In a career spanning more than three decades, Diane M. Meister has mobilized senior leaders at Fortune 500 companies and mid-market firms alike to develop and implement game-changing, performance-driving strategies.

After a rich and varied career at Leo Burnett Company and Young & Rubicam, enterprises where she honed her skills in brand positioning and strategy, market innovation, and new product development for companies such as United Airlines, Kellogg Co., and Kimberly-Clark Corporation, Diane launched Chicago-based Meridian Associates in 1987 to bring inventive practices for strategic growth to organizations of various size, scope, and mission.

A forward-thinking strategic partner with distinctive and proven growth-driving processes, Diane has advised senior leaders across more than 30 industry sectors, supporting executive teams as they define and refine their specific organization's strategic direction. With a collaborative mindset and persevering spirit, Diane and her Meridian team have guided more than 140 strategic growth initiatives and armed dozens of organizations with breakthrough strategies to actively build a more profitable and sustainable future.

A sought-after expert on using scenario-based strategy to develop and execute dynamic growth plans, Diane has been a featured presenter at universities, including Northwestern and DePaul, as well as national conferences and webinars for groups such as the Association for Strategic Planning (ASP).

Holding an Executive MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and a B.S. in management from Western Illinois University, Diane is also a member of the Association for Corporate Growth, a past board member of ASP's Chicago chapter, and a founding member and past chair of the Kellogg Alumni Club Entrepreneurship Network.

The core Meridian Team includes these experienced practitioners, each with over 25 years' experience in business growth disciplines: