Celebrity Roast

Don Mills is the co-founder and former owner and CEO of Corporate Research Associates Inc. (now Narrative Research), one of Canada’s leading public opinion and market research companies. Don continues to be associated with Narrative Research as Chair of the Board and Senior Counsel and is a recognized expert in public opinion in Canada. He continues to be actively engaged in business through investment in a number of private sector companies through Crane Cove Holdings Limited. He recently became a partner in Cabco Communications. He is also a columnist for the Saltwire Network with his “To the Point” column and for Brunswick News with his “On the Edge “column. His columns appear in all major newspapers across the region.

Don has been active in the community over his career having been on the Boards of nearly two dozen organizations, many in a leadership role, including Dalhousie University, the Halifax Chamber of Commerce, the Halifax International Airport Authority, the IWK Foundation, the Halifax Partnership and the Arthritis Society. He currently sits on the Boards of the Canada Research Insights Council, the Halifax Hurricanes, the New Scotland Clothing (and Brewing) Company, 100 Seeds and Atlantic Institute of Market Studies.

He has been and continues to be an advocate for change across Atlantic Canada especially regarding population growth and immigration.

Jim Mills is President and CEO of Office Interiors and Chair of Board of Cabco Communications. Office Interiors is an award-winning company providing office furniture and office technology to customers in Atlantic Canada. Launched in 1991, Office Interiors is the largest workplace service provider in the Maritimes.

Cabco Communications is an integrated technology communications provider focussed on structured cabling, premise security, telephony, Wi-Fi and networking solutions.

A very active member of the community, Jim is currently President of the Board of Directors of Ashburn Golf Club, Chair of the Board of the Halifax Hurricanes professional basketball team, Chair of the recent Feed NS Capital Campaign, a member of the Capital Campaign for Halifax Hospice, and on the Executive Board of Atlantic Canada Chapter of YPO Gold. 

In 2006, he was named to the Hall of Fame for Atlantic Business Magazine’s Top 50 CEOs.

Jim holds a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) from Acadia University (1982) and a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from Dalhousie University (1990).

Born in Sherbrooke, Quebec, he grew up in Truro, Nova Scotia. Jim is the proud father of four children; Matthew, Alexander, Amanda and Mallory. He is married to artist Leilany Garron-Mills.