[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 64 (Thursday, May 15, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4619-S4620]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO GEORGE J. COLLINS

 Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to 
George J. Collins, a resident of Springfield, VA, who died March 23, 
1997. Mr. Collins had a distinguished career of public service at the 
Government Printing Office [GPO]. At the time of his death, Mr. Collins 
was manager of the GPO's Quality Control and Technical Department, with 
responsibility for the development of product standards and quality 
attributes, testing, and inspection, as well as the supply of inks, 
adhesives, and other materials used in Government printing.
  A native of Springfield, OH, Mr. Collins served in the U.S. Marine 
Corps. He received his bachelor of arts degree from Wittenberg College 
and pursued additional studies at the University of Cincinnati, 
Pennsylvania State University, North Dakota State College, the National 
Cash Register [NCR] Co., and with international correspondence schools. 
He earned certification in a variety of technical specialties, 
including high polymers, paint technology, water and waste treatment, 
industrial chemistry, and statistical methods.
  Before entering Government service, Mr. Collins worked at NCR as 
senior research chemist in charge of their polymer group. Earlier 
experiences included service as a research chemist with the 
Commonwealth Engineering Co. of Ohio, the Chadaloid Corp., and New 
Wrinkle, Inc. He also worked for the city of Springfield, OH, and the 
Oliver Corp. as a laboratory technician.
  Mr. Collins began his career at the GPO in 1963 as supervisory 
chemist in the ink and reprography division of the Quality Control and 
Technical Department. He was promoted to deputy manager of the 
department in December 1974 and to manager in 1982. During his service 
with the GPO, Mr. Collins contributed to the development of plastic 
printing rollers, automated bank checks, and U.S. mail processing based 
on tagged inks. He chaired the interagency task group that developed 
the Federal Information Processing [FIPS] Standard for optical 
character recognition [OCR] form design, which proved to be the most 
popular FIPS standard ever published.
  Mr. Collins initiated the GPO's environmental testing and control 
program. He established the organization that promulgated the GPO's 
Quality Assurance Through Attributes [QATAP] Program. The QATAP Program 
was a singular achievement that resulted in the use of quantifiable 
attributes for measuring quality in Government printing, and it is 
central to the GPO's program of procuring more than 75 percent of all 
printing annually from the private sector.
  Mr. Collins served on the Joint Committee on Printing's Advisory 
Council on Paper Specifications, which establishes standards for the 
acquisition of printing and writing papers for Government use, 
including recycled paper. In 1994 he assisted the enactment of 
legislation requiring that all Federal lithographic printing be 
performed utilizing vegetable oil-based inks. Today, the Congressional 
Record and other congressional information products are produced on 
recycled paper with vegetable-based inks, products that Mr. Collins was 
instrumental in helping to introduce for Government use. He also worked 
on increasing the use of permanent papers for the production of records 
with enduring educational and research value.
  Mr. Collins was a member of numerous professional and industry 
groups, and he represented the GPO on several advisory boards and 
committees. He was affiliated with the Franklin Technical Society of 
Washington, DC, the National Association of Litho Clubs [NALC], the 
Technical Association of the Graphic Arts [TAGA], the Technical 
Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry [TAPPI], the American 
Chemical Society [ACS], Toastmasters International, and the Committee 
for Graphic Arts Technologies and Standards [CGATS]. He was the 
recipient of various awards for his professional activities, including 
the Award of Excellence from the Printing Institute of America's 
Executive Development Institute, and several GPO awards.
  Mr. Collins was a devoted husband to his wife Eleanor, father to 5 
daughters, and grandfather to 14 grandchildren.

[[Page S4620]]

  Throughout his career, Mr. Collins exemplified skill in his 
profession and dedication to public service, and his contributions have 
made Government printing more cost-effective, efficient, and 
environmentally sound. I join with the employees of the Government 
Printing Office in expressing my sincere condolences to Mr. Collins' 
wife Eleanor and his family.

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