Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-07-22
Richard H. Collins Will Look
After Destinies of Big
Detroit Factory.
STARTS WITH VEHICLE FIRM
Recognized as Versatile Man
of Broad Experience and
Marked Ability.

lnty WtIc " Dt outttcuCu Ny H. -.
Collins, the man who is to assume the
heavy responsibilities carried so long
by the founders of the famous Cadil-
lac. "Who Is Collins?" was asked
everywhere in the industry except by
the few who knew the story of the
manufacturing and merchandising
genius to whom w. C. Durant has en-
trusted the destinies Of the Cadillac.
Mr.. Collins life history is the old
familiar story of the poor boy starting
out with nothing and rising step by
step to the topmost rung in the lad
der OF success. His methods were
never spectacular. but they were re-
lentlessly certain. Rigid honesty. COM
plete knowledge Of his product and a
boundless enthusiasm for his work
constitute the three cardinal princi-
pies upon which his great success has
been built.
The new head Of the Cadillac COM
pany began his business career with
the John Deere Implement & Vehicle
Co. of Moline, H., with whom he con-
tinued twenty years. During most of
that time he sold the Deere company's
products to dealers, and so successful
were his efforts that ha rose to the
position of western manager for the
company, with headquarters at Kansas
City. From that position he went to
the Buick Motor company as manager
of the Kansas City branch, and subse-
quently to Flint as the company's gen.
eral sales manager. In that position
he continued until last year when he
was made assistant to President Du-
rant of the General Motors company.
with Deere Company.
1t was while he was engaged in SELL
ing the Deere company's product that
Mr.. Collins acquired his vast and init
mate knowledge of the markets which
later were to absorb the output of
motor car manufacturers. and his
equally clear understanding of the
men who were destined to become mo-
tor car dealers. For years he had met
these men in their own stores and
homes. He spoke their language,
lived their lives and knew and sympa-
thized with their aspirations. He early
acquired his steadfast faith in the
homely old principle that in manu-
featuring and selling goods, as in
everything else, honesty is the best
policy.
His belief in quality products
amounts almost to passion. and that
fact. more than any other, influenced
Mr.. Durant to choose him as head of
the Cadillac company. Mr.. Durant
knew that it was product such as the
Cadillac that would bring the Collins
enthusiasm to its full power He knew
that Collins possessed exactly the right
mental attitude necessary to continue
and carry forward the great Cadillac
ideals and traditions.
And those who know Mr. Collins
feel, as does Mr. Durant, that Cadillac
traditions and policies will be safe in
his hands. He believes in fine work.
manship with the utmost fervor, and
has long expressed the conviction that
the Cadillac eXemplifed his own ideas
as to what product of this kind
should be.
Mr.. Collins, like all men who achieve
a big success in life, has AN almost
uncanny faculty of surrounding him
self with good lieutenants. He seems
to have success link" as is evil
denced by the fact that literally dozens
Of men who were fortunate enough
to become associated with him have
acquired wealth as a result of that as
ISOLATION. When he went to the Buick
company as general sales manager he
selling organization that would extend
to all parts of the country, and today
many Of the men who were included
in that organization, who worked un-
der the direction and with the CO.
operation of Mr.. Collins, are independ-
emily wealthy. The cardinal tenet in
his merchandising code is that the
dealers who sell his product must al
ways be satisfied, and be more sue
cessful each year than they were the
year before If the business is to be a
real success. He contends that II the
dealers are prosperous, the parent
business is bound to be prosperous.
Associates Loyal.
Mr.. Collins attributes the great sue
cesses achieved by his associates to
their loyalty to their product, and to
the fact that he always encouraged
them to act upon their own initiative.
He assumed that they knew more of
conditions in their particular locali-
ties than anybody else. and believed
that If he could instill In them the
same enthusiasm for their work, and
belief in their product that he himself
possessed, their success would follow
automatically And his method has
always worked out successfully.
''In employing men," said Mr.. Col
Inns recently, II always make 1t a point
to select those who have n greater
knowledge in their own particular
lines than I possess myself. When I
get men of that kind I-try my best to
make them happy and contented in
their work, so that the best there is in
them may reach full expression"
1t is this policy which has won the
steadfast loyalty of every man who
ever worked for him. Those who work
for Collins soon come to believe in
him with the same enthusiasm and
ardor that he believes in his own work
They soon sense that here is q man
who would not see an injustice visited
upon his CO. workers.
Versatile Man.
Mr.. Collins is recognized as a most
versatile man. While his greatest ef-
fort has been along merchandising
lines, he has acquired knowledge of
manufacturing cars that is second only
to his ability In selling them. He has
always believed that II he possessed
an intimate knowledge Of what was
going on in the factory. he could more
intelligently interpret his product to
the buyers outside. The engineer, he
holds, is seeking to achieve precisely
the same result as the salesman,