SUCCESS STORY

Suffolk Firm Gives Back With Help from SBA

Donald Mills, President of Mills Marine and Ship Repair, says his motivation for starting the company in 2012 was lack of African American companies in ship repair and the desire to be successful. Bringing over 30 years of experience in ship building and repair to Mills Marine and Ship Repair, Mills provides those services throughout the Commonwealth and across the country.

After serving in the United States Army for three years, Mills and his wife Ernestine relocated from Rocky Mount, North Carolina to Hampton Virginia in 1978 to serve an Apprenticeship at Newport News Shipbuilding. Mills also enrolled in the North Carolina community college system as a business management major.

He completed the apprenticeship program in 40 months and was promoted to Pipe supervisor. Throughout his employment with the company, Mills was placed in roles of ever-increasing responsibilities. He finished his career in facilities as a construction engineer.

After retiring from Newport News Shipbuilding, Mills located his corporate offices in downtown Suffolk, Virginia in 2009 and officially launched Mills Marine into full operations in 2012. Looking for an I-95 experience, Mills instead found himself on an unpaved road and hitting bumps and difficulties on his journey to success. Mills says "Proper preparation prevents problems."

As a Veteran-owned business located in a Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) and is a 8(a) certified establishment, Mills Marine has grown to over 30 employees. SBA's HUBZone program helps small businesses in urban and rural communities gain preferential access to federal contracting opportunities. The program helps small businesses and residents in disadvantaged urban and rural communities by helping businesses find work and hire locally. The nine-year 8(a) Business Development Program assists small disadvantaged businesses in gaining access to government contracting.

The future looks bright as Mills expects to expand and offer employment opportunities to 250-300 employees. The contracts that Mills Marine have been awarded for being located in a HubZone has impacted the company and allows him to give back to his community by employing residents of the city. Even though he is newly accepted 8(a) participant he feels he will greatly benefit from the program and the opportunities it will provide.

Ernestine Mills shares in the vision of the company and is actively engaged in the direction and day to operations Ms. Mills serves as Vice President of Finance and co-owner. As Mills Marines grows, the company wants to give back to the community and expects to begin hiring people who have a felony conviction and desire a second chance.

- 2017 Resource Guide for Small Business Magazine