Jack Collins (politician)
Encyclopedia
John "Jack" Collins has been an American
college basketball
coach, educator, lawyer, and a Republican Party
politician
from New Jersey
. He was Speaker of the New Jersey General Assembly
from 1996 until 2002, making him the longest serving speaker in Assembly history.
and moved to Gloucester City, New Jersey
at a young age. He attended Gloucester Catholic High School
, where he excelled at basketball. He went on to Glassboro State College (now Rowan University
), receiving a B.A.
degree in science education in 1964 and a master’s degree in student personnel services in 1967. As a star on the Glassboro Profs basketball team, Collins scored 1,038 points in his career, earning him a place in the South Jersey Basketball Hall of Fame.
After graduation he taught science and coached basketball at Sterling High School. The following year he was invited to become basketball coach at the newly established Camden County College
. A year later he became head coach at Glassboro State, and at 26 was one of the youngest head basketball coaches in the country. As coach he racked up 131 victories and three consecutive conference titles. At Glassboro State he also served in the Admissions Office and worked as executive assistant to college president Herman James.
After retiring from his coaching career, Collins studied law at Rutgers School of Law - Camden
, receiving his Juris Doctor
degree in 1982. After a term on his local school board, the chairman of the Salem County
Republican party asked him to run for the New Jersey General Assembly
. Riding the coattails of Governor of New Jersey
Thomas Kean
in 1985, Collins and his running mate Gary Stuhltrager
knocked off Democratic incumbents Martin Herman
and Thomas Pankok, helping give the Republicans control of the General Assembly for the first time in more than a decade. He took office in 1986, representing the 3rd Legislative District.
When Republicans lost control of the Assembly in 1989, Collins was chosen by minority leader Chuck Haytaian
to be his deputy. He became majority leader two years later when Republicans regained control of the Assembly and Haytaian was elected Speaker. In 1996, after Haytaian decided not to run for reelection following his unsuccessful 1994 campaign against Senator Frank Lautenberg
, Collins succeeded Haytaian as speaker.
For six years he served as Assembly speaker with Donald DiFrancesco
serving as New Jersey Senate
President. Collins explored a campaign for Governor of New Jersey
in the 2001 Republican primary against DiFrancesco (then Acting Governor) but ultimately decided against running. DiFrancesco would be forced to withdraw from the primary after questions about his business dealings.
Collins retired from the General Assembly in January 2002 after serving sixteen years. He joined the Princeton Public Affairs Group, a prominent lobbying firm, as senior counsel.
Collins and his wife Betsy have resided on a 3 acres (12,140.6 m²) farm in Pittsgrove Township
since 1974. He has four children, Joellen, Dawn, Rebecca and Sean and eight grandchildren, Jose "Jody", Daniel (big man), Collin, Thomas, Jackson, Quinn, Caileigh, Jacob and Taylor.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
college basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
coach, educator, lawyer, and a Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
from New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. He was Speaker of the New Jersey General Assembly
New Jersey General Assembly
The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature.Since the election of 1967 , the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts for a term of two years, each representing districts with average...
from 1996 until 2002, making him the longest serving speaker in Assembly history.
Biography
Collins was born in Atlantic CityAtlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...
and moved to Gloucester City, New Jersey
Gloucester City, New Jersey
Gloucester City is a city in Camden County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the city population was 11,456.-Geography:Gloucester City is located at ....
at a young age. He attended Gloucester Catholic High School
Gloucester Catholic High School
Gloucester Catholic High School is a co-educational four-year Roman Catholic high school located in Gloucester City, New Jersey, United States. The school operates under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden...
, where he excelled at basketball. He went on to Glassboro State College (now Rowan University
Rowan University
Rowan University is a public university in Glassboro, New Jersey, USA with a satellite campus in Camden, New Jersey. The school was founded in 1923 as Glassboro Normal School on a twenty-five acre tract of land donated by the town...
), receiving a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in science education in 1964 and a master’s degree in student personnel services in 1967. As a star on the Glassboro Profs basketball team, Collins scored 1,038 points in his career, earning him a place in the South Jersey Basketball Hall of Fame.
After graduation he taught science and coached basketball at Sterling High School. The following year he was invited to become basketball coach at the newly established Camden County College
Camden County College
Camden County College is an accredited, co-educational, two-year, public, community college located in Camden County, New Jersey. Camden County College has three distinct campuses located in Blackwood, Camden and Cherry Hill...
