Mr. Collins joined the University of Tennessee’s College of Business faculty in 1999 after a successful executive career in both retail and hotel management.

From 1998 until 2000, Collins was one of the founding partners as well as general manager of textbook retailer Rocky Top Books, LLP in Knoxville. The store was sold to Nebraska Book Company, a large national textbook wholesaler/retailer in May 2000.

In the 16 years before RTB, Collins managed hotels in Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Florida and South Carolina, including such brands as Garden Plaza, Hilton, Sheraton, and Holiday Inns. He was also Senior Market Analyst at Smith Travel Research, the largest hotel market research firm in the world. In 1987, the American Hotel & Motel awarded Collins their highest designation, Certified Hotel Administrator.

In 2002 and 2003 Collins was a finalist for the CBA Keally Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, and in 2003 won the CBA Lattimore Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Advising. Most recently he was a finalist for the CBA Outstanding Commitment to Students Award in 2004.

Collins was also named as one of the 2004 Microsoft Most Valuable Professionals (MVPs), and again in 2005.

Collins received his undergraduate degree in Economics from the University of Tennessee and his MBA with a concentration in Marketing and Finance from Middle Tennessee State University, where he began his teaching career in 1993.