Friends and fans of Raymond Burns use descriptors like "consensus seeker," "steady," "a regional thinker," "good citizen" and "shepherd."
"What really shows how important he is is how much other people seek his counsel," says Mike Watts, chief executive officer of FM Corp., a Rogers-based maker of structural foam parts. "Whether that's someone wanting to run for office, or someone at another chamber -- he's really a non-elected political figure in many ways."
"He's not looking to change my mind, he's looking to hear my mind," adds Erin Kiefer, president and chief executive of Assembled Products Corp., founded in Rogers in 1983 and creator of the world's first electric shopping cart. "He's a good listener."
Burns, president and CEO of the Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce, is this year's recipient of the Rogers (Noon) Rotary Club's Dick Daniel Distinguished Citizen Award. Now in its seventh year, it was created to honor Dick Daniel, a longtime president of Daisy Manufacturing, past president of the Rogers Chamber of Commerce, a board member of Arvest Bank for 30 years and a board member of CEI Engineering in Bentonville for many years. The award seeks nominees that meet three specific criteria:
• Demonstrated excellence, creativity and initiative in improving the community.
• Provided valuable service by devoting time and energy to improving the quality of life for others in the community.
• And assisted others in developing and utilizing their full leadership potential in the community.
"The Dick Daniel Award was created to recognize somebody who has been significant to the community, who has been a good citizen, and Raymond fits that very well," says Watts, who came to Northwest Arkansas because he was hired by Dick Daniel at Daisy Manufacturing. "He made a heck of a transition from a family business to the Chamber, when the Chamber had had a series of less than desirable leaders. Had they not had that history, I don't know they would have taken a chance on him. But he was and is an excellent choice."
Burns is proud to be a fourth generation "member of Team NWA" with roots in Benton County that go clear back to his birth at the Bentonville hospital. He's lived his whole life here, where his family ran Burns Funeral Homes in Rogers and Bentonville, now Benton County Funeral Home in Rogers.
"Funeral service is a ministry of helping people even in the worst of times," he says. "The influence is a common theme in Rotary and the Chamber: Service and service above self."
Burns left the family business in 1987 and "was serving on the Chamber's Exec Committee and Board," he remembers. "Several at the Chamber pointed out that I was made for the [CEO] job, so I took it for three years as a temp Economic Development job. I guess I forgot to leave."
As for Rotary, Burns says he was "immediate past chairman of Rogers Lions Club as I started the Chamber job. I had several visits over six weeks from members of Rotary that started out, 'You know, Raymond, Rotary founded the Chamber in 1922. You should belong to Rotary.' That included Dick Daniel.
"After three visits, I got the message and have been a member every since. The Rotary Four-Way Test and the motto 'Service Above Self' have been a great fit."
Burns says over the years, a weekly meeting of Rotary Club of Rogers "has often resembled a Chamber Board meeting and numerous past chairs have served as Rotary president."
"Both organizations strive for a better community that only happens through engagement and involvement," he explains. "Rotary scholarships and the Chamber's Community Based Scholarship Program are two programs that look to future leadership. Rotary's history of community involvement and service above self is an excellent training ground for future leaders. Overall the idea of developing future leaders is something that I believe Rotary and the Chamber do well, and we both need to do more of."
Asked how Rotary stays relevant in a digital world, Burns says, "I think a millennial and a Gen Xer see the idea of gathering two different ways. One is in person, and one is virtually. Both are right and both need to be accepted and validated as a face-to-face meeting. I struggle with that concept but accept it as the future.
"The value of meeting in person makes communication personal, therefore accountable," he adds. "A tweet or a post don't have the same consequences or effectiveness as an eyeball-to-eyeball, face-to-face, in-person dialogue. It's hard to look someone in the eye and be disrespectful."
He particularly wants young people to consider giving back to their communities through organizations like Rotary.
"Your community is the thing that provides the quality of life you enjoy and the living you make," he says. "The community is the reason you are here or your employer is here. No matter what or how you choose to give back, you have that obligation. Pay it back or pay it forward. Participate! In Rotary, your church, school, neighborhood, favorite not-for-profit -- pick one and give back so you can leave the community you so enjoy a little bit better that you found it.
"The most amazing thing about this career is that I have enjoyed and really looked forward to every single day is I get to come to work here," he goes on. "Over 10,000 times I have started my day with the Chamber, I have not regretted one moment. It's my life and my hobby, it's where my heart is, and the biggest challenge for me looking forward is after all these years, and given all the change we have seen over 35 years, is how do I make sure that the next person in this seat sees the Chamber and that the community and region see the Chamber as both relevant and, most importantly, necessary.
"This is our 100th year as a Chamber. The focus is making sure the next 100 are even better. For me personally, if I am healthy, relevant, and necessary I plan to stay a few more years -- unless they lock me out or carry me out, This is better than golf, and I get to travel all I want to, so I will continue to serve as long as I contribute in a positive way."
As for the Dick Daniel Award, Burns says he could not have been more surprised.
"I've been a part of this award from the beginning, serving as master of ceremonies five of six times. It is the thrill of my year when I get to study, learn about, and tell the story of some really great influencers of our community," he says. "I'm really the person more comfortable on the giving side not the receiving side. It's uncomfortable, but a huge honor to be given an award whose namesake is Dick Daniel. Yes, I was totally surprised. I missed a meeting!"
"Raymond Burns is an influencer, he's my friend, and he deserves recognition for all the things he's done to make Rogers and Northwest Arkansas what it is today," says Dick Trammel, a business icon in the region and the state who received the second Dick Daniel Distinguished Citizen Award after only Daniel himself. "He generates good things for the community."
Raymond Burns poses for a portrait, Friday, July 1, 2022 at the Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce in Rogers. Visit nwaonline.com/220702Daily/ for today's photo gallery. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Charlie Kaijo)
Raymond Burns poses for a portrait, Friday, July 1, 2022 at the Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce in Rogers. Visit nwaonline.com/220702Daily/ for today's photo gallery. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Charlie Kaijo)