Erie County Government - Official website of the Erie County, NY Government
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Chris Collins, Erie County Executive
Rath Building
16th Floor, Room 1600
Buffalo, New York 14202
(716) 858-8500
Welcome to the Office of the County Executive
The residents of Erie County elected Chris Collins as the seventh Erie County Executive on November 6, 2007. A businessman with 35 years of private sector experience, Collins ran against the political establishment of both parties and won with 64 percent of the vote. Collins ran as a chief executive, highlighting the dangers of electing another chief politician.
As County Executive, Collins is focused on his Three Rs – reforming Erie County government, rebuilding the local economy, and ultimately, reducing taxes. Collins is committed to running Erie County like a business, making it more effective, efficient and responsive to hardworking taxpayers. Collins' campaign centered on bringing Six Sigma to Erie County government using state grant dollars. A proven business method to improve production and eliminate waste, Six Sigma is a bottom up approach designed to empower employees. Soon after being elected, Collins tapped a Six Sigma director and its implementation is the center of his administration.
For the last eight years, Collins has managed and is the sole investor of Cobblestone Enterprises LLC, a merchant bank that is focused on investing in local manufacturing companies. Over the years, Cobblestone Enterprises has invested in management buyouts and purchases of financially distressed companies that have sustainable market niches. Since 1998, Cobblestone has invested in over 20 acquisitions that currently operate as ten separate platform companies. These companies currently have over 600 employees, including 500 in Western New York, with annual sales in excess of $80 million.
The Cobblestone portfolio includes high-end custom cabinetry and door manufacturer Bloch Industries LLC; electrical repair shop and industrial distributor Volland Electric Equipment Corporation; biotechnology companies ZeptoMetrix Corporation and Buckler Biodefense Corporation; drug development company Virionyx Corporation, Ltd.; oxygen generating machinery and animal cage washing manufacturer Audubon Machinery Corporation; sterile water supplier Wurlitzer Water Works LLC; commercial dinnerware manufacturer Niagara Ceramics Corporation; industrial lift and transfer system manufacturer Easom Automation Systems, Inc.; and, micro-wind systems and solar energy equipment integrator Starboard Sun Corporation.
Before creating Cobblestone, Collins founded Niagara Falls based industrial gear manufacturer Nuttall Gear Corporation in 1983, purchasing the assets of the Westinghouse Gear Division. At Nuttall Gear, Collins emphasized a Total Quality Management program which resulted in the company being recognized as one of the Top 100 Private Companies in Western New York from 1987 to 1994 and one of the Future 50 companies in Western New York in 1995.
The County Executive began his professional career with Westinghouse Electric in 1972 spending eleven years with the company in various positions of ever increasing responsibility including Manager of the Westinghouse Gear Division.
Collins has been active in the community, particularly with the Boy Scouts. He was chairman of the 2001 and 2005 National Jamboree Committee for the Greater Niagara Frontier Council Boy Scouts of America, and is serving as chairman for the 2010 Jamboree. The County Executive also served as chairman for the 2007 World Jamboree. He is a past Vice President of Administration for the Greater Niagara Frontier Council and has served on the Executive Board for many years. Collins served as Cub Master for his son's Cub Scout Pack and is currently Assistant Scoutmaster for his son's Scout troop in Clarence. He was named Horizon Citizen of the Year by the Greater Niagara Frontier BSA in 2005.
Since 1999, Collins has volunteered his time as a mentor at the State University of New York at Buffalo (UB) Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, as well as being a mentor in the annual Henry A. Panasci Jr. Technology Entrepreneurship Competition. Collins has been a guest lecturer in the MBA program at UB for many years. He has also lectured at Alfred University and Canisius College related to his small business experience.
Collins received a BS degree in Mechanical Engineering from NC State University in 1972 and an MBA from the University of Alabama in 1975.
The County Executive is married and has three children and two grandchilden. He and his wife, Mary, live in Clarence, New York.
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