CEO and CFO, QLabs, Inc.
Photo by Tracy A. Toler Photography
By Pagett Dusic
“Owned, operated and staffed by West Virginians, serving West Virginians.”
That is one of the trademark statements for QLabs, Inc., an independent clinical laboratory located in Charleston, WV, created by husband and wife Steve and Mary Collins. As CEO, Steve is responsible for oversight of the company, business management and sales. As CFO, Mary is responsible for network credentialing, marketing and operational procedures.
QLabs began primarily as a toxicology lab but quickly expanded to offer specialized molecular diagnostic testing. During the COVID-19 pandemic, while the rest of the world was learning about PCR testing, QLabs was already an expert. In fact, QLabs was the primary COVID testing lab provider in the state and is also the primary reason West Virginia University’s (WVU) football team was able to play during the 2020-2021 season.
“We were testing the football team and staff three times a week with a result turnaround of less than 12 hours. This allowed the team to practice every week and play games on weekends,” says Mary. “In fact, WVU Athletics sends Steve and me WVU apparel every Christmas because of it.”
So, why a medical laboratory? Both Steve and Mary are graduates of Marshall University in Huntington, WV. Steve received his master’s degree in community and agency counseling while Mary has a bachelor’s degree in zoology/chemistry and nursing. They came into this field in an unusual way.
Steve began his career in juvenile social services, working for Pressley Ridge Schools as an entry-level staff member. Within five years, he became a program director, managing multiple sites across Southern West Virginia and Virginia.
He transferred into a similar field, working with adults at the Mercer Day Report Center. It was there he became involved with toxicology testing, establishing an innovative on-site lab for drug testing. Through that exposure, he learned about and became impassioned with the lab industry. He worked for a large clinical reference lab based in Atlanta, GA, for five years before developing QLabs.
Mary began her career as a registered nurse working in labor and delivery, first at St. Mary’s Medical Center then at Bluefield Regional Hospital. As a student at Marshall, she spent summers working in the CAMC lab. Mary eventually worked in medical case management with BrickStreet Insurance and finally for a multinational coal and steel corporation. In 2006, Steve and Mary opened The Training Edge, a boutique personal training and health and fitness business in Princeton, WV. In 2017, she joined Steve in opening QLabs.
With three children, Steve and Mary know the importance of work-life balance.
“We believe the greatest success in our life is the opportunity to take care of others—of course our family but also our employees who we value so dearly,” says Mary. “In addition to the business success of QLabs, we are most proud of being able to create a work environment and culture that supports, encourages and cares for our staff.”
Proud West Virginians, Steve and Mary have always called the Mountain State their home.
“Our mothers are still here, and mountains are very much home. We remain proud of this,” says Steve. “We have been asked numerous times why we didn’t start this company in another state where this business might be better supported. We never considered being anywhere else. We’re committed to improving this state, not abandoning it.”
They are also committed to continuing the growth and expansion of their company. In the last year alone, QLabs has added seven new molecular testing platforms, core blood testing and specialized genetic sequencing testing. In October, they announced the opening of QPath, a histopathology lab division, which is the first of its kind in West Virginia.
In addition to their business, Steve and Mary are committed to the communities they serve. They are invested and active in their church, Sacred Heart Catholic Church, in Charleston. Mary is part of the pastoral council and service committee. Steve is a member of the Knights of Columbus and serves on the Charleston Area Alliance board. After recently learning of the potential loss of a youth soccer complex, they became soccer field owners and began updating and renovating the Fields at Trace Fork.
Steve and Mary are excited for the future of QLabs, with many new projects on the horizon.
QLabs, Inc.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, there were no independent clinical labs performing PCR testing. This created a real problem for patient care due to prolonged testing and reporting timeframes. QLabs was able to add COVID-19 testing to its PCR menu, and its extensive experience with this testing made the team experts in COVID-19 tests.
In April 2020, QLabs was the only independent clinical lab in the state doing PCR testing, and a month later was the primary provider lab for all of West Virginia. It supported COVID-19 testing at community drive-thru events, county health departments, nursing homes and the assisted living and public school testing initiatives created by Governor Jim Justice, as well as testing efforts to resume college classes and sports.
Historically, the lab sector has faced threats of annual cuts in billing allowances for testing. COVID-19 showed that labs like QLabs are essential to good, competitive health care.
“This is good for the economy of our state, and it is really good for patient care,” says CEO Steve Collins. “In the case of the pandemic, we single-handedly contributed to the health and safety of our entire state.”
QLabs is collectively working on a new diagnostic-genetics/sequencing testing platform and further developing its new histopathology lab to include surgical and gastrointestinal pathology. Both programs are unique to West Virginia, as there are no other independent reference labs offering this high complexity specialty lab testing.
