Monkton Artists and Scholars

Mike Mills is a lifelong maker, sailor, and entrepreneur who believes the best ideas usually begin with rolled-up sleeves. He built his first boat with his father at age eight, then went on to earn All-American sailing honors and win a 505 World Championship.

Today, Mike is founder and CEO of TotalBoat, the Bristol, Rhode Island company behind high-performance coatings, adhesives, and finishes used by boatbuilders, woodworkers, artists, and inventive people who occasionally ignore the instructions. Before launching TotalBoat in 2011, he learned the marine business from nearly every angle at Jamestown Distributors—from warehouse work to the call center—where thousands of conversations taught him that makers need encouragement and honest help as much as good materials.

Mike remains TotalBoat’s “customer zero,” testing products on real projects and championing a culture where the team learns by doing. He has helped bring makers together through hands-on workshops and boatbuilding challenges that turn plywood, epoxy, curiosity, and friendly competition into floating objects.

As a board member for Monkton Artists & Scholars, Mike brings practical optimism, entrepreneurial experience, and a deep belief in creative communities. When he is not working, he is usually boating, skiing with his family, kiteboarding, or dreaming up the next thing worth making.

Arthur Chew has been actively working as an engineer managing teams since 1999. Upon graduation from Princeton University with a degree in Civil Engineering in 1995, Arthur worked in the field of education. He then began work in the management of the building operations for the Wells Fargo Center, the Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall, and the Spectrum overseeing a multi-million dollar budget and operations for all events including direct management of union and non-union employees. With in-depth management experience gained he moved onto his true passion of engineering, working with several recognized private engineering firms.

Arthur is a licensed professional engineer and professional planner in the state of New Jersey. He served as the City Engineer in Ocean City, NJ for ten years. Arthur is a certified municipal engineer as well as a certified public works manager which has enabled him to assist numerous municipalities. In addition, Arthur is a certified floodplain manager which enables him to help save property owners millions of dollars annually in flood insurance premiums through his work with the FEMA CRS program. Currently, Arthur is providing engineering services to Brigantine, Ventnor, Ocean City, and Margate in association with their capital programs.

Arthur lives in Linwood, NJ with his wife and three children. He enjoys sailing Hobie 16 off the beach in Ocean City, New Jersey.

Mitch Mitchell has spent his career working in education, nonprofits, and technology, with much of that time focused on fundraising and building strong communities. He has worked with independent schools for more than 25 years, both as an advancement leader and earlier in his career running a technology company that served schools across the country. He has also served as a nonprofit board chair and treasurer. Mitch is excited to bring that experience to Monkton Artists & Scholars and to be part of an organization that celebrates creativity, learning, history, and community.