Global Location Strategies taps Melancon for VP/Marketing
June 20, 2023
Greenville-based Global Location Strategies (GLS), one of the world’s leading corporate site selection firms, has hired Lori Melançon for the new position of Vice President of Marketing. Her primary responsibility will be advancing the rapid growth of the company’s consulting, software, and soon-to-launch Insights service line.
“Lori is well-known in the economic development industry for fostering growth through creativity and innovation,” said GLS Founding Principal Didi Caldwell. “Many programs she pioneered for Virginia and Louisiana have become benchmarks for other states and organizations. We are excited to have her help GLS continue to develop ways to transform the site selection industry.”
For the past six years, Melançon served as the Vice President of Marketing and Communications at the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP). While there, she managed all aspects of Virginia’s marketing program, including the Commonwealth’s winning bid of the lucrative and illustrious Amazon search for a second U.S. headquarters (HQ2).
Prior to joining VEDP, Lori led economic development efforts at Louisiana Economic Development (LED) and the Baton Rouge Area Chamber (BRAC). As Senior Director of Marketing and Communications for LED, Lori managed all marketing, advertising, and public relations activities, including the launch of Louisiana Job Connection, a first-of-its-kind website matching job seekers with job opportunities in Louisiana. She and her team also implemented the award-winning Come Home, Louisiana campaign designed to attract former residents back to the state.
Melançon has a master’s degree from the University of Houston and a bachelor’s with College Honors from Louisiana State University. She is a recipient of the Baton Rouge Business Report’s 40 Under 40 Award and the Arden O. French Award for Leadership. Her work has been recognized by several organizations including multiple ADDYs, two Stevie Awards, a Telly Award, and a Best In Show by the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE).
Stephen Moret, President and CEO of Strada and the lead visionary for historic state economic development successes at both VEDP and LED said, “Congrats to GLS for landing one of America’s economic development stars. Lori Melançon has been a creative and strategic force for hundreds of site-selection processes for both rural areas and large metros, ranging from food and beverage processing facilities considering rural localities to large corporate headquarters projects like Amazon’s HQ2. Lori brings deep experience, creativity, energy, an extraordinary work ethic, a rigorous analytical approach, and a passion for client service to every project.” Moret added, “Thanks to the leadership of Didi Caldwell and the team she has assembled, GLS is already one of the most well-regarded site-selection firms in America. With Lori on board, I expect GLS to become even more innovative and successful in the future.”
Guillermo Mazier, SVP Global Business for the Financial Times, said, “From her meticulous attention to detail to her boundless creativity, Lori is a true powerhouse and one of the most talented marketers I’ve ever had the privilege of collaborating with.”
About Global Location Strategies
Global Location Strategies (GLS) is one of the world’s most experienced and reputable site selection firms specializing in capital- and resource-intensive facilities. A two-time Inc. 5000 company, GLS offers a full suite of traditional site selection services, and its clients have announced 28 projects representing 7,575 jobs and $27.8 billion in capital investment in the last decade alone. GLS has revolutionized the site selection industry with its proprietary SaaS platforms, LOIS, Lasso, and Site Shepherd. The company specializes in pharmaceutical; advanced manufacturing; chemical/petrochemical; energy/renewables; metals/polymers/composites; paper; warehousing/distribution, food & beverage, and automotive sectors. For more information, visit www.GlobalLocationStrategies.com.
