As an accountancy student at the University of Missouri’s Robert J. Trulaske, Sr. College of Business, John P. Miller distinguished himself as a leader, both within his college as a graduate teaching assistant, and on campus as president of his fraternity, Beta Theta Pi.

Thanks to the School of Accountancy’s 150-hour program, he earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accountancy in 2015 — a feat that put him a step ahead when he landed at EY in the San Francisco Bay Area.

“Most of the people that I was working with only had four years of accountancy education instead of the five that the Trulaske program puts you through, so none of them had met the requirements to sit for the CPA exams,” J. Miller said. “I had already taken the CPA exams before I'd even started, so I was way ahead of the curve.”

It only took a matter of months for J. Miller to realize Big Four accounting wasn’t the place for him. He soon transitioned to investment banking at a boutique investment bank, then later found a spot in FP&A. Throughout the early career transitions, one thing remained the same: He wanted to help preserve the Miller family legacy — a legacy that had been built upon helping other families preserve their legacies through photography.

In 2022, J. Miller returned to serve as vice president of Miller’s Professional Imaging, a company established by his grandfather, Bill Miller, in downtown Pittsburg, Kansas, in 1939. Since that first portraiture studio, Miller’s Professional Imaging has grown to include a nearly 170,000-square-foot facility in Pittsburg, and an additional 73,000-square-foot facility in Columbia, Missouri.

Miller’s Professional Imaging is now the largest professional portrait and wedding photographic processing laboratory in the world, employing more than 550 people during its peak season. 

Leading a Multi-Generational Family Business

As VP and third-generation owner, J. Miller helps oversee day-to-day operations of both Miller’s and its subsidiary brand, Mpix. J. Miller leads business units within the company and represents Miller’s Professional Imaging with suppliers, partners, and select customers.

The job also entails helping manage financial operations, human resources, and even aspects of production.

“We have a substantial amount of equipment on the production floor,” J. Miller said. “There's a lot of thought that goes into deciding the kinds of equipment that we need for production, like purpose, useful life, and how long it will take to recoup the cost.”

J. Miller finds himself relying on the skills and expertise he acquired at Trulaske to navigate his work.

“I'm heavily involved with cash flow forecasting. I would not be able to do that without the foundational knowledge I gained from Trulaske’s accounting and finance courses,” J. Miller said. “I wouldn’t have a clue where to begin.”

Helping to lead a multi-generational family business isn’t without its challenges.

“There's a great deal of pressure to carry on the legacy. One thing that my wife, who is also from a multi-generational family business, likes to mention is that the further out you get from the first generation, the more likely things are to fail,” J. Miller said. “And I like to tell her, ‘Well, then that data is dated.’”

J. Miller always keeps an eye on preserving what has made Miller’s Professional Imaging a trusted leader in its industry, while also adapting to innovations in manufacturing, changes in technology, and the realities of today’s economy.

“We're in the process of updating our pricing due to margin pressure. Our costs are going up,” he said. “We’ve actually kept steady prices and absorbed most raw material cost increases over the past five or so years, but we’re reaching a tipping point.”

When it comes to navigating those changes, J. Miller is grateful for the in-house expertise that comes with being part of a multi-generational family business, crediting his father, Richard Miller, CEO and president, for sharing a sense of perspective and grounding that can only be gained from years of first-hand experience.

“There's a lot of wisdom to be gained from him because he's seen the photographic industry evolve from the days of film into its current digital state and experienced many economic cycles during that time,” J. Miller said.

Insights for the Next Generation

Just as J. Miller has found wisdom in his father’s experiences in the industry, he’s excited to return to Trulaske to share his own perspectives with the next generation of business leaders.

J. Miller will serve as the keynote speaker at the Tom and Betty Scott CEO Forum April 21. The forum, which was made possible by the generous support of Mizzou alumni Tom and Betty Scott, provides students and faculty the exclusive opportunity to learn first-hand from leading industry experts.

“We’re fortunate to have John share his story with our students, faculty, staff and community,” said Balaji Rajagopalan, Robert J. Trulaske, Sr. Dean of the Trulaske College of Business. “John’s path from Trulaske to vice president of a thriving, renowned company is inspiring. He truly represents our college’s commitment to creating changemakers.”

J. Miller looks forward to sharing insights from his own career path and the unique experiences that come from leading a multi-generational family business.

“Now is the time to lock in and figure out what you want to do,” he said. “Because once you graduate college, you're going to be busy with whatever it is that you’re doing. Make sure it’s something you like.”

Mizzou’s Robert J. Trulaske, Sr. College of Business prepares students for success as global citizens, business leaders, scholars, innovators and entrepreneurs by providing access to transformative technologies, offering experience-centered learning opportunities and fostering an entrepreneurial mindset.