Donnie Mills - Journey of making a career in the Maritime Industry.

Our interview with Donnie Mills can't be easily summarized. He's had a long and successful career in the maritime industry. He's had challenges but sees nothing but opportunities.

He has struggled and has had many successes. He's at a point now where he just wants his business to give back to his community and to his employees. This was a powerful interview and we think you'll enjoy it.

The Regional Maritime Training System, RMTS, was established using a $11 million (41%) Good Jobs Challenge Grant awarded by the Economic Development Administration and is supported by $12.1 million (46%) provided through BlueForge Alliance in partnership with the U.S. Department of the Navy, and $3.5 million (13%) in funding by other sources. The Regional Maritime Training System, led by the Hampton Roads Workforce Council is an equal opportunity employer/program. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. VA Relay 711.

Visit www.maritimejobsva.com to discover what career and training opportunities are right for you in the Hampton Roads maritime industry.

Transcript

Our interview with Donnie Mills can't be easily summarized. He's had a long and successful career in the maritime industry. He's had challenges but sees nothing but opportunities.
He has struggled and has had many successes. He's at a point now where he just wants his business to give back to his community and to his employees. This was a powerful interview and we think you'll enjoy it.
I knew I wanted to have you on as a guest because there's so many great things in your, in your history, in your story, and what you're doing with Mills Marine that I think is so relevant to the audience that we're trying to reach,
which is the young men and women we want to bring into the industry, but really they're teachers, their parents, their other influences in their life,
and understand how a career in the maritime industries in Hampton Roads can make and change a life. And you've got some of those great stories,
you've got those experiences, the people that work with you, and I told you when I came in here, I almost didn't need to talk to you because the first three people I talked to when I walked in here are just fabulous examples that they've got great stories and they're making their way in this industry in different places.
Let's start here. Tell me where Donnie Mills was at 17, 18 years old, and how, and a short version, if you can tell a short story. That's going to be a time.
Give me the short version of how did you start out? What were you thinking at 17 years old, what your life was going to be like, what your career was going to be, and how he got here now? Well, since this is going to be broadcast publicly, first I'm going to have to give you the G -rated version of that because there is an R and maybe even be young.
But uncaring was not focused on my studies at all. Was not concerned about future at all.
Had two great parents in my life, grew up around the church. I can't say I grew up in the church because at 13, 14, I was rumbunctious as I'll get out and was out there.
I was always a good student up until my junior senior year till I discovered two things. I think I did one of them. Yeah, yeah, and the other one was booze.
You could put the two together, right? So, but my senior year, I had blew so bad that I did not graduate.
So smart guy, right, I decided I'm going into the Army, you know. My brother had enlisted in the Air Force. I knew that was a no -go because he did four years and he didn't like it at all.
So I joined the Army for two reasons. One, I wanted to be able to buy a house. Two, I knew I needed to get an education, all right? So, you know,
I needed a way to fund those two things. So I went in, my first year in the Army, I got married my second year in. I had my first kid at 17. Here come my second one at 19.
And my wife was only 17 when we got married. And I'd like to say this publicly. Best thing ever happened to me in my life because she helped change my life.
She was committed in the relationship early on. You know, here come my daughter. Now I'm 20. And I tell you, that's the second best thing ever happened to me in my life was being the father,
especially of a little girl. So, you know, the pressure to take care my family, all right? So it wasn't there when she was born. I couldn't get away my first son wouldn't let me go.
And I, you know, and I learned a lesson from that. So, you know, when you own orders, you know, you got to go. I had one of the jobs that you can't quit. So when my enlistment was up,
I decided I'd come home because I missed the birth of the first one. I wanted to be a husband and a dad. And I got out of the military.
ETS July 23rd, 1975, yeah, I'm dating myself. To 24th, I went and registered to go to college,
to go into the community college system and went by my old job. Monday I started work on my old job, went back.
I took a military leave of absence. And I started the learning lab because I had got my GED when I was in the Army, but my cutoff.
My school wasn't high enough to qualify to get in the community college system. I think it was about less than $100 a month from distance between what my GI Bill paid me to go to school and what I was actually taken home as an E4 for three.
So it was a no -brainer for me. So we came home, stayed in the community college system for a couple of years, had the opportunity to come to Newport News. I had a brother who was working in the apprenticeship.
And I came and I applied. I had never heard of the apprentice program before. Didn't know what it was. And the guy looked at my resume, looked at my application, he said, you know, you've got a solid history.
Now this, you talk about a high school dropout, somebody who got married at 19 years old, father, one, already. And he said,
You've got a lot of experience, a lot of leadership qualities, and I'd like for you to go into the principal. Wow. Never heard of that. So they were hiring everybody and everything that came up.
And he gave me an opportunity. He gave me an application to say, young man, go home to fill us out and send it back. Let me just pause there. So doing the math on this, since you already brought it up. When Newport News higher and then,
just about everybody that they could get, that must have been around the start of the Nimitz Aircraft Carrier Program. It was. It was. It was actually, it was actually in 1978.
