It is difficult to comprehend that 14 years have passed since we announced that Mills Architectural Lighting had joined forces as the church lighting division of Lighting Nelson & Garrett of Toronto Canada. Our staff of designers, engineers, and craftsmen continue to develop and produce increasingly efficient LED lighting solutions to ensure the high quality church lighting fixtures that you have come to expect from Mills for over 60 years.
It is with mixed emotions that we now announce Harry Mills retirement. What was to be a two-year sales and management agreement back in 2006 has led to a fruitful 14 year collaboration. We thank Harry for his knowledge, leadership, and guiding hand and wish him nothing but the best in a well earned retirement.
As we said in 2006, “lighting is in our blood“ and that “we have come full circle“. Our shared history dates back to the 1940s when John Mills purchased the name and some assets of Samuel Nelson’s Metal Industries of Hamilton Ontario. Both men passed along their craft and love of lighting to their sons. Samuel worked well into his 80’s at his son Herbert’s Colonial Lighting in Port Colborne Ontario and Harry founded Mills Architectural Lighting on the retirement of his father and the closing of Metal Industries. Christopher Nelson, 3rd generation custom fixture maker and John Garrett an industrial designer established Lighting Nelson & Garrett in 1991 and upon the retirement of Herbert purchased the assets of Colonial Lighting.
Decades and thousands of commissions later, we are entrusted with what is likely North America’s largest collection of lighting specific archival drawings, historical casting patterns, and reference material passed down through five generations of the Nelson and Mills families. We look forward to carrying on the Mills family namesake and tradition of personalized and friendly contact.
Please feel free to contact us for any of your church lighting or custom lighting fixture needs.
