Though Tim Burns was born on
born April 1, 1957, his work ethic belies any notion of an April Fool's prank. A
New Orleans native, Burns embraced academia with a passionate zeal, attending
Tulane University and receiving a B.A. in economics (1979), an M.B.A. in
accounting (1980), and a J.D. (1983). He passed the C.P.A. exam in 1982 while
still in law school.
Following graduation from
law school in 1983, he worked for the New Orleans boutique corporate and tax law
firm Baldwin and Haspel. In 1986, he was recruited by Freeport-McMoRan for their
corporate legal department and later became the company's assistant director of
State Governmental Affairs. Burns moved to Baton Rouge in 1990 and then to
Mandeville in 1993. In 1996, he became a consultant to Freeport-McMoRan and
began practicing corporate law again with the law firm of Staines & Eppling in
Metairie.
In 2003, Burns ran for the Louisiana House of
Representatives and received over 48 percent of the vote in the first primary
against four opponents. The second-place finisher subsequently withdrew. While
in the legislature, he has distinguished himself in the areas of smart growth
and tax reform. Honors bestowed by the American Planning Association point to
Burns' efforts to facilitate smart growth. The St. Tammany Economic Development
Foundation recognized him for his efforts to retain SCP Pool, a rapidly growing
Fortune 500 company headquarters located on the north shore of Lake Ponchartrain.
A student of the self-help
genre, Burns draws on personal experiences, real-life examples, and observations
for Midlife Tune-Up: Six Simple Steps. Recounting events in his
life that were tilted out of balance, he shares his “never say die” attitude and
the concrete practices that got him through his midlife confusion. His three
previously published works are Entrepreneurship.com, Developing a
Value Added Consulting Practice, and Break the Curve—The Entrepreneur's
Blueprint for Small Business Success.
Burns is currently vice president and general counsel for
a New Orleans-area marine transportation company based in Mandeville, Louisiana,
and a part-time instructor at Tulane University. He is a member of the National
Speakers Association and a frequent seminar presenter. He and his wife, Karen,
reside in Mandeville, Louisiana.