Spotlight on:
Council Chair John Burke, President, Trek Bicycle Corporation

John Burke has devoted much of his time to moving the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports forward since being sworn in as a member in 2002, and continuing on through his service as Chair (beginning in 2006).  In addition to his role as president of Trek, Mr. Burke looks after his own health through regular physical activity both on and off the bike. 

PCPFSNews: What do you feel are the top three successes of this Council to date and why?

JB: This Council has had some great success. My top three are:
1.) The creation and launch of the National President’s Challenge
2.) The Lifetime Achievement Awards
3.) The Council’s effort to “sound the alarm” on the health crisis that exists in America.

Last March, we had over 80,000 people sign up for the first ever National President’s Challenge. I hope that in the years to come this program will grow and when we look back ten years from now millions of people will have participated in this program. I also think that the Council succeeded by creating the Lifetime Achievement Awards. So many great Americans have dedicated their lives to making Americans healthy. People like Ken Cooper and Jack LaLanne to name a few have made an impact on millions of lives and I think that the establishment of this award gives credit where credit is due. Lastly, this Council has done a great job sounding the alarm. When President Eisenhower created the Council back in the 50’s he wanted to draw attention to the low levels of fitness among American children compared to their European counterparts. If the fitness level in America was a problem in the fifties, it is a crisis today. We have some great Council Members who put in a lot of time and effort to help spread the word.

PCPFSNews: Obesity rates have risen and people remain sedentary (or fail to engage in enough physical activity to attain health benefits). As a business man, is there anything you suggest the public or private sectors focus on to help improve participation in physical activity and decrease overweight and obesity (that may be a break from how these things traditionally have been addressed)?

JB: Great question. My work on the Council helped increase my awareness of what I could be doing for my employees.  Businesses in America can make a difference in short order. Two years ago we had one of our best workers at Trek die at the age of 46. He left behind a wonderful wife and two great kids. Obesity was listed as the cause of death on the death certificate. A few months later the husband of one of our best employees had a stroke at the age of 48. He will never be the same. He had high blood pressure, was overweight and never did anything about it. Last January, I addressed all of our employees and shared these stories.  Trek started a campaign to improve our company’s physical health with mandatory health risk assessments, nutrition classes, optional fitness classes, and the list goes on. Our cafeteria was great, but we made it even better by lowering the prices of all healthy foods and increasing the prices on or eliminating the bad foods. We have made a difference, we have changed lives. For the past five years, the increase in our health insurance averaged 14%. This year the number is 4% because all of our health numbers at Trek are significantly better. Companies have a lot of influence and should use it!

PCPFSNews:  Speaking of your work at Trek.  Do you have a Trek bike of which you are most proud?

JB: My dad started Trek.  When it was just a small company he always dreamed that Trek would sell 100,000 bikes in a single year. In 1987 the company was not doing so well and he put me in charge of sales and marketing for the company at the age of 24. We had a great team of people and we turned the sales around in a hurry. In 1989 we sold just over 100,000 bikes. For giving me the chance, I presented, as a gift to my father, the bike that put us over the 100,000 mark. He passed away in March and I will always remember that bike.

PCPFS News:  On to your active pursuits.  What do you like most about the triathlon?

JB: Other than getting to eat what I want on race day, since I’m a very slow swimmer and a pretty good biker, it has to be the start of the bike. I pass a lot of people and that feels really good.

PCPFSNews: Best race?

JB: The best triathlon is the Ironman Wisconsin. I have done it twice and it is amazing. The swim in Lake Monona is absolutely beautiful right next to the city skyline. I love the bike course. Up and down, up and down. The run through the city and the University is great.

PCPFSNews:  I'd guess your service with the Council isn't the first time you've been to Washington? Is there anything associated with your work on the Council that has left a lasting impression?

JB: The people. I have served on the Council since 2002.  I appreciate the great work of all of our members. The energy of Denise Austin is something I will not forget. Charlie Moore.... how often do you get to work with a guy who won a gold medal in Helsinki in 1956? Dr. Dot Richardson, who won two gold medals. I played softball in grade school.  I am not sure that we won two games, let alone two gold medals. I was lucky enough to meet the President a few times. A great person, he is probably our most fit President in history. He put time and effort into the Council. Whenever I asked him for help he always came through.

PCPFSNews: Where will you be July 4, 2009?

JB: I will be in France for the Tour. Trek has been lucky enough to win eight Tour De France titles and I hope this summer we see number 9.