ABOUT

Cheryl Mayberry McKissack

As a dynamic, inspirational executive Cheryl Mayberry McKissack has a history of stellar success igniting growth by building world-class management teams, leading digital transformations, raising capital from investors and penetrating multicultural markets. Cheryl’s career started in technology with a 15 year tenure at IBM followed by several entrepreneurial technology focused ventures including US Robotics. In her role as VP of the Americas at US Robotics, Cheryl led sales, marketing and business development operations spanning two continents for a high-growth publicly traded company shortly after the IPO. Her team increased revenue from $80M to $2.2B in five years, meeting growth objectives for all 20 consecutive quarters. She was an integral part of the executive leadership team that sold the company to 3Com for over $7B after five years.

Cheryl’s greatest strength is inspiring top-notch teams of professionals and sparking creativity to attain ambitious business goals.

She has held additional leadership roles as the founding Worldwide SVP & General Manager to lead Open Port Technology. Along with the CEO and CFO, she successfully attained $22M in venture capital financing by developing and presenting a successful prospectus to multiple VC firms and other investors. She served as the COO and President of Digital of Johnson Publishing Company (JPC) in 2013, Cheryl helped revitalized the 72-year-old firm by leading digital transformations to spur sales growth. Cheryl accepted the role of CEO for the newly minted Ebony Media Operations after the print and digital media portfolio was acquired by a private equity firm in 2016. Under her leadership, the digital and print publications won acclaim including being awarded Cover of the Week by Adweek. Revenue growth was fueled by special commemorative issues like Hail to the Chief, a salute to the Obama presidency which attained an industry-leading 40% sell-through rate.

For over 20 years In her role as Founder and CEO of Nia Enterprises, Cheryl has propelled revenue growth with a focus on entrepreneurial ventures and start-ups in addition to providing essential data to refine growth strategies for Fortune 500 firms. Cheryl founded Nia Enterprises, LLC to elevate marketing and growth strategies by delivering data-driven insights with an emphasis on multicultural audiences. Providing the marketing strategy and overarching vision for Nia Enterprises, Cheryl built the world’s largest online consumer research panel delivering marketing insights via digital comparative research on the unique needs and purchasing preferences of Black women. Cheryl’s greatest strength is inspiring top-notch teams of professionals and sparking creativity to attain ambitious business goals. In 2019, along with her business partner, Desiree Rogers, she acquire two of the most iconic cosmetics and skin care companies dedicated to serving women of color globally.

Awards and Honors

ODX Outstanding Directors Exchange, 2021

Savoy’s 2021 Most Influential Black Corporate Directors

WomenInc’s 2019 Most Influential Corporate Board Directors.

Deluxe appoints Cheryl Mayberry McKissack as Board Chair, 2019

Commencement speaker for the Kellogg School of Management Winter 2018 Executive MBA Convocation.

Directors to Watch-Directors and Boards magazine, 2015

17 Black Internet Pioneers- The Root, 2012

Woman of Achievement-AntiDefamation League, 2009

BusinessMaker-TheHistoryMakers, 2008

Kellogg alumni Rising Entrepreneur of The Year-Northwestern University, 2007

Kellogg World Alumni Magazine, 2007

25 Influential Black Women in Business-Network Journal Magazine, 2006

Leader Entrepreneurship Award-Chicago YWCA, 2006

Business Leader of Color by Chicago United, 2005