Melinda Ballard

Melinda Ballard is a seasoned retail professional with extensive experience in commercial development and merchandise management. Currently serving as the Commercial Development Manager at Carpenter Co. since October 2024, Melinda previously held the position of Category Manager for Carpet and Tile at LL Flooring, where responsibilities included leading growth initiatives and collaborating on product rollouts. Prior to that, Melinda spent over a decade at Ross Stores, Inc. in various buyer roles, managing significant retail sales and executing merchandise plans. Earlier experience includes positions at JCPenney and Buffalo Exchange, where skills in negotiation, trend analysis, and inventory management were honed. Melinda holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Retail Merchandising from The University of Texas at Austin.