Mike Melendrez is a proud 1990 graduate of St. Francis de Sales High School. After graduating, he left Chicago’s Southeast Side to attend the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign before launching a career in sales that would ultimately lead him to found Red Circle in 2001. For more than 25 years, Mike has led Red Circle, a Chicago-based executive search firm focused on helping founder-led companies transform bold visions into thriving businesses by building high-functioning, purpose-aligned teams. Through his work, Mike has partnered with startup founders and business leaders to shape organizations from early-stage ideas into lasting companies. Beyond his professional success, Mike has remained deeply committed to the community that helped shape him. For the past two decades, he has served on the board of St. Francis de Sales while also dedicating significant time to advancing educational opportunity through his work with Big Shoulders Fund.