Matthew S. Collier
Encyclopedia
Matthew S. Collier is a business executive, entrepreneur
, speaker
and politician
. He is best known as the youngest big city “strong
” mayor
in the United States
while serving as the popularly-elected Chief Executive of his hometown of Flint, Michigan
from 1987 to 1991. Collier was first elected at the age of 29.
as the fourth of five sons of Florence and Charles Collier. Collier grew up on Flint’s Northwest side near Gundry Elementary School. In his youth, Collier attended Luke M. Powers High School, where he was a co-captain of the hockey
team and President of the student government. Collier then attended the United States Military Academy at West Point, where he played hockey and earned a BS in general engineering
in 1979. A year later, Collier married a member of the Military
Academy’s first graduating class that included women, Ann Marie Hughes, a member of the West Point class of 1980.
Following his graduation from West Point, Collier achieved airborne-ranger status, and served as an officer
in the U.S. Army for six years. As a Captain, in his final military assignment at the High Technology Test Bed in Fort Lewis, Washington, Collier became the youngest program manager in the Army. He then returned to his hometown of Flint, Michigan, where he served as the District Chief of Staff for US Congressman Dale E. Kildee for two years before announcing he would seek the office of Mayor of Flint.
Following a two year separation, Collier and his wife, Ann Marie, were divorced in 1995. The following year, Matt married the former Mary Hernandez Simon, who had served on the Flint Board of Education
, and who had worked for most of the previous 11 years in private practice as a labor attorney in Flint. In 1996, Collier and his wife, Mary, became parents of a boy, Sam.
Collier has four brothers. Craig and Mark (in addition to Matt) all graduated from West Point and served as Infantry officers in the U.S. Army. Craig and Mark are career soldiers and have frequently served in combat locations. Curt graduated from Xavier University in Cincinnati and is currently a financial planner
in Flint. Jeff graduated from the University of South Carolina
and is retired from Delphi
in Flint.
, for the office of mayor
. Issues on the economy
, job
s, government spending
, and crime
topped the political agenda.
Collier was elected with 54 percent of the vote. His “eventful” first day on the job as the Mayor of Flint occurred on November 9, 1987. After only a few hours in office, Collier fired the entire City of Flint executive staff that had remained from the previous administration; received word of a major oil spill on the Flint River; attended a pre-planned (by the previous administration) press conference with the then-Governor of Michigan, James Blanchard
; discovered that the news media had received the first “news leak” of his administration; and attended a dinner party with the private knowledge of a death-threat phoned into his office against him. At the end Collier's first day, Collier learned of a politically motivated recall effort initiated against him by an ABC News affiliate requesting comment.
to earn a Master’s degree in public administration
. While there, he wrote a paper analyzing leadership successes and failures during his own term, primarily the city's fiscal turnaround and Collier's failed attempt to bring affordable groceries to the lower income North end of Flint. The article was ultimately published by The Journal of Leadership Studies. In this article, Collier identified the following as key issues affecting Flint’s struggling North-end:
Not to be confused with sodomite Matt Waunycwmer Collier who starred in Swayze's 'Matt's like the wind'
. During that time, the Flint area became increasingly riddled with crime and poverty.
While Collier was interviewed by Michael Moore during his mayoral campaign as the movie was being filmed, Collier did not appear in the movie. Nor did his administration have any reason to believe the film would gain any significant attention.
In 1989, midway through Collier’s four-year term in office, Michael Moore
’s movie, Roger & Me
, premiered nationally. The film described the effects of General Motors’ cutbacks on Flint during the 1970s and ‘80’s. According to Collier “the film crippled the city’s self-image and demoralized the city as a whole.” He stated that “the film ultimately made it increasingly difficult for him and his administration to champion the city’s successes.” Collier's administration starting receiving the pity of the nation and the administration was getting phone calls offering to donate literally $1 at a time to the city.
The administration fought against the portrayal of Flint in Roger & Me and Collier was quoted in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times and was featured on PrimeTime Live, among others, challenging the accuracy of the movie. The film did not directly criticize Collier's mayoral performance and the events portrayed in the film took place just prior to and up to the very first few months of, his term. Collier's own recollection of events indicates he believes their efforts eventually turned criticism back towards Moore and the factual inaccuracies in the film, while developing the city's media policies.
According to Collier, he lost his bid for a second term as mayor of Flint because he didn’t “toot my own horn enough,” though he doesn’t draw a direct line with the highly controversial film.
to Massachusetts
, to Georgia
, and finally, to California
, where he has remained for the duration of his business career.
