Henry Burns
Encyclopedia
Henry Lee Burns is a freshman Republican
member of the Louisiana House of Representatives
from District 9 in Bossier Parish
in northwestern Louisiana
. He also owns and operates the Wooden Spoon bakery
in Bossier City
and is a thoroughbred
owner and breeder. A former member of the Bossier Parish School Board and well-known area raconteur, Burns often lectures at public schools on the keys to success in life, with emphasis on perseverance.
Until the latter 1980s, Burns was an independent petroleum
and natural gas
operator. When the business failed, he launched his bakery despite the odds against success and his having to learn the business from scratch. "I went from crude oil to Crisco
oil," Burns said, noting that his accountant
, bankers, and attorney
told him that he had too much debt for his venture to succeed. Nevertheless, the Wooden Spoon had some success: "No one knew I was down and out because I had a smile on my face and never stopped." Burns said that the bakery succeeded because "people respond to cookies . . . [as] a reminder of their childhood."
Burns received his bachelor of arts
degree in upper elementary education from Northwestern State University
in Natchitoches
and his Master of Arts
in education administration from Pepperdine University
, a Churches of Christ institution in Malibu, California
.
Burns retired from the United States Army
, with the rank of lieutenant colonel
and was commissioned as a 2nd Lt. in the US Army by Congressman Joe D. Waggonner on the steps of the US Capital.
From 1971-1974 he earned his military branch assignment at Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Maryland as an Ordinance Officer with a specialty as an EOD Explosive ordinance disposal, i.e. “Bomb Squad” and remained in Maryland as an instructor with the US Navy station. There he taught joint service personnel, allied forces, NATO Forces, foreign national, FBI and CIA officers ranging from subjects on military munitions, clandestine devices, embassy and Presidential security and special weapons. There he also received the Navy Commendation Medal. In 1974-1977 Burns transferred to Hawaii as a special weapons officer and served as a Branch Chief and received the Army Commander Medal. In 1978-1979 he joined the Army Reserves in Livonia, Michigan and served as a Prisoner of War Camp Company Commander and in 1979-1997 he served in the 4th Bde, 95th Division and 4158th USAR School.
Burns was activated in 1987 and 1989 to serve as the Ops Officer for Lone Ironman I and II. This was a real world test to verify readiness training and was conducted at Fort Polk
near Leesville
, Louisiana. Burns also received the Meritorious Service Medal which was the highest peacetime medal for duty performance.
As a Democrat
, Burns served fifteen years on the school board. In 1998, he ran third as a Democrat in the jungle primary
race for Bossier Parish property tax assessor
; the victor in the ensuing general election
was Republican Bobby W. Edmiston.
Burns switched parties in 2006 and entered the legislative race vacated by the term-limited Billy Montgomery
, who ran instead, unsuccessfully, for the Louisiana State Senate
, having lost to former State Representative B.L. "Buddy" Shaw of Shreveport
. Burns won Montgomery's House seat by eighty-seven votes in the jungle primary held on October 20, 2007. In the GOP
-oriented district, Burns defeated fellow Republican Richey Jackson, also of Haughton
and an employee of the Bossier-Webster
District Attorney's office, 5,225 (50.4 percent) to 5,138 (49.6 percent).
Burns is a member of these committees: (1) Agriculture, Forestry, Aquaculture and Rural Development; (2) Natural Resources and Environment; and (3) Transportation, Highways and Public Works. He is also affiliated with the Louisiana Rural
Caucus
.
In addition to Henry Burns, a second "Burns" serves in the Louisiana House, Republican Timothy G. "Tim" Burns
, a tax attorney from Mandeville
in St. Tammany Parish
in the New Orleans
suburbs.
