Employee Spotlight – Marcel Harris

“Always being able to think on the fly and problem solve is a necessity in this role”

Our Employee Spotlight this month features Marcel Harris: AV Technician. Starting at Mills James at the ripe old age of 17, Marcel has proven his professionalism and dedication to the craft in just two years. Marcel is known here for his catch phrase, “we will make it work”, and you see this attitude shine through in every event he is a part of. Check out the full interview with Marcel, below!

How long have you been at Mills James?

I have been at Mills James for almost two years.

Where were you before Mills James?

Before I joined Mills James, I was in high school at the Fort Hayes Career Center for Audio Production.

What led you into a career in this industry?

I’ve always had a love for music and poetry. I grew up playing the drums, saxophone, and writing songs and poems. Once I got to high school, I started working in DAWs (Digital Audio Workstation) and trying to learn how to make music. Junior and Senior year came, and I started taking classes at Fort Hayes and getting taught not only production, but engineering and sound design as well. I fell in love with it all; wanting to learn everything I can about audio. I graduated in 2022 and was awarded “Most Outstanding Student”. Mike Tyson (Business Development Manager here at MJ) and my instructor, Ryan Van Bibber, got in contact which led to me interviewing and joining Mills James at 17 years old.

What is a project that you’ve worked on that sticks out to you compared to the others?

It’s hard to pick one project that sticks out more than the rest because every event I try to take something out of it. If I had to pick one, it would be early on when I worked on a sponsor appreciation event for the founder of Donatos. I was still 17 at the time and the event went very well. The client came up to thank me and it really boosted my confidence early on.

What is your favorite part of being on the Hospitality team?

My favorite part of being on the Hospitality team is the great crew we have. I love working with these guys. Hard workers that want every event to go well and are adaptable to new situations or problems that come our way. A great group to talk to whether we have a setup, strike, and everything in between.

What challenges have you faced in this role and how did you overcome them?

We face challenges every day in this role. Whether it is equipment acting up or changes being made 2 minutes before the event starts. Always being able to think on the fly and problem solve is a necessity in this role. Always having a “We will make it work” mentality to these challenges is what makes these events possible. In this job, and in life, unforeseen challenges are going to happen. What changes the outcome of these events is if you are willing to keep on working to figure out the solution or submitting to the problem.

What do you like to do outside of work?

I love playing sports – basketball and bowling mostly. My family is very important to me and love spending time and playing board games with them. I love picking up new hobbies and doing and seeing all that life has to offer.

Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?

I see myself somewhere hot on a beach mostly. All jokes aside, I am see myself working on sound for TV, movies, and hopefully music. Always learning and trying new things.