Advisory Board Bio – Bob Burns

Bob Burns was born and raised in North Philadelphia, PA. Upon graduation, Burns enlisted in the US Air Force where he, his wife Deborah and their young son Robert Jr. traveled while living on many air force bases throughout the U.S. and internationally. Burns has always had a knack for the arts and developed a hobby of photography, which he used to pass the time in the military.

After four years of service in the Air Force, Burns returned to Philadelphia. While trying to make ends meet he began to make his own furniture with the wood working skills he’d developed through school and part time jobs. With photos taken of this furniture, Burns created a portfolio which gained him acceptance to the Philadelphia College of Art (PCA) where he spent four years as a Furniture/Industrial Design major with a minor in structures & construction.

Burns decided to use his independent thinking and leadership skills to start his own business, Burns Construction Company, in 1987. After three years he found that starting his own business was much tougher than he thought. While evaluating the decision to continue with his own business, he was offered a position as Project Manager in Florida. Burns moved his family to Florida and began working for Wade Development. He gained experience working with the owner of the company during his first major project back in Philadelphia.

After four years in Corporate America, Burns felt as if he had reached the glass ceiling and decided give entrepreneurship another try. He opened RL Burns Inc., a general construction/ construction management firm in 1994, founded on the mission to provide quality construction for his clients and end-users. In March 2008, R L Burns Inc. celebrated its 14th Anniversary with the Grand Opening of their new Corporate Office. This long time dream was a project designed and built by Burns and allowed him to revisit his first love of wood working and furniture design. Today, Burns is an active board member of the Executive Board of The Central Florida Council for Boy Scouts of America, and the Selective Service Board.