STAFF
Millicent Harwell was born in suburban Chicago and graduated from Loyola University of Chicago with a degree in broadcast communications.
She spent many years in the television industry before relocating to Brunswick, GA. Her on-air TV career focused on marketing community events and forming nonprofit agencies. She spent 4 years hosting a TV interview program for a TBN affiliate as the station’s Public Affairs Director.
In Brunswick, Millicent served as an advocate for homeless youth on a local level, implementing Project Safe Place. She was then elected to serve on the National Advisory Committee for Project Safe Place, where she served for five years helping to advance their marketing efforts.
Millicent then progressed in her career to become the Marketing Director for Colonial Mall in Brunswick, Georgia. While in that position she studied Real Estate, continued on the National Advisory Board for Safe Place, and also served as a Board Member for the Amity House for abused women.
After personal study and pursuit for financial solutions Millicent soon became an advocate for the financially troubled and those in need of affordable housing and began Totally Free, Inc. in 2001. Shortly after, she was introduced to the Georgia Department of Community Affairs and began implementing Home Buyer workshops and Individual Housing Counseling for Georgia. As networking and partnerships have developed, more need has surfaced. Now Totally Free, Inc. reaches several states with Home Buyer education and Individual Housing Counseling. The education has further increased via Financial Education in the form of F.D.I.C. Money Smart.
In addition to affordable housing education, Totally Free, Inc. has also been one of a few agencies selected by Neighbor Works of America to introduce Foreclosure Prevention to its region in partnership with the Homeownership Preservation Foundation.
Millicent received the Outstanding Homeownership Achievement Award in Housing Counseling in 2005 from the State of Georgia Department of Community Affairs, due to her efforts through Totally Free, Inc. In 2006 Totally Free gained its endorsement from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development as a HUD-approved agency.
Through Totally Free, Inc. Millicent also offers financial counseling and motivational seminars. She has spoken in a number of churches. Millicent’s goal is to bring more recognition to affordable housing.
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Gary Cross is President and Founder of Cross Country Ventures, a business development company that provides business plans and funding sources for new and small business operators.
A graduate of Clark Atlanta University School of Business, Gary has a passion for small business development and helping those business owners learn the resources that are available for them.
Gary was voted the 2011 Small Business Champion by the Small Business Association (SBA). Gary is also the author of his latest book “Big Dreams Come In Small Rooms” available now thru Legacy Publishing.