AMTC History

Young WW II widow, Millie Lewis, came to New York to visit friends, and discovered a modeling career that would last a lifetime.

Two legendary beauties became friends in their middle years: Wilhelmina, founder of the Wilhlemina Agency and Millie Lewis.

Carey Lewis Arban, aged 21 in 1976, joined her mother, Millie, as the second generation of what would become a 3-generation family business.

AMTC is a three-generation family business started by 1940’s cover girl, Millie Lewis. She was a war widow, who came to New York to see friends and got “discovered” as a model. Her most glamorous job was as the Dubarry Cosmetics “Who is She?” girl in a famous series of ads. Millie met her second husband, Major Jack Lewis, a WWII Fighter Pilot, during an air show in New York.

When Millie left New York to marry Jack, she could not leave the business she had come to love. So, she began a group of modeling and finishing schools in 1960 – to help young people improve their appearance, poise, and self-confidence. These five schools were located in South Carolina and Georgia. Millie was a pioneer in the S.C. Civil Rights movement in the 1960’s by refusing segregation in fashion, talent and beauty events that she led. She was also a frequent speaker at Allen and Benedict Colleges, historic African American Universities.

The first Millie Lewis Convention was held at the Sheraton Hotel in Charleston, SC, in 1982. The event hosted 150 Participants, 15 New York Agents, and much excitement. Led by her daughter, Carey Lewis Arban, AMTC was created to introduce local talent to the world – in a safe, educational, and family-centered event.

28 years later, Carey and her daughters, Glynis and Lexy, and son-in-law, Adam She, keep Millie’s legacy alive for families everywhere. New talent comes from all over the United States and hotspots throughout the world. While AMTC has grown larger with agents and performers, our mission has also grown.

For our first 24 years, we were satisfied to provide new talent a safe and respected haven to pursue their dreams. However, since AMTC became a publicly Christian company in 2007, our mission has expanded. We’re not here any more just to launch stars, but to launch stars who are role models for God, stars who are lights to others, stars who know their fame is a gift, stars who realize their talent and beauty serves one purpose: to glorify God.

Conclusion… tbd by God

written by Carey Lewis Arban

“But, this much I know… although I was not raised in a strong Christian home, I had a good mother in Millie Lewis. Growing up as a child in Mars Hill, NC, young Millie wanted to be an evangelist. Although she fell into modeling and fell out of faith for much of her life, God still honored the dream of a girl from the 1930’s. Almost 80 years later, I am thankful to be an ambassador for Christ in this unique industry. In speaking about AMTC’s mission and ministry, I discovered that I am, indeed, an unusual evangelist. I smile when I think how my mother’s first dream came true- certainly not how or when she might have imagined, but oh, so much bigger, perhaps. God always listens, and dreams do come true.”