CHARLES BURKE
President and CEO, The War Memorial
A special thank you goes out to Charles for filling in for Chris Pratt who became ill the day before scheduled to speak. When reached at home that night Charles responded, “I will be happy to help you out at the last minute. The relationship of the Men’s Club with the War Memorial is a special one.”
Burke reviewed the impressive improvements to the WM. With the announcement that the War Memorial will be opening November 3 with the first major event being a celebration of Veterans Day, the Club interrupted with spontaneous applause. The Club again interrupted the presentation with applause when Charles announced, “We want you back.”
A Virginia native, Charles received his Bachelor of Music from West Virginia University,’ his Master of Arts from George Mason University and did Doctoral Work in Orchestral Conducting at the University of Michigan. He began his career teaching for five years in Fairfax. He then spent 15 years as the Senior Director of Education & Artistic Director and Conductor of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra Youth Ensembles. During 2013 he served as guest instructor in orchestra directing.
Burke joined the Grosse Pointe War Memorial Association in March of 2014 and is the President and CEO. The War Memorial is a venerable institution with a reenergized determination to emerge as a regional driver of arts, learning, patriotism, hospitality, and connectivity. Located on the grounds of the historic Alger Estate, it offers programs to honor veterans, engagement experiences for adults and children, community events and celebrations, and premier hospitality services. With new programming and innovative leadership, combined with a substantial grant from the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, the Association has embarked on a long–range planning process, PLAN 2025, to revitalize its stance as a unique, dynamic and forward-thinking hub for southeast Michigan.
The WM website is located at
www.warmemorial.org.
Pictured: Irish Music from the Chorus
