Melinda L. Ailes – Financing Strategies

Melinda Ailes joined the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center as a senior management counselor in November 2002. She provides management consulting to small to mid size businesses ranging from start-up through maturity throughout Southeastern Massachusetts. She consults with a wide variety of industries including high technology, service, distribution and manufacturing companies. She has extensive experience as a strategic planning and financial consultant, commercial banker and trainer.

Prior to joining the MSBDC, Melinda worked for several local and regional banks in senior management positions with responsibility for commercial lending, small business lending, asset based lending, strategic planning and product development.

Melinda also has worked as an independent consultant for privately held businesses, government agencies and not-for-profit companies in the areas of financial management, capital access, strategic planning, business development and planning, and turn-around management.

She holds office hours in Fall River, New Bedford, Attleboro, North Attleboro and Mansfield.

In 2004 Melinda won the MSBDC's State Star Award and in 2001 she received the SBA Minority Small Business Advocate of the Year Award for New England Region. She is a member of the New Bedford Economic Development Council and on the boards of the Tri Town Business Association, Advanced Manufacturing and Technology Center and the Academic Center for Entrepreneurship at BCC. She earned her MBA from Boston University and her BA from McGill University.