Burrows – A Public Servant

Ron Burrows asks for the public’s consideration in voting him District 3 Rogers County Commissioner.

Ron Burrows is in the running for District 3 Rogers County Commissioner.

A public servant: that is what Ron Burrows has worked towards all of his adult working life. Therefore, his recent decision to run for the position of District 3 Rogers County Commissioner seems a natural one.
“I view all my job experience as being some sort of public service,” says Burrows, who is running for public office for the first time. “A commissioner is the highest level of public service in the community.”
Burrows’ campaign will emphasize his 30-plus year work history, experience that has given him a solid background in budget processes and team leadership. For the past five years, Burrows has served as the general manager of the Claremore Expo Center, which has seen much growth and improvement under his leadership. “During this time, the number of event days has increased by about 100 days per year, but our staff has stayed the same,” says Burrows. “We’ve managed to keep up with the growth by developing better processes and procedures and working smarter.”  Also, the Expo RV Park has doubled its revenues under his management.
Burrows began researching the responsibilities of a county commissioner, attending meetings and analyzing what he saw and heard there. When he learned that commissioners are basically “budgeters,” as he describes it, overseeing the budgets of county road construction and maintenance, the county courthouse, and some aspects of law enforcement budgets, he thought, “I can do this!”
Burrows draws his confidence from his work history spanning three decades. Burrows served in the Army National Guard in the 144th Medical Evacuation Hospital through most of the 1980s. His years in the construction industry were mostly spent working for Jones Excavating and Wadsworth Construction building bridges and roads. This experience would be a valuable asset to the county commissioner’s office. “That experience gave me the opportunity to operate many different pieces of heavy equipment and taught me the value of a good maintenance program for every piece of equipment,” he says. “It’s no secret that equipment that is well maintained will pay for itself over and over.”
After working in construction for 11 years, Burrows entered the retail sector, and worked for 18 years in management for Kmart and Lowes. It was during this time that he learned to work with large budgets. These stores could generate income ranging from $15 million annually in the smallest store to $60 million in the largest store. In addition, he managed between 75 and 200 employees at various stores, depending on each individual store’s sales volume.
“I have a lot of experience working with large budgets, as well as adhering to those budgets and being held accountable if I didn’t. If I am elected Rogers County Commissioner, I intend to use that experience to make sure the citizens of Rogers County get the most from their tax dollars.”
For Burrows, filling the office of Rogers County Commissioner would not only be an extension of his career, but would reflect his love of community as well. “Over the years, I have been involved in clubs and community projects because I feel I have an impact on the community. I like working with groups of people who make a difference,” says Burrows, who is a member of numerous organizations including the Rogers County Fair Board, Claremore Convention & Visitors Bureau, Claremore Reveille Rotary, and Leadership Rogers County. He has also served on the boards of Will Rogers Round-up Club and Big Brothers and Big Sisters. “If you get involved, you have a say on how you can make a difference.”
Burrows describes his platform as including “a focus on public safety, working in harmony with all entities throughout Rogers County to better serve its citizens, and most importantly, fiscal and budget responsibility.” He hopes that the citizens of Rogers County will favorably review his work and community service history and consider him for District 3 Rogers County Commissioner, a position currently held by Kirt Thacker. “I have a very blessed life and career. I am a hard worker and have had the opportunity to work with a lot of great people. When you surround yourself with good people, it’s amazing what you can do.” Like us on Facebook at Ron Burrows for Rogers County Commissioner.

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Ron Burrows

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