Chris Mills (Hitcents)

Chris Mills is the President And Co-Founder of Hitcents, a technology-based creative agency in Bowling Green, Kentucky specializing in web design, application development and mobile games. Mills currently manages the Hitcents offices in the United States and China.

Biography

Early years

Chris, with the help of his twin brother Clinton Mills, started Hitcents in 1999 as high school students in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The business was founded as an online marketing firm but quickly expanded its services in other areas of technology. In 2001, at the age of 19, Chris and his twin brother were awarded Young Entrepreneurs of the Year for the state of Kentucky. With the guidance of Chris, in 2007 Hitcents was ranked 191 among the 500 fastest growing companies in the United States by Inc. Magazine.

Throughout his tenure at Hitcents, Chris has had detailed technological involvement in several industries including Manufacturing (MRP/ERP), Distribution and Supply Chain Management (SCM), Accounting/Financial software, Self-Service technologies including hardware automation, and Health Insurance Actuarial software.

Hitcents, App Development, and Draw a Stickman

Chris has led the creation of numerous apps through Hitcents. One of the projects that Chris is most known for is his work on the global hit Draw a Stickman, which has won 5 Webby awards and has been played over 100 million times since its game was launched in 2011. Draw a Stickman has become a global brand with several different iterations now available and a large, growing fan base.

Hitcents and Expansion Into The Chinese Market

In early 2013, Chris spearheaded the opening of Hitcents’ first international office in Shanghai, China. The office was created to employ local talent and focus on culturalizing mobile games and apps for a quickly growing mobile market. Chris single-handedly orchestrated the processes of creating a Wholly Foreign-Owned Enterprise (WFOE) in China.

Speaking Engagements

Chris has been a guest speaker at numerous industry events, including Microsoft Channel 9, the Global Mobile Game Congress, Casual Connect Asia 2014, and most recently the Pocket Gamer Mobile Mixer at the World Wide Developers Conference in San Francisco, California.

  • Pocket Gamer Mobile Mixer - WWDC - San Francisco, CA

What does iOS 8 mean for game developers? What changes should they be aware of in iTunes and how could the rumored Apple TV come into the mix? June 4th, 2014 at WWDC

  • Casual Connect Asia 2014 - Singapore

Developing Your App for the Chinese Market. May 22nd 2014

  • Global Mobile Game Congress 2014 (GMGC) - Beijing, China

Topping the Charts - How to Make Your Game Stand Out. March 26th, 2014 at GMGC

  • ChinaJoy CGDC 2013 - The 6th China Game Developers Conference - Beijing China

Designing for a Global Market- A Glance into the world of Game Development. July 28th, 2013 at ChinaJoy CGDC

  • Microsoft Channel 9 - WebCast

"My App in 60 Seconds" with Chris Caldwell. Microsoft Channel 9. March 12, 2013

  • Internet World 2012 - London

Viral Marketing Explained. April 26th 2012 at Internet World 2012 - London

  • ICC Announcement & Press Conference - Bowling Green, KY

Influence from the Central Region Innovation and Commercialization Center. August 24th, 2012

  • ChinaJoy 2014 - The China Game Business Conference - Shanghai, China

"Exploring IP Based Monetization Gains With Mobile Gaming." August 1st, 2014 at ChinaJoy

Hitcents Park Plaza and MR Group

Chris, Clinton, and Ed Mills led a progressive real-estate investment in downtown Bowling Green through their business MR Group, developing a $25 million, 106,000 square foot four story mixed-use wrap.

In 2014, Hitcents Park Plaza opened five new restaurants on the 1st floor of the complex. Tres Molinos, Brick & Basil, Pagoda, Mariah’s, and 6-4-3 offer a variety of nosh.

Hitcents Park Plaza houses the headquarters of Hitcents, which is located on the top floor of the building. 60 of the company's 80 employees are located at the company's headquarters. There are plans to create a 48-unit housing development along Hitcents Park Plaza’s east side.

Personal life

Presently, Chris and his family live in Shanghai, as he focuses on growing the Chinese development by employing local talent. Chris continues to work on business development through strategic partnerships, growing the Hitcents footprint.