Melissa Goudie’s story takes place in Poughkeepsie, NY, where she was born and raised. “Right after I graduated from high school, I was working at a New York deli,” she began.

“There was a customer that came in every morning for coffee before heading to work. She worked at the local bank. One day, she asked me if I would be interested in a career in banking. At that time in my life, I had no idea what career path I wanted to take. I decided to apply and see where it would take me. Little did I know it would be the start of something special.”

She enjoyed banking right from the start. There were many female employees that she considered role models. “Most of the staff were women, and a lot of them started in an entry-level role and worked their way up the corporate ladder. I would always say to myself, ‘I can do that too.’”

Melissa did just that.

She worked her way up in leadership and was even selected to be part of the company’s prospect program. As a member of this program, she worked with her team to develop new technology and products that would later be presented to board members and implemented in their branches.

In 2012, Melissa moved to South Florida, where she saw illustrious career opportunities and felt it would be a comfortable environment for raising her daughter. She was working at Florida Community Bank when it was acquired by Synovus in 2018, and has served as a relationship specialist, branch operations manager, and branch service supervisor, and is currently a retail market manager. “Synovus has been an amazing company to work for,” she said. “I felt welcomed to the organization from the start. Throughout the years that I have worked here, I have been amazed at the support and motivation the leaders have provided. I am truly looking forward to the years to come.”

Q: Do you remember who first saw your full potential, or helped you realize you had greater potential?

A: My mother was the first woman in my life to see my full potential. She has always been my biggest supporter, along with my fiancé and daughter.

Q: You mention having a lot of female mentors throughout your career, can you tell us about one?

A: “Gina, my first manager in New York. When I first started in banking, I was amazed at how confident and knowledgeable she was. Gina taught me banking basics and how to effectively coach and train your staff. I still use skills she taught me to this day.”

Q: Are you a mentor or in a position of leadership anywhere else?

A: “I am also a co-chair for the Cocoa Beach Regional Chamber of Commerce, as well as an assigned mentor for all new businesses that join the Cocoa Beach Chamber each month.”

Q: What are some lessons you aspire to teach other women in your field or social circle?

A: “Leadership is about making others better because of your presence and making sure your impact lasts, even in your absence. Believe in yourself and be confident.”

Q: What has helped drive your success?

A: “My daughter has always been a driving factor for me to be successful—personally, and in business. I want her to know that anything is possible when you are focused and determined. I show her this by being the best role model I can be and devoting my time not only to her, but to my career and my community. She has even volunteered with me at Synovus community events. I think this is a wonderful way to show her that it is important to give back. Plus, I get to spend quality time with her.”

Q: What are you most proud of in your personal and professional life?

A: “In my personal life, I am most proud of my daughter. I am raising this tiny human to be a beautiful, smart young lady.

There are many accomplishments I am proud of throughout my professional career, however the one that I am recently most proud of is working along with my amazing team in Merritt Island. As a team, we have learned how to work together as one unit and support each other’s strengths and learn from our weaknesses. This has made us a well-oiled machine which has resulted in amazing success. In 2022 our team earned a perfect rating of 7/7 stars by our clients for our service. They see how well we work and communicate as a team, which also instills confidence in their decision to bank with Synovus.”