Not everyone was able to meet Don Collins, but those that did, were left with an unforgettable memory. Anyone who was fortunate to meet Don Collins can tell you an interesting story about him.
This is just a small portion of his story. The man, the myth, the legend.
"There are more than a few things I'd like to say. First it is really nice to be in the world with all of you, especially in this way. My interest vary from art to music to theoretical physics and I have a great curiosity about you.And second, after all these years of success, I have to share with you the simple fact that the only thing I really remember is the almost unbearably hard work it took to rebuild this company.What you find out here may not be all that novel but every word will be unique in that these words originate from a well of sincerity that belongs to us all." - Don Collins
DON COLINS
Biographical Data
Mr. Collins was born in Manhattan, New York. Manhattan Public School Number 135 on 5th Avenue was the assigned area school. He went to Kindergarten there but had moved to the suburbs of New York by the time first grade began, later attending St. Gerard Magellan Catholic Church and School and graduating to Bishop Edmund J. Reilly Diocesan High School of Queens, New York. After graduating high school he earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree at Lincoln University, a small religious school in Pennsylvania. Later academic work yielded an M.A. from Johns Hopkins University at Baltimore, Maryland in 1971. Respect for general order in society led Mr. Collins to study at Atlanta Law School at Atlanta, Georgia.
It should be noted that Mr. Collins is an avid sportsman and won good standing with the track, swimming, football and gymnastics teams in high school and college. Today Mr. Collins enjoys daily activities in swimming, tennis and golf. He also enjoys theoretical physics and has made significant contributions to the field.
Mr. Collins began his career by teaching Medical Terminology and Algebra at Washington Technical Institute, Washington, DC. during May of 1971 at the age of 20. Over the next few years Mr. Collins taught several other college level subjects in different areas of the country: Saint Augustine’s College, NC.; Clark College; Spelman College; Morehouse College; Morris Brown College, all of Atlanta, Georgia, then the City University of New York, NY. and New York City Community College.
Mr. Collins is President of the Board of Directors of Puerto Rico Tobacco Corporation. He exercises oversight of an international tobacco corporation. His current goal is to firmly establish the historical value of the corporation.
From 1986 until 2001 Mr. Collins worked as Financial Analyst and Advisor in the Capital Market Sectors for the Government Development Bank for Puerto Rico. He was involved in the development, design and ratings of bond issues, government obligations and investment portfolios.
He was Financial Advisor to the Executive Vice President of the Bank. Mr. Collins worked with various government teams to enact bond and tax credit legislation effecting federal and commonwealth housing programs, Caribbean basin securities programs, pension and retirement funds, investment regulations for tax exemptions, industrial revenue bonds and military installations. During his career Mr. Collins participated in over 80 billion dollars of successfully financed transactions.
Prior to that time Mr. Collins worked with several of the most prominent law firms in New York City. He was an investment advisor at Shereff, Friedman, Hoffman and Goodman, NY, New York. He developed and maintained private trust funds with asset management responsibilities. Mr. Collins played an important role in the development of Senate SEC and NASD legislation for security registration matters.
A few years earlier Mr. Collins had worked with Finley, Kumble, Wagner, Heine, Underberg, Manley & Casey, NY, New York. Mr. Collins did extensive work with Development Bank of Israel and he managed the overseas gas and oil interest for the Government of Israel. He handled the M&A closing administration for Metro Media Five (Channel 5), the Rockefeller Trust, Gloria Vanderbilt, the New York Corporation, the Development Corporation for Israel, Armond Hammer International, and certain matters for Federated Department Stores.
Even earlier, Mr. Collins worked with Debevoise & Plimpton, NY New York. He was responsible for the transfer of client matters from the law firm of Gaston & Snow, Weil Gothshal & Manges to specific placement in the law firm of Mudge Rose. The business transferred included bankruptcy, REIT documentation, commercial real estate closings; gas and oil clearances for foreign countries.
Mr. Collins was President of The Select Publishing Corporation, Atlanta, Georgia, where he produced a number of academic text books: From Ancient Africa To Ancient Greece: An Introduction to the History of Philosophy by Dr. Henry Olela. Editor and Publisher. Select Publishing Corporation Academic Textbook 1981; Black Arts & Black Aesthetics, Dr. Carolyn Fowler, First World Publishing, Academic Textbook 1981; My Cup Runneth Over by Margaret Bowers, Select Publishing Corporation Poetry 1979; Survival, by Haroum Black, Select Publishing Corporation, Non-fiction 1979; Great Plays of the World, by Dr. Muchuka Arturo Padin, Select Publishing Corporation. Literature 1978; The Kingdom of God, by Hudson John Meyers, Esq. Select Publishing Corporation. Religion & Philosophy 1976; The Catalyst, for Morehouse College, Select Publishing Corporation, Atlanta, Ga. Poetry, essays, poetry fiction and non-fiction. 1975.
Finally Mr. Collins belongs to and remains as active as possible in the following associations: American Association of Retired Persons; Atlanta Law School Alumni Association; CoCo Beach Golf Club, Puerto Rico; Bishop Reilly Alumni Association; Capital Apprecitation Trust; Cigar Association of America; Encantada Homeowners Association; Friends of Tobacco; Johns Hopkins Univsersity Alumni Association; Knights of Columbus, Corpus Christi Church, Altanta, Ga.; La Piedad Catholic Confraternity, Isla Verde, Puerto Rico; Lincoln University Alumni Association; Masters National Swimming League; National Geographic Society; Navy Flying Club, Roosevelt Roads Naval Station; Navy League of the United States, Eastern Puerto Rico Council; Puerto Rico Center for Higher Arts; Puerto Rico Golf Association; Puerto Rico Manufacturers Association; Puerto Rico Museum of Art, contributing member; Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra, contributing member; Puerto Rico Tobacco Corporation, board chairperson; Residents Association of Rio Cristal; Rio Cristal Residents Association Rotary Club International; United States Golf Association; and the young Men’s Christian Association.
“I believe that it is my obligation to make all the money I can, Honestly and fairly…I know that it is my responsibility to save and keep all the money I can, For the sake of myself and my family…I feel a duty to give away all the money I can, Sensibly, for the sake of my friends, my country and my world.”
Don Collins