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
member of the Louisiana House of Representatives
Louisiana State Legislature
The Louisiana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana Senate with 39 senators...
from District 9 in Bossier Parish
Bossier Parish, Louisiana
Bossier Parish is named for Pierre Bossier, a 19th-century Louisiana state senator and U.S. representative from Natchitoches Parish.Bossier Parish was spared fighting on its soil during the American Civil War...
in northwestern Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
. He also owns and operates the Wooden Spoon bakery
Bakery
A bakery is an establishment which produces and sells flour-based food baked in an oven such as bread, cakes, pastries and pies. Some retail bakeries are also cafés, serving coffee and tea to customers who wish to consume the baked goods on the premises.-See also:*Baker*Cake...
in Bossier City
Bossier City, Louisiana
Bossier City is a city in Bossier Parish, Louisiana, United States.As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total population of 61,315. Bossier City is closely tied to its larger sister city Shreveport, located on the western bank of the Red River. The Shreveport-Bossier City metropolitan area is the...
and is a thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
owner and breeder. A former member of the Bossier Parish School Board and well-known area raconteur, Burns often lectures at public schools on the keys to success in life, with emphasis on perseverance.
Until the latter 1980s, Burns was an independent petroleum
Petroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
and natural gas
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
operator. When the business failed, he launched his bakery despite the odds against success and his having to learn the business from scratch. "I went from crude oil to Crisco
Crisco
Crisco is a brand of shortening produced by the J. M. Smucker Co. popular in the United States. Introduced in June 1911 by Procter & Gamble, it was the first shortening to be made entirely of vegetable oil...
oil," Burns said, noting that his accountant
Accountant
An accountant is a practitioner of accountancy or accounting , which is the measurement, disclosure or provision of assurance about financial information that helps managers, investors, tax authorities and others make decisions about allocating resources.The Big Four auditors are the largest...
, bankers, and attorney
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
told him that he had too much debt for his venture to succeed. Nevertheless, the Wooden Spoon had some success: "No one knew I was down and out because I had a smile on my face and never stopped." Burns said that the bakery succeeded because "people respond to cookies . . . [as] a reminder of their childhood."
Burns received his bachelor of arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in upper elementary education from Northwestern State University
Northwestern State University
Northwestern State University, known as NSU, is a four-year public university primarily situated in Natchitoches, Louisiana, with a nursing campus in Shreveport and general campuses in Leesville/Fort Polk and Alexandria. It is a part of the University of Louisiana System.NSU was founded in 1884 as...
in Natchitoches
Natchitoches, Louisiana
Natchitoches is a city in and the parish seat of Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, United States. Established in 1714 by Louis Juchereau de St. Denis as part of French Louisiana, the community was named after the Natchitoches Indian tribe. The City of Natchitoches was first incorporated on February...
and his Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in education administration from Pepperdine University
Pepperdine University
Pepperdine University is an independent, private, medium-sized university affiliated with the Churches of Christ. The university's campus overlooking the Pacific Ocean in unincorporated Los Angeles County, California, United States, near Malibu, is the location for Seaver College, the School of...
, a Churches of Christ institution in Malibu, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
Burns retired from the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
, with the rank of lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of major and just below the rank of colonel. It is equivalent to the naval rank of commander in the other uniformed services.The pay...
and was commissioned as a 2nd Lt. in the US Army by Congressman Joe D. Waggonner on the steps of the US Capital.
From 1971-1974 he earned his military branch assignment at Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Maryland as an Ordinance Officer with a specialty as an EOD Explosive ordinance disposal, i.e. “Bomb Squad” and remained in Maryland as an instructor with the US Navy station. There he taught joint service personnel, allied forces, NATO Forces, foreign national, FBI and CIA officers ranging from subjects on military munitions, clandestine devices, embassy and Presidential security and special weapons. There he also received the Navy Commendation Medal. In 1974-1977 Burns transferred to Hawaii as a special weapons officer and served as a Branch Chief and received the Army Commander Medal. In 1978-1979 he joined the Army Reserves in Livonia, Michigan and served as a Prisoner of War Camp Company Commander and in 1979-1997 he served in the 4th Bde, 95th Division and 4158th USAR School.
