Melissa Blettner

Melissa Blettner is the Chief Executive Officer of Boyd Hollow Resorts and a seasoned hospitality executive with more than 30 years of leadership experience in resort development, operations, guest experience, brand creation, and destination hospitality. Her career includes more than two decades with Great Wolf Resorts, one of North America's leading family resort brands, where she helped shape large-scale hospitality environments centered on storytelling, family experiences, and meaningful moments of connection. During her tenure, she developed a deep commitment to culture-driven leadership, employee engagement, and exceptional guest experiences that foster lasting loyalty.
As CEO of Boyd Hollow Resorts, Melissa led the creation and successful launch of Ancient Lore Village, an experiential hospitality destination in Knoxville, Tennessee, designed around purpose, emotional connection, and a deep sense of place. Today, she oversees the company's strategic growth, brand stewardship, and expansion of future destination concepts, including immersive entertainment experiences and wellbeing-focused hospitality offerings.
Melissa is also the author of Leading with Heart, a leadership book built around her HEART framework: Heart-Centered Hospitality, Expectations, Alignment, Resilience, and Trust. Her leadership philosophy emphasizes servant leadership, employee empowerment, and building organizations that thrive from the inside out. Known for blending operational excellence with intentional brand design and experiential programming, Melissa believes hospitality is at its best when story, service, and setting come together to create places where guests feel welcomed, inspired, and genuinely connected. Through her work at Boyd Hollow Resorts, she is helping shape the future of purpose-driven hospitality by creating destinations that foster human connection, personal renewal, community, and memorable experiences.