Ozarks Profile: Bill Burks

Bill Burks

Executive senior manager, electric systems, City Utilities of Springfield, 301 E. Central. CU is a municipally owned utility responsible for the delivery of electric power, natural gas and water to the Springfield area. CU also operates the public bus system in Springfield. Burks began his employment with CU in March 1978 as a union electrician at the James River power station and has held various management positions in the electric area. In his current position, he has executive, management-level responsibility for CU's electric system operations, including power production, transmission and distribution, customer field services, power quality, tree management, engineering, coal procurement and telecommunications. Burks is a board member of the Southwest Power Resources Association and the Missouri Joint Municipal Electric Utility Commission, and a member of the American Public Power Association's Engineering & Operations subcommittee. He is also a graduate of the Leadership Springfield and Leadership Missouri programs.

Age: 46

No. of years in Springfield area: "I grew up in Fordland, a small town about 20 miles east of Springfield. With the exception of about five years in the military, I have lived most of my adult life in Springfield."

Education: Burks received his bachelor of science degree in electrical technology from Southwest Missouri State University and his master of business administration degree from Drury University.

Early career: Growing up in a rural community, Burks said he had the normal jobs of feeding cattle in the winter and hauling hay in the summer. "Since then, I've had some pretty exciting opportunities come my way. I was in the Army's nuclear power program and had the opportunity to work on a little-known-about military nuclear power plant in the Panama Canal Zone (long since decommissioned). I also worked with the public power authority of American Samoa." Burks also owned an electrical contracting business and held a master electrician license for years.

Current projects: Burks said he's working hard to put in place all the various components to ensure that the power supply needs of the community are taken care of, so when CU's customers need additional low-cost, reliable electrical power, CU will be there for them.

Management philosophy: "It's the people that make the difference."

Spare-time pursuits: Burks said he enjoys working around the house on his special projects, spending time with his family, being outdoors, fishing or just playing at the lake.

Family data: "I'm married to a great wife, Rhonda, and have two wonderful kids, a daughter, Shannon, 25, and a son, Austin, 11."