LeRoy Collins Jr.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Thomas LeRoy Collins Jr. is a fifth-generation Floridian from a family with a long tradition in public service.
Being the son of Florida's 33rd governor, LeRoy Collins, Collins, Jr. graduated the United States Naval Academy in 1956 and served in the United States Navy and US Navy Reserve (submarines) for 34 years, retiring as a two-star admiral. His civilian career has been in the high-tech financial services and real estate industries and has spanned 36 years.
Collins was running in the U.S. Senate Republican Primary for Florida in 2006, but lost to Congresswoman Katherine Harris by a substantial margin, finishing the race in third with 15.3% of the vote.
Collins' defeat in the Senate primary, however, was not all bad news. Newly elected Governor Charlie Crist decided to tap Collins to serve as the head of the state's Department of Veterans Affairs.