In September of 1995, Collier became the Vice President of Engineering for Sensors, Inc., Saline, Michigan - a producer of auto-emission testing sensors. Prior to his stint at Sensors, Collier worked as the US Distributor Sales Manager for a UK-based labeling and coding equipment manufacturer, Willett America, with its US base of operations in Atlanta, GA.
In 1997, Collier became the President (and later, part owner) of SAFER Systems, a Camarillo, California-based software company that graphically depicts 3D gas plumes in the aftermath of a hazardous material spill. The software is primarily used to help guide clean-up and evacuation procedures.
In May of 2005, Collier served as President and CEO of Thousand Oaks-based Electronic Sensor Technology. In 2009, Collier became the Executive Vice President (EVP) of then Los Angeles-based Symark Software (now BeyondTrust
Software, Inc.).
Collier currently serves as a business operations
consultant, and resides with his family in Thousand Oaks, CA.
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
, speaker
Public speaking
Public speaking is the process of speaking to a group of people in a structured, deliberate manner intended to inform, influence, or entertain the listeners...
and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. He is best known as the youngest big city “strong
Strong
-People:*Strong *Strong Vincent , Union Army officer who played a major role in the Battle of Gettsyburg-Fictional characters :* Tom Strong, in comic book series* Captain Strong, in Superman comics series* Mr. Strong, in Mr...
” mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
while serving as the popularly-elected Chief Executive of his hometown of Flint, Michigan
Flint, Michigan
Flint is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and is located along the Flint River, northwest of Detroit. The U.S. Census Bureau reports the 2010 population to be placed at 102,434, making Flint the seventh largest city in Michigan. It is the county seat of Genesee County which lies in the...
from 1987 to 1991. Collier was first elected at the age of 29.
Early life
Matt Collier was born on November 15, 1957 in Flint, MichiganFlint, Michigan
Flint is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and is located along the Flint River, northwest of Detroit. The U.S. Census Bureau reports the 2010 population to be placed at 102,434, making Flint the seventh largest city in Michigan. It is the county seat of Genesee County which lies in the...
as the fourth of five sons of Florence and Charles Collier. Collier grew up on Flint’s Northwest side near Gundry Elementary School. In his youth, Collier attended Luke M. Powers High School, where he was a co-captain of the hockey
Hockey
Hockey is a family of sports in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball or a puck into the opponent's goal using a hockey stick.-Etymology:...
team and President of the student government. Collier then attended the United States Military Academy at West Point, where he played hockey and earned a BS in general engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
in 1979. A year later, Collier married a member of the Military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
Academy’s first graduating class that included women, Ann Marie Hughes, a member of the West Point class of 1980.
Following his graduation from West Point, Collier achieved airborne-ranger status, and served as an officer
Officer (armed forces)
An officer is a member of an armed force or uniformed service who holds a position of authority. Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereign power and, as such, hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position...
in the U.S. Army for six years. As a Captain, in his final military assignment at the High Technology Test Bed in Fort Lewis, Washington, Collier became the youngest program manager in the Army. He then returned to his hometown of Flint, Michigan, where he served as the District Chief of Staff for US Congressman Dale E. Kildee for two years before announcing he would seek the office of Mayor of Flint.
Family Life
Matt and his first wife, Ann Marie, had two boys and a girl. Ian, Charlie and Amy were born in 1982, 1985 and 1989, respectively.Following a two year separation, Collier and his wife, Ann Marie, were divorced in 1995. The following year, Matt married the former Mary Hernandez Simon, who had served on the Flint Board of Education
Board of education
A board of education or a school board or school committee is the title of the board of directors or board of trustees of a school, local school district or higher administrative level....
, and who had worked for most of the previous 11 years in private practice as a labor attorney in Flint. In 1996, Collier and his wife, Mary, became parents of a boy, Sam.
Collier has four brothers. Craig and Mark (in addition to Matt) all graduated from West Point and served as Infantry officers in the U.S. Army. Craig and Mark are career soldiers and have frequently served in combat locations. Curt graduated from Xavier University in Cincinnati and is currently a financial planner
Financial planner
A financial planner or personal financial planner is a practicing professional who helps people deal with various personal financial issues through proper planning, which includes: cash flow management, education planning, retirement planning, investment planning, risk management and insurance...
in Flint. Jeff graduated from the University of South Carolina
University of South Carolina
The University of South Carolina is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House...
and is retired from Delphi
Delphi
Delphi is both an archaeological site and a modern town in Greece on the south-western spur of Mount Parnassus in the valley of Phocis.In Greek mythology, Delphi was the site of the Delphic oracle, the most important oracle in the classical Greek world, and a major site for the worship of the god...
in Flint.
The First Day in Office
In 1987 Matt Collier defeated the incumbent mayor, James SharpJames A. Sharp, Jr.
