General, CEO has 2 missions: defending U.S., hiring in Western Mass.

Date: 2/21/2024

AGAWAM — When Sean Collins is in the office, he might at the Pentagon in Washington D.C., or his manufacturing business in Agawam. The Southwick man is president and CEO of Governors America Corp., and a two-star major general in the Air National Guard.

“I have a great staff the helps me, but it’s not easy doing both,” he told Reminder Publishing. “I’ve always been somebody who’s up at 5 o’clock and in the office, and I don’t leave until late. I’m connected to the Pentagon every day, whether it’s in Washington or from my office in Agawam.”

“I’m passionate about both things. I’m at the terminal part of my military career — I’m not going to be wearing a uniform forever, so I have to maintain both,” said Collins, who is a 30-year military veteran.

Governors America Corp. manufactures high-performance engine governing and fuel system management solutions for a wide array of electronic devices and mechanical equipment. As CEO, Collins is responsible for more than 100 employees and millions of dollars in business.

As a military man, he is responsible for the medical readiness of Space Force Operations. The Space Force, America’s newest military service, outfits and trains troops for potential space conflicts, monitoring space for potential threats to U.S. security and launches satellites for the Department of Defense.

He is also a senior medical advisor, focusing on the mission readiness of more than 100,000 military and civilian Air National Guard personnel.

“Being at a senior level is very rewarding and humbling,” Collins said. “It’s just like in my business. We can’t be focusing on today. We have to be focusing on the future. How do we plan and do things in the next five to 10 years.”

Collins says there are many ways to ensure the national security of America, and he has a foot in two of those worlds — the military and business sides of the equation.

“I’m very passionate about what we do in this country in regard to manufacturing. We are not a country unless we have manufacturing. We have nothing if we’ve lost those capabilities,” he said. “Manufacturing is something we absolutely need in this country. We cannot just provide services, we have to make things, we have to generate innovation because that’s what gives us employment.”

Collins says he likes to get on his soapbox anytime he can deliver a strong message of supporting education at the university or vocational levels. He’s a product of local colleges and universities, with a two-year community college degree along with two master’s degrees and a Ph.D.

But he says college isn’t for everyone.

“We take, try to get, kids from high school who don’t want to go beyond that,” he said of his business. “We have so many success stories here of exposing them to doing some manufacturing and becoming machinists. You can make a very good living. We have to invest in our youth. They’re our future.”

Collins came to the military a little late in life. He said his contemporaries got a 10-year head start on him while he was getting married and helping to raise a family. He’s served in war zones from Kosovo to Iraq and Afghanistan.

When he started his career three decades ago at Barnes Air National Guard Base in Westfield, he thought he’d be in the military for a handful of years and then return to civilian life, but his commitment to America and its security deepened. So did his dedication to his fellow troops.

“My belief was if I’m wearing the uniform and getting paid to do something, then I should be raising my hand to support that. I was in much longer and did way more tours than I expected. I met a lot of great people and did a lot of great things,” he said.

Collins says while his degrees have come from Springfield Technical Community College and the University of Massachusetts, so much of what he’s learned has come from his military service.

“I embrace integrity, service before self and excellence in all we do as my core values in life. That’s why I love being in the Air Force. It’s the mission, the love of this country, which is the best country on Earth.”

He’s also a booster for his own corner of the country, Western Massachusetts, where he creates jobs, takes students on tours of his business and is a vocal supporter of local business.

“We have a beautiful community in the valley. I couldn’t imagine going someplace else. It’s my home and I’m glad to be here,” he said. “We have to continue to push the envelope of the great things we can do here.”