James A. Collins, a proud UCLA alumnus and committed philanthropist who enjoyed a long and successful career in the restaurant industry, died March 2. He was 98 years old.
Collins began his career with a hamburger stand in Culver City, Calif., and eventually created a global food empire. Along with his wife Carol, he supported numerous causes with a special fondness for UCLA. The entire Collins family has long played an active role in the life of UCLA’s campus, attending sporting events together and coming to see the university as a second home.
Reflecting on Collins’ legacy, which includes serving as chair of the first UCLA fundraising campaign in the 1980s, Chancellor Emeritus Gene Block said, “UCLA has lost a dear friend, one who has had an incalculable impact on our campus and on the wider world. Not only have Jim and Carol been passionate and engaged supporters of their alma mater for seven decades, but they have played an outsized role in establishing philanthropy as part of UCLA’s culture. The Bruin community stands together in gratitude to Jim, and we extend our deepest condolences to Carol, the Collins family, and Jim’s wide network of family and loved ones.”
Born in 1926 in Huntington Park, Calif., Collins grew up in another Los Angeles suburb, Arcadia. After serving in the Navy, he enrolled at UCLA as an undergraduate. In 1950, Collins received a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and married Carol — the fellow Bruin he first met at a campus mixer. He then spent two years working in construction before finding success in the food industry. He began working with KFC for Colonel Sanders; when Sanders sold his company, Collins and three fraternity brothers founded Collins Foods International, which encompassed both KFC and the Sizzler company.
The couple made their first gift to UCLA in 1963. In the ensuing decades, their dedication led them to give more than $42 million to enhance numerous areas of activity across UCLA’s campus, including business, medicine, athletics, education and the College.
In 1987, the Collinses made a gift toward the establishment of the UCLA Anderson School of Management. As a lasting testament to this act of generosity, the Executive Education Center at Anderson bears the name of James A. Collins. “Jim really came through for us,” said Tony Bernardo, dean of UCLA Anderson and UCLA’s John E. Anderson Professor of Management. “It makes perfect sense that Jim stepped up — his big heart and his passion for entrepreneurship made him a perfect match for what we needed to get up and running. His legacy will never be forgotten, and he is a huge part of our success.”
Another primary area of focus was the field of medicine. The couple created several endowments, including the establishment of the Carol and James Collins Endowed Fund in Geriatric Medicine in 2018, aimed at improving services and enhancing well-being for older adults as well as increasing the number of geriatricians.
Several of their gifts were specifically targeted to research into Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. “Through their very intentional philanthropy, the Collins family has helped us improve the way we teach and train medical professionals. Today, the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA is a world-class hub for the study and understanding of dementia and other conditions associated with aging,” said Dr. Steven Dubinett, dean of the school. “My colleagues and I, along with students and patients past, present and future, all owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to Jim and Carol.”
The couple’s shared love of sports was another hallmark of their giving. Collins ran track during his time at UCLA and, starting in 1968, the couple were regular attendees at the Olympic Games. They made a number of major gifts over the years that strengthened the UCLA Athletics program, contributing to the renovation of Pauley Pavilion and the creation of the Wasserman Football Center. They also funded the bronze statue of legendary Bruins basketball coach John Wooden.
According to Martin Jarmond, the Alice and Nahum Lainer Family Director of Athletics at UCLA, “Jim and Carol Collins have raised our entire campus’s game. Their gifts have helped us to attract outstanding athletes and made it possible for them to flourish once they are here. Every team needs that truly reliable player, the person you can depend on no matter what, and that’s who Jim was to UCLA.”
From 1982 to 1988, Collins chaired UCLA’s inaugural campaign and also served as a committee member for Campaign UCLA and the recent $5.49 billion Centennial Campaign for UCLA. He was Alumni Association president from 1974 to 1976 and held several other leadership positions in the organization, in addition to being a board member of The UCLA Foundation and a University of California Regent.
In 1982, Collins was named UCLA’s Edward A. Dickson Alumnus of the Year. In 2016, he and Carol received the UCLA Medal — the highest honor the university bestows — in recognition of their remarkable contributions to the restaurant industry and many decades of service to UCLA and the community.
Other notable acts of Collins’ philanthropy were the creation of four endowed chairs and support of the UCLA Lab School, but his generosity extended well beyond UCLA. He made significant gifts to institutions such as the Boys and Girls Club of Venice, the Westside Family YMCA and California Polytechnic State University, Pomona, where he established the Collins College of Hospitality Management.
In addition to his professional achievements and philanthropic legacy, Collins leaves Carol and their four children — Cathy, Kelly, Michael and Melissa — three of whom followed in their parents’ footsteps to become Bruin alumni, as well as seven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren and a wide network of loved ones.
