Melissa Centers

Melissa Centers is a highly accomplished professional serving as a Startup Coach at the Anderson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (ACEI) at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville's Haslam College of Business.12 Her role as a Startup Coach, which was formerly known as Entrepreneur-in-Residence, began in July 2023.3

Professional Background

Melissa Centers brings a wealth of experience to her role at ACEI:

Legal Expertise:: She is an attorney who provides integrated strategic advice and support to boards of directors, company founders, and institutions of various sizes.1

Corporate Leadership:: Prior to her current role, Centers held the position of senior vice president, general counsel, and corporate secretary at State Auto Insurance, a $2 billion publicly traded insurance company.1

Venture Capital Experience:: At State Auto Insurance, she was involved with State Auto Labs, the company's venture capital fund, where she served as a legal advisor and board member.1

Diverse Executive Roles:: Centers has held executive leadership and consulting positions in various domains, including:

• IT
• Operations
• Communications
• Crisis public relations
• Marketing
• Human resources
• Government affairs
• Audit
• Legal and compliance1

Current Roles and Responsibilities

As a Startup Coach at ACEI, Melissa Centers:

1. Offers tailored guidance to address the unique challenges of ACEI startups.1
2. Interacts with students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community partners.1
3. Provides strategic advising, introductions, and accountability to entrepreneurs.1
4. Assists with various entrepreneurial scenarios, from discussing ideas to developing business strategies and assessing product market readiness.1

Additionally, Centers serves on the board of the Knoxville Entrepreneur Center and works as a college professor.1

Her expertise and diverse background make her a valuable asset to the ACEI team and the entrepreneurs she mentors at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.