Ronald Melchert hails from the Oneida Nation by the Green Bay of Lake Michigan. Ronald Melchert started training as a boxer in 1969, in the basement of the historic Parish Hall in Oneida, Wisconsin, coached by Matt Powless and coach Harold King. He participated in regional meets throughout Wisconsin and Illinois and became the first Heavyweight champion of the National Indian Boxing Association winning both in 1974 and 1975 in Reno, Nevada.

Melchert is a Registered Landscape Architect who has owned his own business since 1982. His experience includes working on primarily Native American projects throughout the United States. Projects include Housing, Governmental Facilities, Community Facilities, Transportation projects, Master planning, Historical Facilities, Parks and Recreation, and Entertainment Facilities of Casinos and Hotels. Melchert’s professional practice and business spans 43 years.

Melchert has served as a board member on several Minneapolis not profit organizations serving the inner city Native American community. Ronald is currently the board chairman of the Little Earth of United Tribes Inc., a low income section 8 housing project of 212 units. LEUTC is the only urban HUD project dedicated to specifically Native American residents in the United States.

Melchert received an Associate of Arts in Architectural Technology from Madison Area Technical College in 1973, his Bachelor of Science Degree in Landscape Architecture in 1977 from the University of Wisconsin Madison, and a Master’s of Science in Leadership from Capella University in 2016.

Melchert is married to Susan and has three children and seven grandchildren.