Mrs. Melissa Brydels Receives the 2025 Earl E. and Wilma S. Shepard Distinguished Service Award from the American Board of Orthodontics

 

Melissa Brydels of St. Louis is the recipient of the 2025 Earl E. and Wilma S. Shepard Distinguished Service Award from the American Board of Orthodontics (ABO). This award recognizes an individual for outstanding dedication and advancement of the ideals and mission of the ABO.

Mrs. Brydels served the American Board of Orthodontics (ABO) as Marketing and Events Manager from February 2009 until her recent retirement in December, 2024. She was responsible for planning, organizing, and executing all details for successful ABO functions to include annual and strategic business meetings, site visits, certification examinations, symposiums, and other special events.

Mrs. Brydels assisted in the ABO’s rebranding in 2015, working in collaboration with an outside marketing firm to develop and implement new marketing materials and strategies. She also prepared the marketing plan and budget, coordinated public relations releases and website copy with a copywriter, and composed and distributed newsletter content to ABO members, orthodontic program educators and emeriti.

Mrs. Brydels coordinated and managed ABO marketing and office inventory. She helped establish a new ABO online storefront with a third-party partner to ensure products were accurate, available and orders successfully fulfilled. She also assisted with director nominee and awards nomination processes each year, organized rental arrangements for other specialty boards to utilize ABO’s in-house examination facility and provided coordination and administrative assistance as requested.

“Melissa Brydels has made countless and valuable contributions to the operations and overall success of the ABO for the past fifteen years,” said Carole Newport, MA, Chief Executive Officer of the ABO. “We are grateful for her service.”

On receiving the award, Mrs. Brydels said: “What an incredible honor and complete surprise to be recognized as the American Board of Orthodontics 2025 Shepard Award recipient! I am beyond proud and forever grateful for the opportunity to be associated with such a wonderful organization, comprised of dedicated and committed orthodontic specialists.”