2008 Spring Banquet

Distinguished Alumnus Award

Annual Spring Banquet

in the

The George W. Woodruff
School of Mechanical Engineering

Thursday, April 8, 2008
6:00 p.m.
Student Center Ballroom
Georgia Institute of Technology

This event is planned and organized by the Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering Student Advisory Committee (WSSAC) and is sponsored by the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering.

The 2008 Woodruff School Distinguished Alumnus

William R. Collins Jr. (BME 1957)

Bill Collins is CEO of Collins and Arnold Construction, LLC, a company specializing primarily in the building of retail and commercial facilities throughout the South. Its high-profile projects in Atlanta include the Buckhead Station retail and residential complex at the Buckhead Loop.

Born and raised in Atlanta, Collins served a stint in the U.S. Army before going to work for the Pinkerton and Laws Company for 32 years. He was president and chairman when he left in 1992 to start his own construction company. He currently spends most of his time working on his own investments and real estate transactions, including storage facilities in Georgia and Florida.

Collins earned his BS in mechanical engineering in 1957 and an MS in management in 1963, both from Georgia Tech. Because some of his earliest memories revolve around going to Yellow Jackets football games with his father, Collins says he never considered going to school anywhere else. He has remained an enthusiastic supporter of the Institute over the years, currently serving on the Georgia Tech Foundation's board of trustees, the Hill Society, the Georgia Tech Campaign Steering Committee, and the Board of Directors for the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award. In addition, he is a member of the College of Engineering's Academy of Distinguished Engineering Alumni and the College of Management Hall of Fame, and was co-chairman of his 50th anniversary class reunion. He has served on the C&S Bank Advisory Board and the Governor's Board of Community Affairs.

Collins, who resides in Alpharetta with his wife, Jackie, has three children (Karen, Mike, and Matt) and seven grandchildren. Two of his children and his son-in-law are Georgia Tech graduates. His granddaughter Claire is a sophomore at the Institute and grandson Ryan will enter Georgia Tech in fall 2008.

About the Award

The Woodruff School Distinguished Alumnus Award was inaugurated in 1989 to recognize an outstanding alumnus of the Woodruff School. The names of the winners are on permanent display in the lobby of the MRDC Building at Georgia Tech.