MELANIE BRUNNER, MBA, NCIDQ

Director of Design | Regional Design Manager | Senior Designer

Progressed through four leadership positions over seven years, advancing from senior designer to executive leadership while helping transform operational performance, organizational structure, and cross-functional collaboration across the business.

Executive Leadership Highlights

• Partner with executive leadership to shape operational strategy supporting organizational growth, company rebranding, and long-term business objectives.
• Lead multidisciplinary teams across Design, Project Coordination, Installation, and Operations, overseeing approximately 20 team members while fostering accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Champion continuous improvement initiatives by evaluating workflows, eliminating inefficiencies, and leveraging emerging technologies, including AI, to improve speed, communication, and customer experience.
• Redesigned operational workflows to streamline communication among Sales, Design, Project Coordination, and Installation, improving project quality and minimizing unnecessary handoffs.
• Established operational positions, including Project Field Coordinator and Operations Systems Specialist, enhancing sales support, project execution, and process ownership.
• Implemented the company's migration from DDMS to IQ, aligning operational workflows with future technology initiatives and scalable business processes.
• Implemented standardized installer tool and truck inventory programs, enhancing field readiness, accountability, and installation consistency.
• Developed structured career paths for designers and operational professionals, creating advancement opportunities into leadership, project management, and specialized technical roles.
• Built leadership development initiatives focused on mentoring emerging managers, succession planning, and strengthening organizational bench strength.
• Led the organization's transition from AutoCAD to CET Designer, significantly enhancing design capabilities, visualization, standardization, and project efficiency.
• Cultivated a culture of curiosity and innovation by empowering teams to challenge existing processes.

• Surpassed $20 million quota in RFPs within first 6 months
• Executed RFP responses to meet submission deadlines
• Facilitated execution of all bids from A&D firms
• Performed tasks in remote environment to support bid operations

• Earned promotion to Account Manager for Higher Ed & Main Street business within my first year
• Led a multi-segmented project coordinating three diverse A&D firms that netted over $1.5 million
• Managed personal CRM and sales of $1.8 million
• Served as key voice on leadership team, influencing policy and procedure changes in design department
• Co-wrote training manual and on-boarded new designers, enhancing integration process for new team members
• Facilitated team transitions and maintained operational continuity during organizational changes

• Promoted to Manager of Dow Chemical resulting in $1.3 million revenue
• Planned and directed value-added programs for Dow, including carpet maintenance and warehousing
• Managed inventory distribution and asset allocation, contributing to $250,000 in annual revenue
• Negotiated alliance with Kibbe & Associates, securing SPACE the Bay City Consumers Energy bid for $250,000 project
• City Consumers Energy of Michigan bid, displacing 25-year standard in $250,000 project

Additional early career experience: Wendels Home & Design, Drexel Incorporated, Brookdale Senior Living.