Steven Mills, President & CEO

What one factor is most important to success?

Perseverance.

What do you look for in an employee?

Honesty, competence, and customer service skills are the most important factors in my line of work.

What’s the best way to save money?

If you’re trying to save for the long term, a payroll deduction plan is a great way to do it.

What’s the best way to spend money?

Value your assets.

What’s your greatest pleasure?

My children. Their ages are 34, 24, and 22. I also have an eight-month-old granddaughter and just playing with her and watching her grow, reacting to stimuli, is fun.

What’s the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning?

Look at the clock and think to myself, “What am I doing up this early?”

How do you deal with stress?

I do a two-mile walk every evening. If I don’t take a brisk aerobic walk, I don’t feel the same. Through every season and every type of weather, I’m out there walking.

What one lesson do you hope to pass on to your children?

Do what you love and find a way to make money doing it.

How do you bounce back from adversity?

Try to find another door to get same thing done.

What’s your favorite thing about Queens?

The diversity of the borough is clearly tremendous. You can go down a few streets and you can feel like you’re in different countries. But the great thing about Queens is that everyone is proud,everyone’s working.

Steven Mills is the President and CEO of New York Hospital Queens, a major medical network in the borough. The center has grown into a 457-bed, non-profit, teaching medical and trauma center, providing the highest quality health care to a county population of 2 million. Mills has focused his work there on community health programs and outreach. He has created programs and lectures for schools, senior citizens and community organizations.