It's been an interesting couple of years for M. Anthony Burns, chairman, president and CEO of Ryder Systems Inc., the trucking services company based in Miami, Fla.
Two years ago this week Hurricane Andrew blew through Burns' home, taking the contents of the house with it. But that was the least of his worries. As bishop of his LDS ward (the chapel was destroyed), chairman of the local United Way and a director of the American Red Cross, Burns had more than just his own property to worry about.Then there's the spate of random and highly publicized murders in Florida that has given Burns' home state the image of a frontier territory where survival depends on a quick draw and a steady aim. This is not the kind of public relations that the head of a $5 billion (in assets) corporation likes to have for its home base.
Finally, there is the little matter of the "boatpeople," Haitian and Cuban refugees who have set sail to Florida on makeshift rafts declaring "Miami Or Bust" - missions that have made Burns and Ryder's home city appear to be under invasion.
Kind of makes Salt Lake City's hot weather and traffic jams on I-15 seem picayunish by comparison.
But Tony Burns just laughs when it is pointed out that he seems to be living and working at ground zero, disasterwise. He offers the view that we of the news media tend to blow things just a wee bit out of proportion. Besides, Tony is one of those people who view the garbage thrown their way as an opportunity to open a recycling plant.
Burns came to town for a directors meeting Ryder held Friday in Park City, where he and his wife, Joyce (a native of Heber City; her family name is Jordan as in Jordanelle Reservoir), have a condominium. He is also here to support the Franklin Quest Championship senior citizen golf tournament at Park Meadows, for which Ryder is a founders sponsor. Burns was scheduled to play in Wednesday's pro-am with Gov. Mike Leavitt.
A native of Mesquite, Nev., where his mother still resides, Burns attended Dixie College on a baseball scholarship and graduated from Brigham Young University, from where two of his children also graduated.
But Miami is now home, and he defends the city vigorously. "It's a good place to live. The weather is great, the commute is good and we have a very high-quality work force, almost half of which is Spanish speaking."
While some view the "immigrant problem" as a negative for Miami, Burns is not one of them. "Our diversity is one of our greatest strengths. I am very much pro-immigration. This is a great country, and we have plenty to share with everyone. The U.S. is founded on open immigration."
As for the much-publicized crime rate, Burns notes that every big city has crime. "It's a much better place to live than its public perception," he said.
As for Hurricane Andrew, Burns is amazed at how quickly Miami has bounced back from the devastation, but the memory of that night remains fresh in his mind.
"The eye of the hurricane came right over us; it destroyed nearly every house in our ward, including mine. But there was, amazingly, little injury and loss of life." Burns and other Ryder executives worked through to Thanksgiving helping the area recover.
"It taught us you don't have to wear a suit and tie to work," he quipped.
Although remnants of Andrew remain, Burns said the area has bounced back remarkably quickly. "We've rebuilt and are back as good as new. The rest of the community is coming back as well."