Mr. Burkes joined the Northwest Arkansas National Airport in 2018. He currently serves as a member of the Transportation Industry Council for the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis and serves on the board for Arvest Bank of Benton County. He previously served as a member of the Governor’s Cabinet as president of the Arkansas Development Finance Authority. Prior to joining state government, Burkes held senior leadership roles in college administration, regional planning, finance, and real estate development. He is also a former elected State Representative in the Arkansas General Assembly. He has a B.S. from the University of Arkansas, a M.A. in economics from Clemson University and a J.D. from Baylor University. He is a licensed attorney and licensed contractor.