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Forty Under 40

Forty Under 40: Melissa Proctor

alex jones

Sometimes the best things in life come when you least expect it.

After being laid off by Turner Broadcasting in 2014 when she was eight months pregnant, Melissa Proctor attended an NBA draft party to show her support for the Atlanta Hawks. She ran into team CEO Steve Koonin, formerly the president of Turner Entertainment Networks, who recognized Proctor from when she worked as a ball girl for the Hawks early in her tenure at Turner. 

“He would see me mopping up sweat, then he would see me in the office working on brand strategy projects,” Proctor said. “Ultimately, he asked me, ‘I know you love basketball and I know you love branding, so would you like to come help me build this brand?’ It was a tremendous opportunity that I don’t think I could have ever imagined.”

Proctor, who joined the team as vice president of brand strategy, now oversees day-to-day operations of the marketing teams for the Hawks and State Farm Arena. She has had a hand in a number of projects of late, playing key roles in the Hawks securing State Farm as their arena naming-rights partner and efforts to bring awareness to the arena’s massive renovation. Proctor also helped launch the Hawks’ 2K League team and new G League team this year.

Perhaps Proctor’s biggest influence on the Hawks stems from her efforts to target “next-generation Atlantans,” which has helped revive the franchise in the market and shift the team’s brand into a culturally relevant and unique voice in sports.

“Everything we did, from our uniforms to the music and hip-hop artists and other things culturally, was done to target this next generation of fans,” Proctor said. “We want to build bridges to the community and find unique ways to do that. We have, over time, developed a rep for being the team in tune with what’s next, so all our initiatives are aligned to push our next-generation strategy.”

Executive Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer, Atlanta Hawks and State Farm Arena


Age: 39

Born: Miami

Education: Wake Forest University, B.A., communications; Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design in London, M.A., design studies/brand strategy

Family: Daughter, Marley (5)

I get fired up by … : Soca music.

Advice to my 20-year-old self: Be patient! It’s great to have a plan, but always be open to new opportunities.

Profession I’d most like to attempt: Being a high school or college guidance counselor.

Guilty pleasure: Pop-culture blogs.

Cause supported: The Children’s Museum of Atlanta.

Person in the industry I’d most like to meet: Clarence Avant.

Most unusual question while networking: What’s my shoe size?

Sports industry needs to do a better job of … : Putting women and people of color in executive roles with equal pay.

Sports business leaders should be more mindful of … : Being visible in the community to illustrate the wealth of opportunities in the sports industry outside of being an athlete.

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