2024 TRAILBLAZER HONOREE

ELEANOR REECE

Vice President of Global Communications, Whirlpool Corporation

Eleanor Reece serves as Vice President of Global Communications for Whirlpool Corporation, a leading kitchen and laundry appliance company and home to iconic brands such as Whirlpool, KitchenAid, JennAir and Maytag. Eleanor is responsible for guiding Whirlpool Corporation’s global communications function and corporate communications strategy to support the company’s vision of improving life at home. In this role, Eleanor leads an integrated team across communications to align a diverse portfolio of work against critical business objectives. Eleanor joined Whirlpool Corporation in 2019 as Senior Director of Global Communications. Her work has since included advancing company initiatives for consumers, employees, and communities, while coordinating corporate global communications campaigns and programs.

Prior to Whirlpool Corporation, Eleanor served as Director of International Government Relations for General Motors, supporting the company’s comprehensive approach to address global policy and government affairs matters impacting the company.

Eleanor also served as a principal advisor for the consulting firm Public Strategies, Inc., where she provided strategic crisis and public affairs counsel to corporate clients. She was also formerly with CNN as a news producer and writer for CNN International and determined editorial content for a number of global news programs.

Eleanor currently serves on the Board of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Southwest Michigan. She resides in Saint Joseph, Michigan, with her husband and three children. Eleanor holds a bachelor’s degree in international affairs from the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia.

Eleanor Reece was Nominated by Past Matrix Honoree Melody Lee

MELODY LEE

Chief Marketing Officer, Mercedes-Benz USA

Melody Lee is Chief Marketing Officer, Mercedes-Benz USA. In this role, she oversees brand positioning and marketing strategy and execution with an aim to ensure long-term growth and profitability for the Mercedes-Benz brand in the United States.

Previously, Melody was Senior Vice President, Global Brand & Product Marketing for the Herman Miller and Knoll brands at MillerKnoll. In that role, she was responsible for ensuring a cohesive brand-led strategy across the two marquee design brands’ products, channels, messages and audiences.

Prior to joining MillerKnoll, Melody was Global COO and Principal, Americas for Camron, a global design communications agency, where she led the agency’s New York and Los Angeles offices. 

She was, previous to Camron, the vice president for brand development at Shiseido, a 140-year old global prestige beauty company. In that position, she led critical strategic initiatives across a comprehensive remit of brand strategy, product development, marketing and retail planning for one of Shiseido’s multinational prestige brands.

Prior to Shiseido, Melody spent six years with Cadillac. There, as head of brand marketing for the iconic luxury car brand, Melody oversaw brand strategy, global planning, partnerships and experiences and marketing innovation. She also led BOOK by Cadillac, the brand’s vehicle subscription business, as a discrete business unit, with commercial responsibility for operations and logistics, financial management, product development, branding and marketing, PR and business development and corporate sales. 

Before joining Cadillac, Melody was executive vice president at global PR agency Hill+Knowlton Strategies from 2006 to 2012, where she led high-stakes communications campaigns for Fortune 500 corporations. 

Melody lives with her husband and two boys in Atlanta. She attended Georgia Institute of Technology, receiving her B.S. and M.S. in International Affairs.