The Venture Center team is passionate about entrepreneurship and thrives on the hard work and creativity required to make ideas into viable businesses. We love partnering with people across the state and throughout the world to build better businesses and stronger communities. Get to know our team and learn why we love being here. We have an open-door policy, so come for a visit anytime.
Meet Collins Andrews, FIS Executive in Residence and The Venture Center board member. He’s indispensable and we continue to learn so much from him.
Tell us a secret no one knows!
Of course, if it is something no one knows it is unlikely I would want to publish it now! One thing about me that I rarely mention is that my first job was as a ballroom dance instructor. It was for junior high kids when I was in high school so it was more enforcement than instruction…. but I could do it. That skill has unfortunately not carried well into adulthood!
What was your first concert?
My first concert was Jerry Lee Lewis at the Pine Bluff High School gymnasium! Not sure when I got to do that but it was at some time in the late 1950’s. I was probably 12 or 13, and I went with my sister who was four years older and certainly into rock and roll. It must have been after Jerry Lee married his cousin and took a hit to his career which would explain why his tour led him to the Pine Bluff High School gym.
However, the most important concert I was fortunate enough to attend was Otis Redding in December, 1967. Otis was by far my favorite singer and he came to Vanderbilt for a concert, in the basketball arena. After Otis started the people in charge let us leave our seats and we rushed the stage. I got to be right at the front and slapped hands with him! He died in a plane crash two days later.
What was your first car and how did you get it?
My dad bought it for which I was forever grateful. It was a new 1962 Corvair Monza in Autumn Gold with a Fawn interior, 4-spd and the 80 hp 164 cu in engine……but who remembers details!
What kind of music do you like?
“There will never be any other music in this house!” is a line from the movie “The Big Chill” referencing the 1960’s. I am not that emphatic but I love Motown and much of the early 1970’s music. My favorite Pandora stations are Gerry Rafferty and James Taylor. I stick to the theory that very little decent music was created after 1980!
If you could time travel, where would you go?
Really an interesting question and I can think of a number of decisions I made in the past that I would like to go back in time and change. But I am OK with how things have turned out in spite of my mistakes, so if I could time travel now, I would like to go into the future and meet each of my four grandchildren on their 21st and maybe their 40th birthdays! Would love to see what happens to them and how they grow up!