Michelle Miller, President, Central Texas Region, Verizon Wireless
Michelle R. Miller is president of the Central Texas Region for Verizon Wireless, the largest wireless company in the United States. She is responsible for directing sales, marketing, operations and financial performance within the region. Verizon Wireless, a premier technology company, also operates the nation’s largest 4G LTE network. Learn more about the priorities for Verizon Wireless, why North Texas is good for her company’s business and the best advice she’s ever received.
North Texas Commission: How is being located in North Texas good for your company? Michelle Miller: Texas is an incredibly business-friendly state. North Texas, especially when you look at the DFW Metroplex, has countless growth opportunities for businesses and individuals along with a can-do business community. It’s innovative and vibrant, numerous companies either are headquartered here or have a regional office based here, and with all the amenities the market has to offer, we know many more will relocate here. That said, we believe that our continued investment in our 4G LTE wireless network will allow us to deliver a wide range of wireless technology solutions to both the business and residents of this great region, and I take pride in being able to offer Verizon’s superior products and services to help businesses achieve their goals.
NTC: What are the three biggest priorities for your company in the future? MM: The biggest priorities for our company in the future include:
Continued delivery of the reliable experience that our customers depend on
Delivering innovate solutions that meet the needs of business both large and small
Continue to share our success with the communities we serve
NTC: What is the best advice you’ve ever received? MM: Be appreciative of opportunities available to you and never take no for an answer.
Success doesn’t always come by easily and life throws us curve balls. I think it’s important to always see the positives and be grateful for all the opportunities that you’re given. It’s also important – especially for young people and women in business – to be persistent with their career pursuits. If there’s something in your way, figure out how to get around it, through it, over it, under it. Work hard to achieve your goals in spite of the hurdles.
NTC: What do you see as the biggest opportunity for our region? MM: Texas as a whole is healthy. The state generated nearly 1.2 million of the nation’s nearly 4.9 million new jobs since the recession ended in 2009. Texas’s $1.5 trillion economy is expected to expand 4.1 percent annually over the next five years – #2 in the U.S. Also, we don’t have state income tax.
Beyond the economic data, you can see that DFW is centrally located, has major airports with international capabilities, and is home to many global brands. The early days of the Telecom Corridor helped place the Dallas tech landscape on the global map. Now, several leading brands within the mobile ecosystem are based in Dallas and around the corridor area.
In short, the tech roots are deep here. The incentives and opportunities that this region can offer are very exciting. I think we are becoming a global hub for technology.
NTC: What do you think our region should focus on for continued success? MM: Texas has built a dynamic and diverse economy, with deep technology roots. North Texas is the home to numerous high-quality educational institutions. To sustain the success in the region, we need to provide more opportunities for our young graduates and keep the talent here, especially the bright minds in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) fields.
At Verizon, we have a number of national initiatives that work to spark and encourage students’ interest in STEM. In its third year, Verizon Innovative App Challenge for middle to high school students is an example that challenges youth to come up with an app concept that could solve a problem. Earlier this year, I had the privilege of announcing a team of students from Rice Middle School in Plano as a Best in Nation winner of the Verizon Innovative App Challenge and presented the school with a $20,000 grant to help advance STEM education. We’ve also provided a grant to the University of North Texas to assist in expanding their Code Camp program, and I recently had the honor of serving as a judge at HackDFW, Dallas’ first major student hackathon. I was extremely impressed with the students’ talent and hard work. I know our region has a very bright future.
Just for Fun
NTC: What books are on your nightstand (or e-reader)? MM: One book I often revisit is “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” by Stephen Covey. It’s a classic on leadership, loved by CEOs, educators and even parents. The message has resonated with readers for 25 years – that true success encompasses a balance of personal and professional effectiveness.
I’m currently in the middle of “Multipliers” by Liz Wiseman which includes a forward by Stephen Covey. It will be the focus of an upcoming Women’s Conference that I’m hosting for Verizon Wireless women across our South Area and provides a message of why some leaders can drain capability and intelligence from a team, while the best leaders amplify it drive better results.
What’s your favorite stay-cation spot in North Texas? We love the Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center in Grapevine. During the holiday season, we have fun at the ice show; in summer, the kids love the waterpark. When it’s a kids-free weekend night, my husband and I also enjoy wine tastings at one of Grapevine’s many wineries, such as the Cross Timbers or the Homestead.
About Michelle Miller
Michelle Miller has 17 years of wireless experience with Verizon Wireless and its legacy companies. Prior to her current role as region president, Miller served as vice president of custom integrated solutions, where she was responsible for wholesale services and operations across the entire company. She also served as director of retail sales for Verizon’s Georgia/Alabama region where she led more than 1,500 employees and oversaw sales in over 90 company-owned locations across the states of Georgia and Alabama.
Miller serves on the boards of the North Texas Commission, the Dallas Regional Chamber of Commerce and Texas Council on Family Violence. She is also on the advisory board of the Women’s Association of Verizon Employees (WAVE). Miller was recognized as a 2014 Dallas Business Journal 40 Under 40 business professional and as a trailblazing woman in the MAKERS.com community.
Miller earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology from the University of Colorado and is a graduate of the University’s Minority Arts and Sciences Program.
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