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William Arthur
'Bill' Burke is an accomplished business and political leader in Southern
California. He is best known as the founder and former long-time president of
the City of Los Angeles Marathon. As Chairman of the AQMD Governing Board, he
has set in motion a decade-long series of precedent-setting policy initiatives,
including: the District's evolving Environmental Justice program; Asthma and
Outdoor Air Quality Consortium; Brain & Lung Tumor and Air Pollution Foundation;
and in 2009 a 'Helping Hand Initiative' to protect both health and jobs during
the current economic downturn.
Dr. Burke has a diverse blend of
professional experience in several fields.
In 1972, Dr. Burke
founded and for two years presided over the American Health Care Delivery
Corporation. From the health care profession, Dr. Burke’s career interests
turned to the gold mining industry. He accepted the Chairman of the Board at
Genesis International, a Los Angeles-based real estate and mining development
holding company. Then from 1981-84 he supervised the planning and construction
of mining concessions in Liberia, West Africa for the World Mining Development.
Then in 1984, Dr.
Burke was appointed Commissioner of Tennis for the Summer Olympic Games in the
City of Los Angeles. It was the spirit of civic pride and unity demonstrated by
the host city that first inspired Dr. Burke to think of ways to perpetuate this
unique experience. The result was the first City of Los Angeles Marathon held in
1986. The Marathon, now in its twenty-fourth year, is one of the largest
organized road races in the world.
The success of the
Marathon, spurred Dr. Burke to try his hand at another kind of sporting event:
car racing. In 1997, the Los Angeles Vintage Grand Prix debuted on the streets
of Downtown Los Angeles. It was the largest vintage automobile street race ever
held. It included the Ferrari Concours d’Elegance – a display of historical and
unique Ferrari vehicles valued at fifty million dollars. However, in 1998 the
street race captured the interest of NASCAR and soon evolved into the Ford L.A.
Street Race. In its fourth year, the Street Race included multiple types of
racing, including an electric truck race, Indy car race, NASCAR race, and
Pro-Porsche division race.
In the political
arena, Dr. Burke served as the Consul General to the Republic of Mali for over
fifteen years. He has served two terms as the President of both the State of
California Fish and Game Commission and the Wildlife Conservation Board. Since
1993, Dr. Burke has served on the Board of the South Coast Air Quality
Management District (AQMD) as the representative of the Speaker of the
Assembly. AQMD is the government agency that regulates air quality for the
four-county region of Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, and Riverside. Since
his initial appointment to AQMD, Dr. Burke has been elected by his peers to
serve as both Vice-Chairman and Chairman of the Board. In April 2000, Governor
Gray Davis appointed Dr. Burke to serve as a Board Member for the State of
California Air Resources Board. In October 2000, Mayor Richard J. Riordan
appointed Dr. Burke to the Fire Commission of the City of Los Angeles. In 2002,
he was appointed to serve on the California Coastal Commission.
Dr. Burke holds
multiple degrees: a Bachelor of Science from Miami University, a Doctorate of
Education from the University of Massachusetts, and two other Honorary Doctorate
Degrees of Law from Lane College and Mount Ida College. Among the numerous other
awards and distinctions Dr. Burke has received the Meritorious Service Award
from the City of Los Angeles, the First Annual Living Legends Award, the
Humanitarian Award from the Mid-City Chamber of Commerce, and the Green Power
Foundation’s Man of the Year Award.
Dr. Burke is married
to retired Los Angeles County Supervisor and former Congresswoman Yvonne
Brathwaite Burke. They live in the Los Angeles area and have two daughters,
Christine and Autumn.
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