Former XNA board chairman Brian Burke named airport’s general counsel

Arkansas Transportation ReportNorthwest Arkansas

by Jeff Della Rosa ([email protected]) January 12, 2022 12:09 pm 1,812 views 

Northwest Arkansas National Airport (XNA) announced Wednesday (Jan. 12) that Bentonville attorney Brian Burke will be its new general counsel and director of compliance.

Burke, the former chairman of the XNA board of directors, is expected to transition into the new position over the next several months while he winds down his private practice. According to a news release, the solo practitioner is a Bentonville native with more than 25 years of transactional and ligation experience.

Burke earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Central Arkansas and a J.D. from the University of Arkansas School of Law. He’s served as president of the Bentonville Public Schools Foundation Board and was Bentonville representative on the XNA board of directors for more than three years.

“Brian is truly one who can hit the ground running on day one,” XNA CEO Aaron Burkes said. “As a previous member and chair of the board, Brian consistently went above and beyond, generously gave his time, and took a real interest in seeing XNA reach our greatest potential to best serve our region.”

In a board committee meeting in November, Burkes explained his vision for the airport’s senior leadership and noted the general counsel role. The airport has previously used outside legal counsel on contract.

“I am excited to join the outstanding senior leadership team at XNA,” Burke said. “There are a lot of great projects on the horizon at the airport, and I look forward to working on them at the ground level. Serving on the XNA Authority’s board of directors these last few years has been a fantastic experience, and I am grateful to have been able to serve my hometown in a regional capacity.”

According to Alex English, public relations and marketing specialist for XNA, the general counsel position was posted on Nov. 18, and Burke’s last day on the board was Dec. 15. Board member Jim Krall is expected to become acting chairman for the board, but the nominating committee must meet “to formalize the role,” she noted.