N.C. A&T Alumni Times

N.C. A&T Alumnus Dominates Automobile Industry as Megadealer Recognized by Black Enterprise

In 1992, Damian Mills had just completed his freshman year at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University when he found himself needing to secure summer employment. He was able to find a job as a car salesman at Crown Automotive in Greensboro, North Carolina, and soon realized he had tapped into a gift of selling cars.

Now 27 years later, the Garyville, Louisiana native is the owner of Mills Automotive Group that is ranked as No. 4 on the Black Enterprise Top BE100 Auto Dealer List and named the 2019 Auto Dealer of the Year by the magazine.

“I can remember being a business economics student at North Carolina A&T reading Black Enterprise between classes and admiring all of the African American icons,” said Mills. “It was motivation for my life and it spoke to the potential to what was possible for me, so I added the magazine to my vision board. I am honestly humbled to see my dream manifest and to be recognized several times in the publication.”

Mills stayed with Crown Automotive for 13 years and advanced his career to a high-ranking executive position in the company. Through persistence and hard work, he made partner in 1998 at age 25. During this time, he oversaw 22 stores and started to travel more frequently across the Carolinas.

“Eventually, I started to realize that everything I was doing in my job, I could do for myself if I owned my own company,” he said. “I had worked my way up in Crown and entrepreneurship just made sense for me.”

In December 2004, Mills started Mills Automotive Group in Smithfield, North Carolina. Within two years, he was able to expand his company and open a second dealership.

“In the first year of starting my company, I worked two-and-a-half hours away from my home, which caused me to sacrifice time with my wife and children,” he said. “I also took a significant pay cut and I spent most of my time living in a hotel near the dealership.”

In 2008, the automobile industry experienced a major hit during the recession. Where a lot of franchises were unable to sustain and eventually closed down, Mills Automotive Group weathered the economic storm and kept its doors open for business.

“During the recession, I made a conscious decision to not lay off a single employee because I believed in their value in my company,” said Mills. “As a team, we had to reduce expenses, consolidated positions and found effective ways to maintain the company.”

Within 15 years, Mills has grown his business to be nationally recognized as a top automobile company in the industry. To date, he has acquired 14 car dealerships based in four states: North Carolina, South Carolina, and West Virginia. In 2019, the company posted revenue of $474 million and is the fifth largest black-owned auto dealership in the United States.

“I attribute my success to my faith and believing in God to continue to order my steps,” said Mills. “In my first dealership in Smithfield, engraved at the front door is the scripture, Matthew 19:26, ‘… with God all things are possible.’”

Mills plans to maintain his consistent growth in the automotive industry and prepare the next generation of leaders.

“Being an entrepreneur has allowed me to invest in the lives of my associates, mentor other African Americans in the industry and give back to multiple communities,” said Mills. “I am constantly reminded that as long as I am working in my calling, it’s not work, it’s just pure motivation.”

To learn more about Mills Automotive Group, please visit www.millsautogroup.com.