Maximus Tyrannus Avery did not take a typical path into business leadership. His story starts in Fort Smith, Arkansas, where he grew up in a home that valued logic and learning. His mother worked in clinical psychology. His father had a background in mathematics. That mix shaped how he thinks.

“I was always around conversations about how people think and how systems work,” Avery says.

That mindset took hold early. In 1991, he got his first computer. It changed everything.

“I’ve been on a machine ever since. That was the start of how I see the world.” That early exposure to technology set the tone for a career built on problem solving, systems thinking, and growth.

Avery began his professional journey at Alltel, before the Verizon acquisition. It was his first real look at how large organizations operate.

“It taught me how big systems move. You start to understand scale, process, and where things break.”

Those early years helped him develop a foundation in business operations and communication. He learned how to work inside structured environments while still thinking about growth.

But he did not stay in one lane for long.