DAVID BURKE, VP AT THE BREAKERS, DIES AT 61
Tourism industry leader David Burke called unforgettable.
David Burke — the longtime vice president of The Breakers Palm Beach, a highly respected leader in the Florida tourism industry — died suddenly Wednesday. He was 61.
Among those who knew him well, Burke was loving, fun and outgoing, always happy to strike up a conversation and laugh, whether he was on the golf course or working in one of his many professional capacities.
“He was one of those few people you meet in your lifetime that you never forget,” said Kenneth Kennerly, executive director of the Honda Classic, who knew Burke for nearly 30 years.
Aside from his 27-year career at The Breakers, Burke served as an ambassador for the Honda Classic, a trusted adviser for Discover the Palm Beaches’ board of directors, the vice chairman of the Palm Beach County Tourist Development Council, a chairman of the Palm Beach County Convention and Visitors Bureau and president of the Florida Restaurant Lodging Association.
He was a giant in the South Florida tourism industry, his friends said.
“He was certainly highly respected,” said Jorge Pesquera, president and CEO of Discover the Palm Beaches. “He’s going to be tremendously missed in the industry.”
Originally from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Burke graduated
from Florida International University with a degree in hospitality management before taking his first job at Boca Raton Resort & Club. Two years later he joined Hyatt, where he oversaw marketing for hotels across the country, including in Maui, Hawaii, Lake Tahoe and San Francisco.
In 1991 he joined The Breakers, where he helped steer the hotel into the 21st century, hiring some of the country’s top talent for positions on his sales and marketing team.
“(He) was one of my closest confidants,” Paul Leone, president of The Breakers, said in an email. “He was a superstar and an intense competitor who never once missed a sales goal or marketing budget in all those years.”
Burke was also competitive on the golf course, where he often played with friends, impressing them with his wit and drawing laughs with his humor. His friends affectionately nicknamed him “Burkie.”
“Burkie was always full of fun. He was an unforgettable kind of character,” said Bryant Gumbel — journalist, broadcaster and the host of HBO’s “Real Sports” — who first met Burke while golfing in Hawaii more than 30 years ago. “He grabbed life, and he enjoyed it.”
Gumbel also said Burke was a dedicated family man, who had just recently taken a cruise with his wife, Amy, to celebrate their 25th anniversary.
“His two boys are a shining example of how good a job he and Amy did,” Gumbel said.
Among his co-workers, he was a respected leader who gave wise counsel. Among others, he was a loyal friend.
“He was larger than life,” said Mark Haisfield, Burke’s friend of 30 years. “A guy that would always do anything for you.”
At the monthly Palm Beach Chamber of Commerce breakfast meeting Thursday, held at The Breakers, the Rev. David Carr, president of Cardinal Newman High School, said he had just seen Burke at a Cardinal Newman football game last week.
“He is in our hearts,” Carr told the room of hundreds. “He is in our prayers.”
In a statement, The Breakers said Burke was “beloved by all who knew him.”
“Dave’s contribution to The Breakers and the industry was immeasurable — we will all miss him,” the statement read.
Burke is survived by his wife, Amy, and his two sons, Matt and Ryan.