Cookie Mills: Man with a Conscience

William "Cookie" Mills

by Stack Kenny

William “Cookie” Mills, founder and inspiration for the Ducker Road Community Involvement Council, credits much of his personal success to his father’s work ethic and a few choice words of wisdom given to him long ago. “He told me, ‘Son, ain’t nobody gonna give you nothing. You gotta get it on your own.’” Since then Cookie has slowly but surely built a positive life for himself and his family, a positivism that also seems to affect all those who come to know him. “I cannot complain about my life,” he says humbly.

Cookie was born and raised in Arden, NC, the ninth of ten children in a poor family that lived on lower Ducker Road. He attended Shiloh Elementary School and Stephens-Lee and TC Robertson High Schools, but lack of money forced him to give up any thoughts of college. He attempted to join the military during the Vietnam War but was refused enlistment because of a problem found by military doctors with his back.

In 1968 he began
working with Magnavox Corp. After three years he joined Progress Energy
as a lineman, first as a trainee, then as a foreman, and eventually as
a supervisor. He worked for Progress Energy for 34 years, retiring
three years ago to set up his own business, ICAN COVE Properties.

“I
bought my first rental property back in 1989,” he says. “Many people
thought I was in over my head and that I wouldn’t be able to pull it
off. But I just told them, ‘Yes, I believe I can.’ Since then I’ve been
able to buy, build and remodel over twenty properties. When I was
looking for a name for my business, I remembered saying to everybody,
‘I can,’ and I turned it into ICAN. I realized later that these are the
last four letters of both African and American. So it works. I don’t
know. Maybe you think I’m crazy. Sometimes my wife does,” he adds with
a grin.

Throughout
the years it has been important for him to continue his self-education.
“I made a deal with myself to read a book every twenty one days,” he
says. “When I first started I hated reading and made myself do it,
mostly inspirational books on how to get ahead, to take control of your
life.”

He still
listens to motivational tapes every morning and has made a habit of
passing these tapes along to kids in the neighborhood he thinks would
benefit from the inspiration. “We have to show the kids the
possibilities,” he says in true dedication to his community. “I guess I
could go up to my property in the mountains and finish out my life in
peace just watching the foxes and wild turkeys. But my heart won’t let
me. Maybe you think I’m crazy,” he says again.

No, Cookie — we don’t.