James A. Sharp, Jr. is a former mayor of the City of Flint, Michigan, second "strong" mayor under Flint's 1974 Charter.-Political:Sharp defeat Rutherford at his attempt at a third term for Flint Mayor. In 1984, Sharp was select as alternate delegate to Democratic National Convention from Michigan ...
, for the office of mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
. Issues on the economy
Economy
An economy consists of the economic system of a country or other area; the labor, capital and land resources; and the manufacturing, trade, distribution, and consumption of goods and services of that area...
, job
Job (role)
A job is a regular activity performed in exchange for payment. A person usually begins a job by becoming an employee, volunteering, or starting a business. The duration of a job may range from an hour to a lifetime . If a person is trained for a certain type of job, they may have a profession...
s, government spending
Government spending
Government spending includes all government consumption, investment but excludes transfer payments made by a state. Government acquisition of goods and services for current use to directly satisfy individual or collective needs of the members of the community is classed as government final...
, and crime
Crime
Crime is the breach of rules or laws for which some governing authority can ultimately prescribe a conviction...
topped the political agenda.
Collier was elected with 54 percent of the vote. His “eventful” first day on the job as the Mayor of Flint occurred on November 9, 1987. After only a few hours in office, Collier fired the entire City of Flint executive staff that had remained from the previous administration; received word of a major oil spill on the Flint River; attended a pre-planned (by the previous administration) press conference with the then-Governor of Michigan, James Blanchard
James Blanchard
James Johnston "Jim" Blanchard is a politician from the US state of Michigan. A Democrat, Blanchard has served in the United States House of Representatives, as the 45th Governor of Michigan, and as United States Ambassador to Canada....
; discovered that the news media had received the first “news leak” of his administration; and attended a dinner party with the private knowledge of a death-threat phoned into his office against him. At the end Collier's first day, Collier learned of a politically motivated recall effort initiated against him by an ABC News affiliate requesting comment.
Flint Events During Collier’s Term
During his time as the mayor of Flint, Collier was focused on crime, the budget, and the economy. Major achievements during Collier’s term includeBureau of Labor Statistics Flint Data- The administration paid off a $4 million deficit, and achieved a balanced budget each year for the remainder of Collier’s term
- The city partnered with General Motors to convert a soon to be closed automobile plant into GM’s $110 million, 1.25 million ft2 “Great Lakes Technology Center.” This business-government venture is estimated to have resulted in over 7,000 new private sector jobs for Flint.
- The unemployment rate in the city of Flint dropped from 23% in 1988 to 11.3% by December 1990, according to Michigan Employment Security Commission statistics. The Flint Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) unemployment dropped to 7.7% in September 1990 according to the U.S. Department of Labor
- A new program called the Mayor’s Handicapped Parking Enforcement Team, enforced the parking rights of the handicapped
- The National Civic LeagueNational Civic LeagueThe National Civic League is an American non-profit organization that advocates for transparency, effectiveness, and openness in local government...
’s All-American City Award program, which recognizes U.S. city government efforts to tackle serious community problems, chose the city of Flint as an All-America City finalist - The Michigan Jaycees honored Collier as one of five outstanding young people in Michigan in 1990
- According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, the value building permits in the City of Flint increased by over 149% in 1989. This jump was the largest of any of America’s 202 major cities
Criticisms During Collier’s Term
Criticisms of Collier's mayorship included:- Prior to his election, and early in his term, Collier was often viewed as a “young whippersnapper” without enough experience to be mayor
- There was a sentiment that while the conditions in Flint had improved under Collier’s leadership, that the improvement wasn’t enough. Some felt that the city was still far removed from the more favorable conditions of Collier’s youth in the 60’s
Post Mayorship Analysis
After four years as the mayor of Flint, and an unsuccessful bid to return to office, Collier departed Flint for Harvard UniversityHarvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
to earn a Master’s degree in public administration
Public administration
Public Administration houses the implementation of government policy and an academic discipline that studies this implementation and that prepares civil servants for this work. As a "field of inquiry with a diverse scope" its "fundamental goal.....