So early on in that program. Yes. Kind of similar to what we got going on now. It is, right? It is. But what I said today is that the man is even greater now.
What did you do in the Army? I dug Fox O's and I shot at folks. You're an infantry? Well, artillery. Artillery. Okay. So not a related field. No. But the leadership,
the experience that you got in the Army, how to succeed in an organization is how to what set you on the path? I think everybody should have one job that they can't quit.
So out of duty to the country, out of duty to my family, out of duty to my future. I didn't have a choice but to finish. And I want to admonish everybody who's thinking about that route,
make a decision to finish, because I can promise you it's gonna be different depending on which branch you choose. But I also think it's very necessary too. I do. That's where I learned my discipline.
So came out of the Army, kind of an unrelated MOS, military occupational specialty. But the shipyard saw something like that kind of background, knew that they could build something on that.
My major was business administration, business management. And I was getting ready to go from the community college system into my junior year college. So I'd had two successful years,
where actually about 20, about 32 months of it. And I was at the crossroads. I had to either decide to go to a four -year university or do something different.
I didn't know when I got to Newport News and applied for the Apprent School that the military would pay me to serve an apprenticeship. Yes,
I got a check. What did you do in the apprentice school? You know, I'm a little biased. I'm a little biased. I like electricians. I love shipfitters. I love all y 'all.
But I was a pipe fiddle by trade. I got, my first selection was electrician. And that was one of the most popular skill sets, one of the most popular trades.
My second one was pipe, and my third was welding. And because I had a brother at that time who was working in the shipfitters, they told me, can't put you anywhere in the red letter traits because,
you know, you guys might have interface. What's a red letter trade? No, shipfitters, the welders, the boilers, those kind of traits. They're more shipfitters and welders than anything else.
Okay. And that's what he did. So in Apprentice School at that time, because they got this thing, if you finish more than likely 80, 85, 90 % of the time, you're going into a management role.
So they wanted to make sure that we didn't have any interface with that. Gotcha, okay. And it worked well. So that kind of made sense. The apprentice school for you. They taught you the trade,
but you were going to go and supervise and oversee the trade, not necessarily be the... Yes. Not necessarily the man putting down the medal himself. No, no. Those folks were going to work for you.
I, the apprentice program was 48 months long. All right. But we got married increases if your shop grades and your academic grades excelled.
I finished my apprenticeship in 40 months. I was a salaried supervisor the same day I finished. I was working people in the shipyard before I got out of the apprentice school as a makeup form in my sixth term.
I was working people 18 months in. What was the key to making that happen? Because obviously that doesn't happen everybody. No, I mean,
now, you got to understand I was the old dude in the class, right? Because I don't... And how old's old at this point? I'm 24. You're old at 24? I'm old. Well, I was old dude. Listen,
the cutoff used to be 25. When I started the apprenticeship school was September 11, 1978, and I was 24 years,
three months. And if you were over 25, they wouldn't let you in. Now, thank God, they've removed that limit since. You know, I started out asking, where was your head at when you were 17,
18 years old? And if this were reversed, right, I'd have a tougher time kind of answering that question, too. That's a tough age to ask somebody and say, what do you want to do for the rest of your life?
Nobody, none of them know. And nobody should know. But you're a great example of you can start out doing one thing. And what I think is so fantastic,
and I'm trying to bring these stories to light in this industry, is you can start out doing one thing. And all that does is open more opportunities for you to do different things.
Bob, my salary when I left North Carolina was about $8 ,000 a year. Now, mind you,
this is in 1978 guys, $1978. The next year, my wages went up 50%. By year three,
my salary had doubled. By year four, I mean 1982, I'm mid -30s. And in those days,
30 ,000 plus was a great salary. So my quality of life changed at every level. So your quality of life and your quality of the life that you provide your family will always be equivalent to your level of sacrifice to do so.
So just, if I got that math right, three years into your career in maritime trades, making $30 ,000 a year, which... From eight.
From $8 ,000 a year, that's $15 an hour. Hmm. Yeah, I mean, yeah. That's higher than the minimum wage right now, and that's below the average minimum,
the average starting wage anywhere in Now, right? I was, I was a salward, I was a salward foreman at, at, at 28 years old. This is the amazing thing.
After a year of that, 48 months in the shipyard, I was a middle manager. That sounds unusual, right? You could say that you're a unicorn. That's not really a case,
though. That's attainable by somebody that's willing to do the work? There is no substitute for hard work. Between the ages of 18 and 28,
you really need to dig in. Because I'm sitting here today as an older man, life goes quick. You'll be 40 next week.
It happens that quick. So while you have to strength, the energy, put in the effort, put in the effort. I wouldn't college material coming out of high school.
I simply wasn't. I wasn't ready for that. I don't actually think I was ready for an apprenticeship because they didn't know what direction I wanted to take.
But start somewhere. Start somewhere. The yards are a perfect place to start. Because I can tell you, if you're not in a position where you can excel and move into handyman,
first class, third class, and climb the ranks, Don't get into a dead -end job. Go somewhere where you have the opportunity to grow and then decide.
I knew people in New Penu still have friends that did not go to print school, didn't go the apprentice route. But what they did when they got to that mechanic level,
