Alvin C. Collins was appointed Secretary of the Maryland Department of General Services (DGS) on February 7, 2007. As Secretary, Mr. Collins is responsible for almost $1 billion in annual contract administration, 6.3 million square-feet of State-owned facilities, and 4.6 million square-feet of leased space. DGS supports State and local government agencies by providing a full spectrum of design and construction, facilities operations, security, procurement, real estate, and surplus property services.

As DGS Secretary, Mr. Collins serves as Construction Advisor to the Board of Public Works. Additionally, he chairs the Government House Trust. The Secretary is also a member of the General Professional Services Selection Board, the Procurement Advisory Council, the Information Technology Board, the Interagency Committee for Public School Construction, the Governor’s Council on the Chesapeake Bay, the Smart Growth Subcabinet, and the Maryland Food Center Authority.

Prior to coming to DGS, Mr. Collins was Chief of Staff to former Anne Arundel County Executive Janet Owens from December 2003 to December 2006. He also served as the Human Services Officer in Anne Arundel County from October 2002 to December 2003.

Mr. Collins served as Chief of Staff to Governor Parris N. Glendening from May 2001 to October 2002. As Chief of Staff, Mr. Collins oversaw and managed the daily operations of State government. He was also was responsible for implementing the Governor's priority policies and programs. Mr. Collins worked closely with the Deputy Chiefs of Staff and Department Secretaries to ensure that the Governor's mission was fulfilled and goals were met. Prior to this, Mr. Collins served as Deputy Chief of Staff for the Governor. In that capacity, he was responsible for oversight of human services policies, including those of the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the Department of Human Resources, the Department of Aging, the Office for Individuals with Disabilities, and the Maryland Insurance Administration.

From 1998 to 2001, Mr. Collins was Director of the Office of Family Assistance, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. He oversaw Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), a $16.8 billion program of federal block grants enabling states to design and operate programs that move families from welfare to work.

Mr. Collins served as Secretary of Maryland's Department of Human Resources (DHR) from 1995 to 1998. During that time, he guided Maryland's successful welfare reform, moving 107,000 recipients from public assistance to work in two years. His efforts received national recognition for their innovation and creativity. In addition to welfare, DHR is responsible for administering child support enforcement; child care licensing and regulation; child welfare; and adult services programs, and other activities designed to strengthen families and foster independence.

Throughout his career, Secretary Collins has recognized the role technology can play delivering social services. As director of the Baltimore City Department of Social Services, and before that as its business manager, he introduced automated systems for managing cases and the Department's fiscal operations. At DHR, he has overseen the process of integrating computer systems that track and manage Maryland's social service system. Additionally, DHR was the first state agency to develop a web page and use it as an information tool and to promote such programs as adoption and child support collection.

Mr. Collins also has guided social service in other states: as chief of administrative services of the Department of Human Resources, Arlington County, Virginia; as director, Department of Human Services, New Haven, Connecticut; and as executive director, Dixwell Opposes Alcoholism, Inc., New Haven.

A resident of Annapolis, Mr. Collins completed post master's work in social administration at the University of Maryland, Baltimore. He holds a Master of Science degree in education from Harvard University, and a Bachelor of Science degree in political science from Southern Connecticut State College.

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