Mara McMillen Bio

How McMillen began:

Mara McMillen, the president of McMillen, LLC, and her partner Mort McMillen, Chief Engineer, bring more than 37 years of experience in the consulting industry.   Mara and Mort McMillen were previously employed with large national engineering firms.  By working at large national companies they gained the knowledge of complex projects, financial operations, and business development.  This experience provided a foundation for which Mara and Mort were able to determine the philosophy and vision for their own company.

McMillen, LLC, was founded in June 2004, with three employees, operating out of a 400 square foot office space located in Downtown Boise.  Through strategic hiring, focused marketing, and persistence, Mara and Mort McMillen expanded the company from three employees and two clients to over 75 employees and hundreds of clients throughout the West, within the first five years.  The business market sector also expanded from the original focus in fisheries engineering to include water and wastewater, transportation, agricultural, development, hydropower, construction, construction management, design/build, and natural resources.

Mara and Mort continue to seek opportunities to broaden the company’s abilities with the aim of creating more jobs in Idaho and throughout the United States.  They have been instrumental in not only developing the business but creating an environment that supports, rewards, and encourages their employees to be successful.

Owner’s Biographies

Mara McMillen, Owner, a graduate from Texas A&M University who brings more than 15 years of consulting and management experience.  She was the Vice President for a national consulting company before starting McMillen, LLC, in 2004.  Mara has experience as a department manager, project manager, business development, operations and overall financial growth.  Her previous work history included managing regional offices for a national firm. In her role as department manager, Mara led business development activities with direct client contact, strategy development, proposal preparation, and long term strategic planning. Mara has been the driving force in leading the marketing efforts for each service category McMillen provides.  Through sound financial management, she has been able to execute the company expansion through cash flow incurring with very little debt load.  Mara McMillen was recently awarded the 2009 Small Business Person of the Year for the State of Idaho, sponsored by the US Small Business Administration.

Mara is continually looking for opportunities to work with our community.  She has made contributes to local schools, sponsor high school and college interns, and provides monetary assistance to the Boise Art Fair.  Mara is an active member in the following organizations:  Boise Chamber of Commerce, the Society of American Military Engineers, the American Council of Engineering Company, and the America Society of Civil Engineers.