Mayo Mills is the new Rotary Club of South Jacksonville president and a vice president and senior wealth management advisor with Merrill Lynch.
WHAT DO YOU DO WITH MERRILL LYNCH?
He has been with Merrill Lynch for 23 years. “I work with financial planning and investing for high net worth clients.”
HOW DID HE GET THE JOB WITH MERRILL LYNCH?
He was working in banking and was recruited by Merrill Lynch.
WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS AS PRESIDENT OF ROTARY?
“I plan to continue to increase participation by the members to provide charitable service to the local and international communities.”
WHY DID YOU GET INVOLVED IN ROTARY?
“It’s an opportunity for service and fellowship with professionals and business people.” Mills started the Annual Charity Gala, which is a major fundraiser for Rotary. A local charity that has benefited from the proceeds from the Gala is the Douglas Anderson School of Arts. A different charity is chosen each year by the chapter.
OTHER CAUSES?
“We have almost eradicated polio in undeveloped countries. The job is about 99 percent done. One of the focuses over the next three years, is to completely wipe out polio. That is a major, high visibility goal.”
BIG SHOES TO FILL?
Mills follows Dr. Jeff Edwards as president. “From year to year, the styles of leadership are always individualized and it’s very challenging to establish an administration. You only have one year to come in, get it going, make it happen and then you are gone. It is very unique and challenging and the underpinning has to be fellowship among the members and a commitment to service.”
HOW DID HE BECOME PRESIDENT?
Mills has been involved in many different areas of Rotary since he joined eight years ago. He was elected by the board.
BIRTHPLACE
Bainbridge, Ga.
COLLEGE
He has a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from Georgia Tech and a master’s degree in business administration from Georgia State University.
AFTER COLLEGE
After college, he was a captain in the Air Force. He then worked as an industrial engineer and a banker in Atlanta. He moved to Jacksonville about 25 years ago to work in banking.
HOW DID HE GET INTO BANKING WITH A DEGREE IN INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING?
“Industrial engineering is pretty general and is business related. I was more interested in business and people then a purely industrial job. It’s a rigorous education that trains you to think, evaluate and solve problems.”
HOBBIES
Golf and spending time with his children.
FAMILY
He has three children: John, 32, Clay, 13, and Mary Chase, 16, and two grandchildren, Dryden and Sophie.
RESIDES
Southside.
FAVORITES
Mills favorite movie is “The Big Chill.” When relaxing at home, he enjoys tuning into “Seinfeld” or “The West Wing.” When traveling, he enjoys visiting Atlanta.
—by Michele Newbern Gillis