Reid Millard creates
a lasting legacy by helping businesses grow.

Some might say that Reid Millard’s career path was clear from an early age. After all, he started mowing the grass at the funeral home across the street from his grandparents’ busy flower shop in Brilliant, Ohio, when he was 12 years old. Sometimes, he would even deliver flowers from his grandparents’ shop for funerals.

“I became increasingly interested as time went on,” Reid says. “I also helped wash cars at the funeral home when I was 14. I worked at a funeral home when going to college at Wheeling Jesuit University in West Virginia, and I worked at another funeral home in Texas while attending Commonwealth Institute of Funeral Service in Houston, Texas.”

In 1990, Reid officially went out on his own and purchased Houser-Millard Funeral Home in Jefferson City. The funeral business was later expanded, acquiring  other funeral homes under the name Millard Family Chapels, and now has numerous funeral homes and several cemeteries across Missouri. Over the last two decades, Reid decided he wanted to diversify his businesses. Today, Millard Family Companies includes Millard Family Chapels, Busch’s Florist and Greenhouse, Bee Seen Signs, Jefferson City Magazine, and Dogwood Social as well as Acola Coffee Company in Columbia, Missouri, and Moberly Motorsports Park in Moberly, Missouri.  

“Millard Family Chapels and companies have expanded quite a bit over the years,” Reid comments. 

And Reid has been able to do all of this with his family by his side.

“Being a family-owned business means treating people
that I work with like family.”

Reid Millard

Family Focused 

Reid works with several family members on a daily basis. His nephew Mark oversees pre-arrangements for Millard Family Chapels while his sister Shelly works in the office. Millard’s niece Tracy is a licensed funeral director, and she and Reid’s sister Diantha help out with the businesses when needed. 

As he’s continued to diversify his portfolio, Reid says he’s learned that supporting his employees is one key piece to his success. 

“Being a family-owned business means treating people that I work with like family,” Reid says. “We are more sensitive and understanding about things like family emergencies and unscheduled time off when someone needs it. We also provide benefits and job-specific training to find employees that will want to find a career with Millard Family Companies.” 

Fueled by Passion  

While supporting people through grief is a heavy task, Reid says he finds motivation in the ability to provide comfort to families during difficult times and in honoring their loved ones. 

“The passion to help others is what fulfills me most,” Reid says. 

Reid can also be seen around town supporting, and often sponsoring, various church, civic, and community events.

The Secret to Success 

While hard work and dedication have been integral to his success, Reid believes that communication is the most important piece of providing top-notch customer service. 

“Good communication between staff and the families we serve eliminates confusion and anxiety and brings about a better overall experience,” he says. “We couple that with quality service and products, and it makes a great recipe for a successful business.” 

Reid also reveres the important work lessons he learned early on by observing his grandparents as they ran their flower shop. 

“One thing I learned from my grandparents’ flower shop is that the biggest competitor is not who is down the street, but who is in the mirror,” Reid says. “If you lack passion for what you do, that is reflected in the results of products and services provided.” 

“Along the way, if I can make things better for the communities and
families we serve, that is what it is all about.”

Reid Millard

A Need for Speed 

Just as his childhood experiences influenced his career path into the funeral industry, they also influenced his love of racing.  

“I grew up in the Ohio Valley flanked by steel mills, coal mines, coal-generated power plants, and dirt tracks,” Reid says. “On the weekends growing up, I would visit the local tracks in Ohio, where I could unwind. I have always enjoyed that racing is a tight-knit community and like a family. I had the chance to create my own racing team and purchased the Moberly Motorsports Track.” 

As a seasoned business owner, Reid understands the importance of diversification for long-term success. All the businesses in the Millard Family Companies portfolio support each other and are led by one executive management team. That team is continuously evaluating new opportunities for expansion and growth.

“Strategically, we are looking at businesses and opportunities,” Reid says. “We look primarily at family businesses looking to transition out and see how this can mesh into our companies. Most of the time, we have family-owned businesses that reach out and want to carry on their family-owned values and traditions. We are honored to continue those traditions.” 

Leaving a Legacy 

As he continues to grow Millard Family Companies, Reid hopes to make a lasting impact by leaving his community better than he found it and feels fortunate that he is able to serve and interact with the community through each of his business ventures. 

“We all get a short period of time on this earth,” Reid says. “Along the way, if I can make things better for the communities and families we serve, that is what it is all about. I want to teach my team that we must be passionate about those we serve, and our actions reflect that. The one thing a person will never forget is how we make their families feel.”