Burns was activated in 1987 and 1989 to serve as the Ops Officer for Lone Ironman I and II. This was a real world test to verify readiness training and was conducted at Fort Polk
Fort Polk
Fort Polk is a United States Army installation located in Vernon Parish, approximately 7 miles east of Leesville, Louisiana and 20 miles north of DeRidder, Louisiana....
near Leesville
Leesville, Louisiana
Leesville is a city in and the parish seat of Vernon Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 6,753 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Fort Polk South Micropolitan Statistical Area. The city is home to the Fort Polk U.S. Army installation...
, Louisiana. Burns also received the Meritorious Service Medal which was the highest peacetime medal for duty performance.
As a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, Burns served fifteen years on the school board. In 1998, he ran third as a Democrat in the jungle primary
Jungle primary
A nonpartisan blanket primary is a primary election in which all candidates for elected office run in the same primary regardless of political party. Under this system, the top two candidates who receive the most votes advance to the next round, as in a runoff election...
race for Bossier Parish property tax assessor
Assessor (property)
An assessor is a specialist who calculates the value of property. The value calculated by the assessor is then used as the basis for determining the amounts to be paid or assessed for tax or insurance purposes....
; the victor in the ensuing general election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
was Republican Bobby W. Edmiston.
Burns switched parties in 2006 and entered the legislative race vacated by the term-limited Billy Montgomery
Billy Montgomery
Billy Wayne Montgomery, often known as Coach Montgomery , is a former educator who represented the Bossier City-based District 9 in the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1988-2008...
, who ran instead, unsuccessfully, for the Louisiana State Senate
Louisiana State Legislature
The Louisiana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana Senate with 39 senators...
, having lost to former State Representative B.L. "Buddy" Shaw of Shreveport
Shreveport, Louisiana
Shreveport is the third largest city in Louisiana. It is the principal city of the fourth largest metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana and is the 109th-largest city in the United States....
. Burns won Montgomery's House seat by eighty-seven votes in the jungle primary held on October 20, 2007. In the GOP
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
-oriented district, Burns defeated fellow Republican Richey Jackson, also of Haughton
Haughton, Louisiana
Haughton is a town in Bossier Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 2,792 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Shreveport–Bossier City Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Haughton is located at ....
and an employee of the Bossier-Webster
Webster Parish, Louisiana
Webster Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The seat of the parish is Minden. In 2010, its population was 41,207....
District Attorney's office, 5,225 (50.4 percent) to 5,138 (49.6 percent).
Burns is a member of these committees: (1) Agriculture, Forestry, Aquaculture and Rural Development; (2) Natural Resources and Environment; and (3) Transportation, Highways and Public Works. He is also affiliated with the Louisiana Rural
Rural
Rural areas or the country or countryside are areas that are not urbanized, though when large areas are described, country towns and smaller cities will be included. They have a low population density, and typically much of the land is devoted to agriculture...
Caucus
Caucus
A caucus is a meeting of supporters or members of a political party or movement, especially in the United States and Canada. As the use of the term has been expanded the exact definition has come to vary among political cultures.-Origin of the term:...
.
In addition to Henry Burns, a second "Burns" serves in the Louisiana House, Republican Timothy G. "Tim" Burns
Timothy Burns (Louisiana politician)
Timothy G. Burns , also known as Tim Burns, is a tax attorney from Mandeville, Louisiana, who is a two-term Republican member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from District 89 in St. Tammany Parish....
, a tax attorney from Mandeville
Mandeville, Louisiana
Mandeville is a city in St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 12,421 in 2008. Mandeville is located on the North Shore of Lake Pontchartrain, south of Interstate 12. It is across the lake from the city of New Orleans and its southshore suburbs...
in St. Tammany Parish
St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana
St. Tammany Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana, in the New Orleans–Metairie–Kenner Metropolitan Statistical Area. The parish seat is Covington....
in the New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
suburbs.