Board of Governors: Taylor W. Burks

Taylor W. Burks of Hartsburg, Missouri, is a Navy veteran, logistician, accountant, and executive with experience in health care, higher education, and government operations.

As a lieutenant commander in the Navy and Navy Reserves, Burks gained experience in global, multi-agency logistics, including as chief of operations, director of logistics, and director of strategic planning for multiple commands. He has leveraged that experience in the private sector as well, most recently as the president and general manager of Rost, Incorporated, where he oversaw a parent company with more than 250 employees across seven subsidiaries specializing in outdoor design/build, home services, retail, wholesale, and outdoor entertainment. In government service, Burks previously served as the director of the Missouri Division of Labor Standards, the director of distribution, logistics, and asset management in the University of Missouri System, and as the county clerk of Boone County, Missouri.

An alumnus of the University, Burks graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in justice systems in 2008. He also earned a Master of Arts in administrative leadership and a Master of Accounting from the University of Oklahoma and Washington University in St. Louis.

In the community, Burks has served on numerous boards and commissions, including as president of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Missouri and the Southern Boone YMCA. He is also active with the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #280.

Burks was appointed to the Board in April 2024.