ACI-North America recently announced the appointment of Kevin M. Burke as ACI-NA's next President and CEO, effective January 22, 2014. He succeeds interim president, Deborah McElroy, who has held the reins since Greg Principato stepped down in July.
“When ACI-NA undertook the search for a new CEO, our priority was finding a dynamic, visionary individual who could lead us confidently toward our goals,” says ACI-NA chairman, Mark Reis.
Kevin comes to ACI-NA after nearly 13 years as the CEO of the American Apparel and Footwear Association, where he succeeded in growing its membership base, its financial position, and its standing on Capitol Hill. His 30-year background in public affairs also includes leading government relations efforts for the Food Distributors International, the American Bakers Association, and the National Association of Broadcasters.
He began his career in 1979 at the Republican National Committee and the Reagan-Bush Presidential Campaign, and later worked
as press secretary to Representative Norm Lent (R-NY). Kevin currently sits on the board of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's National Chamber
Foundation and is a member of the Chamber's Committee of 100. He also serves as chairman of Kids In Distressed Situations (K.I.D.S.) and is a member of various political and trade association CEO groups in the Washington, DC area. Kevin received a master's degree in
public administration from the American University in Washington D.C. He also holds a bachelor's degree from the State University of New York at Brockport.
Says Reis, "Kevin has a great background in government relations, but more importantly he is skilled at seeing the bigger picture – how both industry and non-traditional allies can come together to advance a common cause. Kevin's success as an association manager includes strong financial management, a focus on effective structure and committees, and a dedication to staff development and member support. His most recent experience includes over decade of leadership at an association with many parallels to ours:
- A diverse membership, and a focus on member service, education and support
- A complex legislative and regulatory environment,
- An understanding of global competition, and
- An industry that more and more often recognized the need to look beyond traditional partnerships and work collaboratively to achieve its goals
"We have a great staff which, every day, serve the needs of our members and advocate
tirelessly for our industry. Kevin will bring extraordinary experience and expertise in coalition
building, grassroots outreach and association management that will accelerate our progress and
heighten our achievements," Reis adds. "This is an exciting announcement, and marks the beginning of an exciting time for ACI-NA. I
hope you'll join me in welcoming Kevin and looking forward to our future."
