A Remarkable Moment
Bio: Charles Burke, recently appointed President & CEO of Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, previously served as President and CEO of The War Memorial in Grosse Pointe Farms, a waterfront cultural campus that curates experiences focusing on arts, culture, film, patriotism, community connectivity, and leadership. The Washington, D.C., metropolitan region native is passionate about providing unfettered accessibility to the arts for all, spent a significant portion of his career as both an executive and orchestral conductor for the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and is recognized for his leadership and commitment toward healthy, connected communities.
Charles holds degrees from George Mason University and West Virginia University, received executive leadership training at Harvard Business School and Columbia College, is a Leadership Detroit XXXV graduate, and enjoys many volunteer roles. He began his service-based career as a public school music teacher in Fairfax County, Virginia, and was nominated for the National Sallie Mae First Class Teaching Award. A later International Network of Schools Community Partnership Award nomination lauded his collaborative work between the DSO and Detroit School of Arts.