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David Burns
FAMILY:
Married 46 years to Lisa Anne Claussen Burns;
Four grown children, two boys, two girls;
Six grandchildren, with three on the way, two of which are identical twins
OCCUPATION:
1976 BS Engineering, UNLV and 1982 MBA, University of Redlands;
Spent most of my career involved in the development, building, launching satellites. At first working on top-secret satellites during the Cold War and launching them out of Cape Canaveral. Went to work for GE and transitioned into commercial communication satellites. Working extensively throughout Asia and Japan. Later I moved into biological research creating a company involved in the developing sterilization of medical devices and human tissue.
HOW I LIKE TO SPEND MY TIME:
Today I spend most of my time building a house I started just before Covid. Almost 2 years now. I also like to spend time with my kids and grandkids.
FUN TIDBIT(S) ABOUT ME:
I have 11 patents to my name, all in medical device field. I was on the launch pad 40 at Cape Canaveral at the same time the very first space shuttle was rolled out onto pad 39.
I have owned houses and lived in Rancho Cucamonga, California. Pomona, California. Downingtown, Pennsylvania. Doylestown Pennsylvania. Fremont, California. And currently live in Ithaca New York.
Back in the early eighties, Lisa and I had dinner with a Russian couple because the FBI was sure they were trying to recruit me into selling secrets to the Soviet Union.
I was on the UNLV swim team and water polo team in college.
HIGHTLIGHTS OF MY LIFE SINCE HIGH SCHOOL:
Getting married to Lisa. Having four great children. And having nine grandchildren (haven’t met three of them yet).