TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICETDCJ News
TDCJ Celebrates the Grand Opening of the Bryan Collier Leadership & Training Center
September 28, 2026
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) marked an important milestone with the grand opening of the Bryan Collier Leadership & Training Center in Huntsville, welcoming staff, community members, and distinguished guests to celebrate the agency’s newest investment in professional development.
Held on September 25, the ceremony introduced a state of the art facility dedicated to strengthening workforce training, advancing innovative learning environments, and supporting the development of future leaders in Texas corrections. The center stands as a tribute to former TDCJ Executive Director Bryan Collier, whose distinguished career was defined by a commitment to rehabilitation, professional growth, and steadfast support for the agency’s employees.
TDCJ Executive Director Bobby Lumpkin opened the event by emphasizing the agency’s ongoing dedication to excellence in training.
“As we officially open the doors of the Bryan Collier Leadership & Training Center, we honor legacy, celebrate a vision, and commit ourselves to developing strong, capable, and compassionate leaders for many years to come,” Lumpkin said.
Texas State Representative Trey Wharton reflected on Collier’s career and the significance of naming the center in his honor.
“I cannot think of a better name to put on this building than someone who dedicated 40 years of his life — and his family — to this agency. You are the bar, the benchmark… This facility will help future generations keep moving this agency forward,” Representative Wharton said.
Texas Board of Criminal Justice Chairman Eric J.R. Nichols highlighted the long term mission of the center.
“This facility will have meaning, and will have evolving meaning over time, because it will equip the next generation of public servants with the best tools and training to serve the mission of public safety in Texas.”
Former Chairman Dale Wainwright also noted Collier’s enduring influence on the agency.
“Programs, policies, and facilities are important, but ultimately it is people — employees — who make an institution succeed. Throughout his career, Bryan demonstrated qualities every organization hopes to find in its leaders.”
Jason Clark, TDCJ Chief Programs Officer, led the formal dedication and offered reflections shaped by years of working closely with Collier.
“When he enters the room, he brings a quiet calmness — a steadiness — even when circumstances are chaotic. As staff enter this building, they’ll see that same presence reflected in the portrait on the wall,” Clark said. “If someone wants to understand what leadership looks like, they can find it here.”
Clark also read from a proclamation issued by Gov. Greg Abbott recognizing Collier’s service. The proclamation said, “To name an entity after someone is to bestow the highest honor upon them. In Texas, these honors are reserved for transformational leaders who have upheld our values and made a positive impact on their communities. Bryan Collier’s unwavering dedication to TDCJ has solidified his place among the Lone Star State’s finest. Through decades of visionary leadership, he has provided exceptional public service, transforming programs, strengthening the workforce and leaving a lasting imprint on the criminal justice system. A man with a servant’s heart and an unrelenting vision, Bryan was a pillar of TDCJ, and this designation will inspire many to follow in his footsteps.”
When Bryan Collier addressed the audience, he spoke with humility and gratitude.
“Nothing I can say would really express how honored I am. From day one as a clerk to my final day as Executive Director, it was a privilege,” Collier said. He added, “Quality training is critical to developing staff and helping this agency achieve its mission. The training here will ultimately save lives and help change lives.”
The facility features modern classrooms, scenario-based training environments, a virtual reality training room, a mock cell demonstration area, a physical training room with an observation catwalk, barracks for trainees, and a six-lane indoor firing range. Designed to accommodate up to 400 participants across multiple divisions, the center will serve as a cornerstone of TDCJ’s long term strategy to prepare, empower, and equip its workforce.
