Calvin Mills is the founder, president & CEO of CMC Technology Solutions, SLT Technology, Inc., and his most recent venture, HelpIT, Inc., a software and application development company, which is the first of his business ventures to have a public offering strategy for the NASDAQ stock exchange.
Over 20 years, Calvin has proven that faith, hard work, dedication, and perseverance have helped him become an award-winning serial tech entrepreneur. Calvin has given countless hours of his time to many organizations, but the most recent one may be his most significant.
Calvin recently experienced a full-circle moment. After serving on the Nexus Louisiana Board of Directors for eight years as the mayor’s designee for the City of Baton Rouge and as the board chairman for three years, he stepped down when the organization needed him most to step in as the interim president and CEO.
Calvin has a proven track record of exemplifying a willingness to serve where and when needed. He is a philanthropist, author, dynamic
speaker, mentor, and small business advocate. Calvin is committed to advancing the tech sector, especially the next generation of entrepreneurs.
In 2018 Calvin launched the nonprofit, Changing Lives Is My Business (CLIMB) to offer access to technology and other resources for underserved youth. Growing up in a low-income single-parent home helped mold and motivate him to succeed as an entrepreneur.
Understanding the generosity of others at an early age allowed him to appreciate how imperative it is to give back. Service was the foundation of his first company, designed to help low-income and marginalized families gain access to technology by building affordable desktop computers. As a Historically Black College & University graduate, Calvin understood the importance of exposure to culture and opportunities, which led to the creation of “Calvin Cares Weekend,” where over 1,500 underprivileged youth have attended the historic and world-renowned Bayou Classic, an annual college football classic rivalry game between the Grambling State University Tigers and the Southern University Jaguars. Calvin shares his personal story of struggle and perseverance in his book “No Secrets to Elevation: An Entrepreneur’s Story of Persistence.”
As an accomplished serial tech entrepreneur, Calvin has been recognized nationally by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Small Business Administration with the prestigious Small Business and Minority Small Business achievement awards. Other recognition includes the National Small Business Association as the Top Small Business Advocate of the Year for his tireless fight for small business owners across this great nation. He has also received numerous awards and accolades both locally and nationally. Because of his work ethic, generosity, and character earlier this year Calvin was recognized on the highest level by U.S. President Joseph R. Biden with the 2023 U.S. Presidential Lifetime Achievement award. With this honor Calvin became the youngest recipient in the State of Louisiana to receive it.
Calvin is a native of New Orleans, Louisiana, and holds a B.S. degree in Computer Science & Business from The Southern University A&M College after a stellar career in football as the starting fullback, becoming a five-time champion winning two National Black College Football Championships and three-time Southwest Athletic Conference (SWAC) for the fighting Jaguars with an impressive record of 25-0. Calvin Mills Jr. is also a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
