Her cancer journey was inspiring. Melissa was a woman of extraordinary abilities and she used them in her cancer battle -- remarkable clarity of purpose, tremendous focus, amazing tenacity and above all an iron determination.
Melissa was born on December 31, 1970, to Joseph C. Hragyil, Jr. and Mary Kathleen “Kathy” (Hragyil) Wise. Her beloved mother preceded her in death in 2014. Kathy and her husband, Mel Wise Jr., were supportive and loving parents for Melissa while she was growing up in Drexel, Missouri.
Her most proud accomplishment was her marriage and her family. On September 18, 1999, Melissa married Chris Wood. Together, they raised three children. Colin, Mia and Cameron were the beneficiaries of Melissa’s vast reservoir of love, devotion and protection. She leaves them full of confidence in their futures and secure in the knowledge that Chris, her best friend, confidant and husband, will finish guiding them on their journey to being awesome adults.
Melissa was just as successful in her professional life. She graduated from Drexel High School in 1989 and Missouri State University in 1993 with a degree in communications management. She was a proud member of Delta Zeta sorority. She joined Burns & McDonnell shortly after graduation, becoming the director of human resources only 11 years later. In 2006, she became the youngest officer in the history of the firm upon her promotion to vice president of human resources. Further promotions to senior vice president and chief administrative officer followed, thus becoming the first female member of the firm’s executive management team.
Her rapid rise reflected her one-of-a-kind contributions to Burns & McDonnell. She guided the development of the human resources team during tremendous growth at Burns & McDonnell, with the firm more than tripling in size. As both vice president of HR and CAO, Melissa oversaw the first formal community involvement/giving back program in the firm’s history, leading to record-breaking charitable fundraising campaigns and countless programs that are the fabric of the firm’s culture. She also led the creation of the firm’s “best in class” benefits and services including her career highlights of creating an on-site childcare center, on-site health center and on-site pharmacy for her fellow co-workers. Her leadership in all these areas led to the firm being honored with dozens and dozens of national, regional and local best workplace recognitions -- all managed under Melissa’s leadership.
Melissa was a powerful a force outside of Burns & McDonnell. She served on boards and committees for more than a dozen groups, including the Children’s Mercy Hospital Hands and Hearts Board, KU STEM Learning Advisory Board, the KC STEM Alliance Advisory Board, the University of Missouri-Kansas City Bloch School HR Advisory Board and the Greater KC Chamber Diversity Recruiting & Retention Advisory Board. She was a board member of ESCA (Employee-Owned S Corporations of America) and involved in the ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan) Association as a member and speaker on the local and national level.
Melissa received many honors in her lifetime. She was named a recipient of Ingram’s Magazine’s 40 Under Forty. The Kansas City Business Journal honored her as one of its Women Who Mean Business. As a direct result of her being responsible for the much-honored Burns & McDonnell workplace culture, Melissa was one of the winners of the inaugural Great Place to Work For All Leadership Award, presented by The Great Place to Work Institute.
She is survived by her husband, Chris; children, Colin, Mia and Cameron; father, Joseph C. Hragyil Jr., stepfather, Mel Wise Jr.; mother-in-law, Sally Wood; brothers, Jon Sullivan (Caitlin), and Jeremy Sullivan (Michael); brother-in-law, Rich Wood (Michele); nieces and nephews, Rachel Wood, Michael Wood, Maggie Sullivan, Adrianna Sullivan, Austyn Sullivan, Chance Sullivan and Gracie Sullivan; many, many cousins and friends who were her extended “framily” and to whom she was extremely devoted and who were devoted to her. Special thanks to her friend and caregiver, Margie Brown.
Visitation will be Monday, September 9th from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Mt. Moriah, Newcomer and Freeman Funeral Home, 10507 Holmes Road, Kansas City, Missouri. A funeral service will be held on Tuesday, September 10th at 3:30 p.m. at Church of the Resurrection, Main Sanctuary, 13720 Roe Avenue, Leawood, Kansas.
Memorial contributions may be made in her honor, in lieu of flowers, to Children’s Mercy Hospital or Overrun Ovarian Cancer Foundation.
Those fortunate enough to have been loved by Melissa, been friends with her and worked beside her will be eternally grateful. In her way-too-short time with us she shared her unique talents and made us all better people.
“Never was one person owed so much by so many.”