. A year later he became head coach at Glassboro State, and at 26 was one of the youngest head basketball coaches in the country. As coach he racked up 131 victories and three consecutive conference titles. At Glassboro State he also served in the Admissions Office and worked as executive assistant to college president Herman James.
After retiring from his coaching career, Collins studied law at Rutgers School of Law - Camden
Rutgers School of Law - Camden
Rutgers School of Law–Camden is a public law school of Rutgers University located in Camden, New Jersey on the Delaware Waterfront. It is one of two law schools of Rutgers University and one of only three law schools in the state of New Jersey...
, receiving his Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
degree in 1982. After a term on his local school board, the chairman of the Salem County
Salem County, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 64,285 people, 24,295 households, and 17,370 families residing in the county. The population density was 190 people per square mile . There were 26,158 housing units at an average density of 77 per square mile...
Republican party asked him to run for the New Jersey General Assembly
New Jersey General Assembly
The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature.Since the election of 1967 , the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts for a term of two years, each representing districts with average...
. Riding the coattails of Governor of New Jersey
Governor of New Jersey
The Office of the Governor of New Jersey is the executive branch for the U.S. state of New Jersey. The office of Governor is an elected position, for which elected officials serve four year terms. While individual politicians may serve as many terms as they can be elected to, Governors cannot be...
Thomas Kean
Thomas Kean
Thomas Howard Kean is an American Republican Party politician, who served as the 48th Governor of New Jersey from 1982 to 1990. Kean is best known globally, however, for his 2002 appointment as Chairman of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, widely known as the...
in 1985, Collins and his running mate Gary Stuhltrager
Gary Stuhltrager
Gary W. Stuhltrager is an American Republican Party politician who served eight terms in the New Jersey General Assembly, from 1986 to 2002, where he represented the 3rd Legislative District....
knocked off Democratic incumbents Martin Herman
Martin Herman
Martin Heřman is a Czech professional ice hockey player. He played with HC Plzeň in the Czech Extraliga during the 2010–11 Czech Extraliga season.-External links:...
and Thomas Pankok, helping give the Republicans control of the General Assembly for the first time in more than a decade. He took office in 1986, representing the 3rd Legislative District.
When Republicans lost control of the Assembly in 1989, Collins was chosen by minority leader Chuck Haytaian
Chuck Haytaian
Garabed "Chuck" Haytaian is an American Republican Party politician, who was the Speaker of the New Jersey State Assembly during the 'tax revolt' of the James Florio – Christine Todd Whitman era. He is of Armenian descent....
to be his deputy. He became majority leader two years later when Republicans regained control of the Assembly and Haytaian was elected Speaker. In 1996, after Haytaian decided not to run for reelection following his unsuccessful 1994 campaign against Senator Frank Lautenberg
Frank Lautenberg
Frank Raleigh Lautenberg is the senior United States Senator from New Jersey and a member of the Democratic Party. Previously, he was the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Automatic Data Processing, Inc.-Early life, career, and family:...
, Collins succeeded Haytaian as speaker.
For six years he served as Assembly speaker with Donald DiFrancesco
Donald DiFrancesco
Donald Thomas DiFrancesco was the 51st Governor of New Jersey from 2001 to 2002 by virtue of his status as President of the New Jersey Senate, the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature....
serving as New Jersey Senate
New Jersey Senate
The New Jersey Senate was established as the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. From 1844 until 1965 New Jersey's counties elected one Senator, each. Under the 1844 Constitution the term of office was three years. The 1947...
President. Collins explored a campaign for Governor of New Jersey
Governor of New Jersey
The Office of the Governor of New Jersey is the executive branch for the U.S. state of New Jersey. The office of Governor is an elected position, for which elected officials serve four year terms. While individual politicians may serve as many terms as they can be elected to, Governors cannot be...
in the 2001 Republican primary against DiFrancesco (then Acting Governor) but ultimately decided against running. DiFrancesco would be forced to withdraw from the primary after questions about his business dealings.
Collins retired from the General Assembly in January 2002 after serving sixteen years. He joined the Princeton Public Affairs Group, a prominent lobbying firm, as senior counsel.
Collins and his wife Betsy have resided on a 3 acres (12,140.6 m²) farm in Pittsgrove Township
Pittsgrove Township, New Jersey
Pittsgrove Township is a Township in Salem County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the township population was 9,393....
since 1974. He has four children, Joellen, Dawn, Rebecca and Sean and eight grandchildren, Jose "Jody", Daniel (big man), Collin, Thomas, Jackson, Quinn, Caileigh, Jacob and Taylor.