Melinda Sposari

Melinda Sposari is the Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives and Membership at The Fertilizer Institute (TFI). Sposari leads the implementation of TFI's Strategic Plan into measurable actions and achievements. Sposari also leads TFI's membership team focusing on recruitment and retention. She is a change agent with experience directing TFI through 3 technology transformations. The most recent of which involves implementing the organization's association management software. Sposari has 10 years of experience studying the fertilizer market and utilizing market analysis to provide strategic direction of TFI’s various statistical reports and membership initiatives. She provided fertilizer market data to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the International Fertilizer Association, and a variety of media publications. Sposari also has 7 years of experience in sustainability through leading TFI’s State of the Fertilizer Industry report initiative which quantitatively measures industry sustainability efforts.

Sposari also earned a Master of Business Administration from Indiana University. She earned a Master of Science in Agricultural Economics degree from Purdue University. Sposari was awarded Honorable Mention on her capstone project which focused on calculating the economic benefit to growers implementing 4R nutrient stewardship practices and the value-added benefits of retailers assisting with 4R nutrient stewardship adoption. She also earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Missouri, and an Associate of Arts degree from Mineral Area College.

In August 2020, Sposari earned the Certified Association Executive (CAE) designation, which is the highest professional credential in the association industry.

Outside of TFI, Sposari enjoys kayaking and hiking the blueways and greenways of east Tennessee.