategic goal of recruiting and retaining a highly qualified workforce to support MMA’s mission to help cadets reach their full potential.
“We are excited to have Melissa join our leadership team. Taking care of our employees, ensuring their training and professional development, and addressing any concerns is paramount to our organizational success. Melissa’s experience in these areas are of great value to the Academy,” said MMA President Brigadier General Richard V. Geraci, USA (Ret).
Previously, she served as human resources manager for Abacus Logistics Solutions in Mexico, Mo. since 2020. Through her work with that 200-employee company, she honed her expertise in motivating employees to elevate team results, recruitment, successful and efficient onboarding, handling, and resolving employee claims and issues, overseeing payroll and benefits for employees, and maintaining compliance with local, state and federal laws, in addition to organizational standards.
Her human resources career experience also includes work at the State Historical Society of Missouri, where she served as associate director, business administration/human resources manager. In that role, she developed and implemented performance improvement strategies and plans to promote continuous improvement, engaged staff members in problem-solving activities to support teamwork, and utilized her skills in resolving conflicts and negotiating mutually beneficial agreements between parties.
In addition to her role at MMA, she currently also volunteers as a human resources advisor for a statewide women’s leadership group. Wilkinson earned a Bachelor of Science Administration and a Master of Business Administration from Columbia College. A mid-Missouri native and the mother of two grown daughters, Wilkinson enjoys reading and flower gardening.