Chief Executive Officer of Pacers Sports & Entertainment (PS&E) Mel Raines has earned national recognition for her executive leadership, securing a coveted spot on Forbes’ prestigious 2026 “50 Over 50” list.
The annual roster spotlights visionary women worldwide who have achieved monumental career breakthroughs and made their most significant societal and economic contributions after age 50. Raines, 57, was selected among the top female executives, cultural disruptors and innovators shaping sports, entertainment and lifestyle industries.
The national accolade highlights Raines’ rapid ascent and transformative impact across Indiana’s sports and entertainment landscape. Since taking the helm as PS&E’s top executive, Raines has made history as the first female CEO in franchise history and only the third active female top executive leading an NBA organization.
Before assuming the CEO post, Raines served as PS&E’s president and chief operating officer, establishing a reputation as a master strategist and logistics authority. Over nearly a decade with the organization, she spearheaded the monumental $400 million multi-phase renovation of Gainbridge Fieldhouse — modernizing the arena, expanding fan concourses, constructing state-of-the-art player facilities, and developing the adjacent Bicentennial Unity Plaza.
Her operational leadership was instrumental in orchestrating the 2024 NBA All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis. The star-studded weekend generated hundreds of millions of dollars in economic activity for Marion County while showcasing the Circle City on an international stage.
A South Bend native and Indiana University graduate, Raines brought extensive public policy and high-stakes operations experience to the sports sector. Her background includes over two decades in Washington, D.C., where she served in the White House Office of Administration, worked alongside Vice President Dick Cheney, and served as chief of staff to former Indiana Sen. Dan Coats. She initially caught the attention of Indiana sports executives while directing operations for the 2012 Indianapolis Super Bowl Host Committee.
Under Raines’ stewardship, PS&E has continued to expand its corporate footprint, overseeing operations for the Indiana Pacers, the WNBA’s Indiana Fever, the NBA G League’s Noblesville Boom, and Pacers Gaming. At the same time, Gainbridge Fieldhouse remains one of the highest-grossing and most active arenas in North America.
The complete 2026 Forbes 50 Over 50 list and individual honoree profiles are available at forbes.com.
Contact multimedia & senior sports reporter Noral Parham at 317-762-7846. Follow him on X @3Noral. For more news, visit indianapolisrecorder.com.
Noral Parham is the multi-media reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder, one of the oldest Black publications in the country. Prior to joining the Recorder, Parham served as the community advocate of the MLK Center in Indianapolis and senior copywriter for an e-commerce and marketing firm in Denver.
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