Life’s RefLections

Melvin C. Fallis was the first of three children born to Virginia Mingo Fallis and Melvin C. Fallis, Sr. He was born in Norfolk, VA, on November 3, 1942, and was called to be with God on February 17, 2023.

At an early age, he gave his life to God and grew up as a member of First Baptist Church, Berkley, under Rev. J.C. Diamond. He participated in all church activities and showed promise as an outstanding student, Godly man, and community activist.

In elementary school, he was selected to write a weekly column about school activities published in the local newspaper, Journal, and Guide. He played trumpet in middle and high school bands until he was elected president of the Booker T. Washington High School student government.

At the time of his passing, he resided in Memphis, Tennessee, with his wife (Sheron). Melvin worked as a semi-retired Financial Associate with Thrivent Financial, a national faithbased, Fortune 500 financial service company. He enjoyed working with members of several Churches here in Memphis to educate and advocate for financial freedom, especially for people of color. Mel has over 15 years of experience in this industry, including Lincoln Heritage Life, Thrivent Financial (Chicago area office), Transamerica Network, Western and Southern Life, and Primerica Financial.

Prior to financial services, he had a successful career in advertising and marketing. After receiving his MBA in 1968, he was among the first people of color to work in the advertising industry on Madison Avenue in New York. He was an account executive at J. Walter Thompson Co. Other positions include brand management at Lever Brothers Company (NY) and The Coca-Cola Company, Foods Division (Houston). In 1980 he became Executive VP, Chief Operating Officer of UniWorld Group advertising in New York (a division of WPP International). During his tenure, the firm doubled its business revenue. He also served as Publisher of American Visions (Washington, DC), a national African American history/ culture magazine created with support from the Smithsonian.

From 1999 to 2004, Mr. Fallis was Vice President, Sales Development and Vice President, Sales, and Marketing with Blackvoices.com, an online subsidiary of the Tribune Company in Chicago. After assisting the CEO in raising $5 million in start-up capital, he hired and managed the national sales team that closed a historic $10 million online alliance with General Motors Company.

As part of the success of Blackvoices.com, he was selected in September 2000 by Advertising Age as a “Media Maven.” This is an annual honor for the top 25 media professionals in the United States.

He was also a frequent speaker on “Multicultural Marketing” at national business seminars.

He graduated from Norfolk State University, Norfolk, Virginia, with a BS degree in Business Administration. He was president of his class and second in the academic ranking. He was also a charter member of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity at Norfolk State.

In 1968 he earned an MBA from the Amos Tuck Graduate School of Business at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire. He is the second African American to obtain an MBA from the Amos Tuck Graduate School of Business since its inception in 1900.

In 1995 he was profiled in an article entitled “Blacks Who Broke the Color Barrier in America’s Major Graduate Business Schools” in The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education.

He is a life member of the NAACP and the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity.

Part of his life story is recorded in StoryCorps at the Library of Congress.

He leaves to cherish his memory and to continue his legacy of striving for excellence, his wife of more than 27 years of marriage Sheron Banks Fallis, his son, Melvin Joshua Fallis, always a ray of sunshine in his life; one sister Cyntia Fallis of Norfolk Virginia; niece Kimberly Fallis (Randy) of Washington; one Goddaughter Kaylen Davis of Seattle, Washington; four godchildren of Chicago; four sisters-law Acqua Woods (Willie) of Memphis, Phyliss Caples (Lenny) of Memphis, Burnell Banks (Larry) of Memphis, Geneva Fallis of Chesapeak Virginia, four brothers-in-law, Cedric Banks (Mary), Donald Banks (Janice), Rev. Eddie Jenkins (Martha) all of Memphis, Lonelle Jenkins of Indianapolis, Indiana. Melvin also has a host of Memphis nieces and nephews who lovingly refer to him as Uncle Mel’, and countless other family and friends across the United States.