2008_collins | Woodward HOF

Gene Collins Inducted 2008 - Class of 1964

The best place to grow up in Toledo is any place as long as it's Point Place. Gene Collins grew up there. Against the backdrop of the Ottawa River, Gene and his brothers Bud and Jim sailed their own Huck Finn adventures. Caves and pirate swings and all types of imagined skullduggery. In winter marauding bands of pirates ice-skated and ice boated their way to adventure.

Adventure didn't stop there. Just ask anyone who saw the blue and white DeVilbiss tiger. Lou Cross punished him for the stunt, but also added that he was proud Gene had done it. Double-Crossed? Adventures like this cemented the bond of Gene and friends Rick Lovett, George Gusses, Don Reinbolt, Jon Musielewicz, Ilga Baumanis, Diane Duszienski, Sue Golightly, Walt Piatkowski, Phil Kauffman, Dick Hoffman, Dennis Thayer, Sue Dailmeyer, and Lester Shultz.

Since wrestling was not a possibility because of asthma, Gene honed his public speaking skills under the guidance of Mrs. Bernice Donovan. She taught him to think on his feet and present

matters in a logical fashion.

There was no debate when it came to Extravaganzas either. He was there for Guys and Dolls, Music Man and Bye Bye Birdie. He also saw the logic in Sam Szor's wisdom that there is more to life than school, but it all takes hard work and discipline.

After graduation in 1964, Gene attended The University of Toledo and received his undergraduate degree in economics in 1968. After a two year tour with the U.S. Navy in Europe he returned to Toledo and received his master's degree in economics in 1971. It was also during this time that he met and fell in love with Nancy Heffner. They married and raised two children, Tyler and Sarah.

Gene's professional accomplishments in the financial arena have made him a highly respected authority and a participant in wide-ranging economic issues. His distinguished career includes 14 years on Wall Street where he was vice president and manager of Mortgage Backed Securities Trading at Salomon Brothers, Becker-Paribas, and Merrill Lynch. His contributions to the early development of Mortgage Backed Securities included risk management and hedging techniques used by dealers to manage large risk positions in Mortgage Backed Securities. During his 19 years at Citigroup Asset Management and its predecessor companies Gene managed $24 billion in assets. As Woodward teacher and mentor Ms. Belle Joseph taught him, that's 24 followed by nine zeroes. More recently, Gene served as Managing Director of Salomon Brothers Asset Management and Travelers Asset Management International Company, two of the SEC registered companies that made up Citigroup Asset Management.

Lest you think Gene is all work and no play, he still enjoys sailing-off Long Island Sound-no caves or pirate swings. He skates back and forth from New York to Toledo to teach Portfolio Management at the University of Toledo and is enjoying his newest set of adventures as a grandfather to Kevin.