Issue link: http://georgiancollege.uberflip.com/i/1226064
Two-time recipient of the Queen's Jubilee Medal and Ontario Restaurant's Trillium Award Newsmaker of the Year 2013, Kevin Collins has helped bring philanthropy to the forefront in the hospitality industry. As a child with Cerebral Palsy, Kevin benefited from the Easter Seals summer camp program, which helped shape him, pledging to himself to always remain involved and try to help others. After an eight-year career in the hospitality industry, where he worked his way up to Rooms Division Manager for a 300-room property with Howard Johnson Hotels, playing a role in the chain's accessibility efforts, Kevin joined Easter Seals as the Manager of Corporate and Special Events. Following this, and with a chance to make a larger difference, Kevin accepted the position of executive director with Friends of We Care, a charity that raises funds for Easter Seals nationally. While at the organization, he was able to combine his passion for helping people with his hospitality career, and was a key driver in the food and hospitality industry's efforts to support the special needs community. Under his leadership, the organization raised in excess of $1 million per year, sending 500 children to camp each summer through the Easter Seals program. In his 17 years with the organization, he was instrumental in raising more than $20.5 million that directly benefited children with disabilities, establishing a national presence for Friends of We Care, and raising the profile of the organization. As someone with Cerebral Palsy, Kevin will forever be connected to Easter Seals, and in January 2017, he was given the opportunity to see a dream realized when he was appointed President and CEO of Easter Seals Ontario. Now, coming full circle and leading the organization that supported him as a child, Kevin notes "I've been given an opportunity to work directly with children facing similar challenges that I did, and a chance to support and encourage the pursuit of their own dreams." He adds, "If I can give one child with disabilities the opportunities I've been given, then it's been a good day." Kevin continues to be an active community volunteer for a number of organizations, and is a member of the Georgian College Alumni Association Executive Council. In 2019, Kevin was honoured by his alma mater with the Board of Governors Distinguished Alumni Award in April and a Premier's Award in the Community Services category in December. KEVIN COLLINS HOTEL AND RESORT ADMINISTRATION, 1984 AND TOURISM MANAGEMENT, 1985 PRESIDENT AND CEO, EASTER SEALS ONTARIO COMMUNITY SERVICES CATEGORY 2019 PREMIER'S AWARD WINNER 27 GEORGIANVIEW 2019-20 WINTER PREMIER'S AWARDS