( ENSPIRE Business ) Johnny Collins II added to the Texas Land and Title Association (TLTA)
ENSPIRE Contributor: Dena Hajelsafi
Business leader and President of Community National Title, a successful full-service title agency in Dallas, TX, Johnny Collins II, has made history! He is the first Black board member to be added to the Texas Land and Title Association (TLTA) in the organization’s 115-year history. Texas Land and Title Association is a statewide association that represents title insurance fabrication. Insurance fabrication is covering all the aspects of running a business and Johnny Collins has his own full-service title agency.
Johnny Collins II is inspiring others in his community by trying to make inclusion and diversity better. He has a voice for his community because he can advocate for the community. Mr. Collins is planning to increase the number of Black title agents through mentoring and CNAT University where the company offers high-level insight into industry laws and standards, diversity, ethics, sales, and mental empowerment. This type of initiative will help the community by offering people in this community an opportunity to be educated on these topics.
Johnny Collins II connects to ENSPIRE Magazine because he is inspiring others in his community.
What was your journey like to be added to the Texas Land Title Association?
My journey has been so far it has been smooth. Emotionally, it has been no problem. Getting to know the other board members has been rewarding. Logistically, it has been tougher, but it’s nothing my team and I can’t handle.
How do you enforce a strong culture of philanthropy and focus on inclusion, empowerment, collaboration, and transparency?
The TLTA is very well run and shares strong values for championing different needs that support the industry. Philanthropy is at the core of what we do. It’s just done with a focus on the Texas title industry. Some things take time, so I’ve been communicating with the Director on things that can be done differently to help with a broader variety of inclusion and diversity. As more representation takes place for the underrepresented, inclusion will be better. I believe we’re headed in the right direction. Transparency is already one pillar of the organization.
What would be the pros and cons of being the first African American on the Texas Land Title Association since 1908?
Getting inclusion started with folks that look like me is the first thing. Someone has to start the process on both sides. I’ll go down as the first, but it’s equally important to me to note the folks that helped and assisted with my elections and onboarding as well. Now when issues arise, I can represent African Americans that historically have not had a voice. This is huge. I’ll give you the only con that I really care about. Now the system has to adjust to there being a black person in the room, and time will tell if it does or not.
Are there any goals that you made for the Texas Land Title Association to be more successful than last year?
Well, they added me mid-term, so I’m using this time to make sure that I understand the process first. This way I’ll know how to help with the rules and guidelines of the organization. My primary goal is to use this term for discovery. The impact will come as relationships grow and value is added.
How do you manage your work, family, and social life?
I just do my best to prioritize the things that are most important to me. I spend all my business time building my business. My children’s events are very important to me so I’m a professional Uber driver in my downtime. In addition, my Bride is amazing and helps me as I help her stay on top of things. We are a work in progress and have been for a long time. We’ve gotten really good at being intentional around family time and making the most of it. Socially, I don’t do a lot. I’ll end by saying that my family time with my children and my lovely bride is sacred and most important to me.
What does it mean to be the first black person at TLTA?
“Being the first black person to ever do this is perplexing, exciting, and insane all in the same breath. The organization has been around since 1908. Just shows how we are still underrepresented in so many industries. On one hand, I’m saddened to be the first. However, I’m also aware of the responsibility before me and I’m super excited for the opportunity to contribute to the industry on this level.” Johnny Collins said.
Related Articles: The Black Business School is Revolutionizing Business Education Businessmen Bring Energy To Their Local Community