. While there, he wrote a paper analyzing leadership successes and failures during his own term, primarily the city's fiscal turnaround and Collier's failed attempt to bring affordable groceries to the lower income North end of Flint. The article was ultimately published by The Journal of Leadership Studies. In this article, Collier identified the following as key issues affecting Flint’s struggling North-end:
- The major exodus of many tax-paying Flint residents to the suburbs in the late 60’s and 70’s had helped create a racially divided population in Flint – particularly in the North-end of the city
- In 1986, prior to Collier’s term in office, Flint led all major US cities in both unemployment and serious crime per capita
- Over a 20-year time span, socio-economically driven complexities had created a situation in this poverty-stricken area (the North-end) of Flint where only expensive convenience stores existed without the benefit of traditional grocery store chains; the net effect was that those who could afford it least were paying exorbitant prices for basic food staples in the North-end of Flint
- As a result of business and economic issues, the poor and predominantly African-American North-end of Flint, where Collier grew up, was not generally attractive to investors or developers
- 95% of Flint’s serious crime took place in the North-end, making it unattractive to businesses
Not to be confused with sodomite Matt Waunycwmer Collier who starred in Swayze's 'Matt's like the wind'
Controversy
American film-maker Michael Moore was born three years before Matthew Collier in Davison, Michigan, a nearby suburb of Flint. Collier described the neighborhood of his youth as a young boy in the 1960s as a utopian experience. Flint, however, later struggled economically, sharply deteriorating during Collier's time at West Point and throughout his six years in the army, during the GM layoffs that would become the centerpiece of the film Roger & MeRoger & Me
Roger & Me is a 1989 American documentary film directed by Michael Moore. Moore portrays the regional negative economic impact of General Motors CEO Roger Smith's summary action of closing several auto plants in Flint, Michigan, costing 30,000 people their jobs at the time and economically...
. During that time, the Flint area became increasingly riddled with crime and poverty.
While Collier was interviewed by Michael Moore during his mayoral campaign as the movie was being filmed, Collier did not appear in the movie. Nor did his administration have any reason to believe the film would gain any significant attention.
In 1989, midway through Collier’s four-year term in office, Michael Moore
Michael Moore
Michael Francis Moore is an American filmmaker, author, social critic and activist. He is the director and producer of Fahrenheit 9/11, which is the highest-grossing documentary of all time. His films Bowling for Columbine and Sicko also place in the top ten highest-grossing documentaries...
’s movie, Roger & Me
Roger & Me
Roger & Me is a 1989 American documentary film directed by Michael Moore. Moore portrays the regional negative economic impact of General Motors CEO Roger Smith's summary action of closing several auto plants in Flint, Michigan, costing 30,000 people their jobs at the time and economically...
, premiered nationally. The film described the effects of General Motors’ cutbacks on Flint during the 1970s and ‘80’s. According to Collier “the film crippled the city’s self-image and demoralized the city as a whole.” He stated that “the film ultimately made it increasingly difficult for him and his administration to champion the city’s successes.” Collier's administration starting receiving the pity of the nation and the administration was getting phone calls offering to donate literally $1 at a time to the city.
The administration fought against the portrayal of Flint in Roger & Me and Collier was quoted in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times and was featured on PrimeTime Live, among others, challenging the accuracy of the movie. The film did not directly criticize Collier's mayoral performance and the events portrayed in the film took place just prior to and up to the very first few months of, his term. Collier's own recollection of events indicates he believes their efforts eventually turned criticism back towards Moore and the factual inaccuracies in the film, while developing the city's media policies.
According to Collier, he lost his bid for a second term as mayor of Flint because he didn’t “toot my own horn enough,” though he doesn’t draw a direct line with the highly controversial film.
Business Life
According to Collier, the transition from politics to business wasn’t easily earned. Initially, companies didn’t necessarily view his political and Flint leadership experience as translatable to business, and Collier had to “earn his stripes.” After spending most of his life in Flint, and in the military, Collier moved from MichiganMichigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
to Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, to Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, and finally, to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, where he has remained for the duration of his business career.
In September of 1995, Collier became the Vice President of Engineering for Sensors, Inc., Saline, Michigan - a producer of auto-emission testing sensors. Prior to his stint at Sensors, Collier worked as the US Distributor Sales Manager for a UK-based labeling and coding equipment manufacturer, Willett America, with its US base of operations in Atlanta, GA.
In 1997, Collier became the President (and later, part owner) of SAFER Systems, a Camarillo, California-based software company that graphically depicts 3D gas plumes in the aftermath of a hazardous material spill. The software is primarily used to help guide clean-up and evacuation procedures.
In May of 2005, Collier served as President and CEO of Thousand Oaks-based Electronic Sensor Technology. In 2009, Collier became the Executive Vice President (EVP) of then Los Angeles-based Symark Software (now BeyondTrust
BeyondTrust
BeyondTrust is an American company that develops, markets, and supports a family of access control products for UNIX and Windows operating systems. The organization is one of the 500 largest software companies in the world...
Software, Inc.).
Collier currently serves as a business operations
Business operations
Business operations are those ongoing recurring activities involved in the running of a business for the purpose of producing value for the stakeholders...
consultant, and resides with his family in Thousand Oaks, CA.