they decided to go then and go to college and the shipyard pay for it. Newpenew is paid for it. And some of them same guys are managing the waterfront now. You said something a minute ago about a dead -end job,
and that's really one of the myths I really want to try to break and bury, if possible, is, and I talked with one of your employees who, by the way,
used to work for me, and I think the world of him. And he And one of the challenges he faced when he was starting out was teachers telling him, you go to the shipyard, that's a dead -end job.
And that is just absolutely not the case. Not true. There are entry -level jobs. Not true. But that's not dead -end, is it?
I will tell you that there is more opportunity on the waterfront and in this industry now than there has ever been.
All right. So prove it. Go look at the Navy backlog. Look at the work that's on the books through 2050.
2050. I've never had to worry about being laid off at Newport New Ship. I've never had to worry about making a long -term commitment or long -term purchases,
because the work was there. There is so much opportunity. I know college students who have four -year degrees now that are coming to apply to us because in their field,
they can make more money with us and they actually can in their field. So college is a great thing. I'm not knocking it. But I'm for your biggest bang for the buck is to get on board now.
One of the things I've been saying is, you know, you said at 18 weren't college material. I did go to college at 18. I don't think I was college material.
Did your party? Well, you know, I went to a military school, so... No, one month's a half. I had a little help in kind of channeling my energies, right? Which is what I needed,
but that's not the path for everything. Don't ever stop honing your craft.
Don't ever stop improving. This is not about our future. I want to say this about yours. I might. This is not for us. It's about those of you who are here and those of you who are on your way.
Because we want to make an investment in the lives of those who are to come after us. I said this to you, and I'll say it again. You don't have a life till you learn to give yours away.
So we're trying to make sure that what we're doing has a positive impact on you, on the people who are here and those who are on the way. So back up,
just a step. I think you finished up about 28 years old, and you're still at Huntington Ingalls. How did you get from Huntington Ingalls to be in the owner of Mills Marine?
200 people almost. I think the actual number is 194. All right. Multiple locations. Starting in Suffolk.
Sitting in this building in Portsmouth. We have a contingency and a workforce in Pascagoula, Mississippi. People in Charleston, South Carolina. Bath, Maine. Of course,
Hampton Roads. And we have a footprint out in San Diego now. How many times as a small business owner, do you wake up with that feeling going, I don't think I can do this? And how do you get over it?
I'm going to tell you, for me, it was my faith. It was my faith. Trust in God for the next day, for the next job. It was my faith.
And it has been a wonderful journey. But I did not want to disappoint the people he had put that faith and trust in us.
See, it wasn't about the revenue. It never has been for us. My wife said something different because I'm out of banker. She's a banker. But it was about the relationships that we created.
The friendships that came out of those relationships. The trust that was built while we were in that relationship, start small, start small.
You know, I've seen people put a seed in the ground today and they wanna go back and pick apples tomorrow and don't happen like that. Slow, steady, methodical,
deliberate, intentional, determined, planning, Planning, planning, execution, planning,
revised, execution. Because none of us get it right right out of the gate. Don't be afraid to go say, hey, I blew it. You know, I'll fix it.
I'll get it right. There's a good bit of that in the marine industry, that it's challenging work. It doesn't always go right from the outset.
Sometimes there's rework, right? It is. Nobody likes that. But it's an understood part of the industry. How do you approach that when you're working for another company as a subcontractor?
How do you handle that? Except responsibility for you all. I mean, none of us get it right all All right. If it's not right and it's not up to par,
all right? Fix it. Don't run away from it. Fix it. You know, the worst thing that you could do is start denying an important thing that,
you know, people make mistakes. I believe in first -time quality. I grew up like that. I mean, New Purdue's raised me. First -time quality, 100 % first time.
And then I got a lesson after that. That people are going to be people. People are going to be people. And some of your skill sets sometimes, they get it wrong. But you don't crucify,
you correct. You don't kill the person, you correct it. And, you know, the buck stops here. If it's not right, I want to make it right. I do want to make it right.
And my management, they're taught. We have a culture that we want to get it right. And if it's not right, get it right. Donnie, I want to thank you.
I've been looking forward to this conversation when this opportunity came to us. Your name was one of the very first ones because I knew you had, I didn't know these stories, but I knew you had the right story for this audience to help attract people to the industry and keep them here and explain most of all to the people that influence the people that we need.
And I want to thank you for your time. Can I - This is a lot of fun. You can say anything else you want. I want to speak to a particular segment of people right now. I'd like to speak just to the African -American people who are watching this,
who are feeling depressed, down and out, and blame the rest of the world. For maybe you haven't had the opportunity, or maybe you've had some bad experiences in the yards before.
Don't let your past dictate where you go in your future. So, give it another try. Try another company.
The industry needs you. America needs you, the United States Navy need our support. This is about supporting the freedom of our nation.
So it goes a lot deeper than just a job. We're supporting the best Navy on the planet. That's what drives me too, sir, knowing that we're contributing to the security of the best,
Best nation on the planet. Can't say anything better than that. I'm done. I'm done. I'm done. I'm done. Thank you, sir. Yep. Man,
I appreciate it. Yes, sir.