Career
Born and raised on Staten Island, Collins became interested in Grand Old Party politics at an early age and from then on has been involved in the political campaigning process, volunteering for both state and local campaigns. In 1997, Collins began his first consulting company, Shear Smith Research. In 1999, he became chief of staff to New Jersey General Assembly Republican Leader Paul DiGaetano.
Because of his work for DiGaetano, Collins was recognized as one of New Jersey"s 100 most influential people by Politicsnj.com.
In 2001, Collins expanded his consultancy to include the healthcare industry and business interests, targeting trial lawyers and opponents of medical liability and tort reform efforts. Foreign his efforts in these fields, Collins was named "Top Operative" for three consecutive years by Politicsnj.com.