Burke appointed to the San Jac Board of Trustees
Community leader selected for Position 5
PASADENA, Texas – Chad Burke has been appointed by the San Jacinto College Board of Trustees to fill Trustee Position 5. The Board of Trustees voted on Monday, Nov. 3, to appoint Burke to fill the unexpired portion of the current term for the position vacated by the late John Moon, Jr.
Burke is currently President and CEO of the Economic Alliance Houston Port Region, a position he has held since 2009. In his role, he and the team provide professional economic development services for the businesses and communities surrounding the 25-mile Houston Ship Channel. Since 2009, Burke has directed growth of the organization, tripled the annual budget, and grew membership from 64 to more than 250. He is also responsible for leading public policy, workforce development, and business growth for the organization.
“I am honored to have the opportunity to serve as a San Jacinto College Trustee,” said Burke. “San Jacinto College is a cornerstone in our community, helping students build their futures and training the workforce that drive’s our region’s success. I look forward to working with my fellow board members and San Jacinto College leadership to advance the institution’s mission while supporting our students.”
Burke is active in the region, serving on the boards of the Harris County – Houston Sports Authority, and the Greater Houston Freight Committee. He has past experience serving on the Texas Regional Pathways Network Steering Committee, Southeast Harris County Subregional Study Steering Committee, several TXDOT corridor steering committees, the Gulf Coast Economic Development District, and was a member of the Coastal Texas Study Team.
In 2025, Burke received the Latino Learning Center Humanitarian Award. In 2019, he was recognized as one of the Houston Business Journal’s Most Admired CEO’s, and received the Associated Chemical Industries of Texas Leadership Award and the Texas Economic Development Council Workforce Excellence Award.
Prior to joining the Economic Alliance, Burke was a project manager with the Texas Engineering Extension Service and held similar positions with AgrilLogic, Inc., and Reliant Energy – HL&P.
Burke fills the unexpired term of Position 5, which expires at the June 2027 Board meeting, when the candidate winning the May 2027 election for Position 5 will be sworn in to begin a new six-year term.
Burke holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics from Texas A&M Univeristy. He and his wife, Shannon, live in La Porte. The couple have two adult children. Campbell and his wife Liane have two boys, Bradley and Beauden, and reside in La Porte. Jolie is married to Taylor Gade and they reside in College Station.
Learn more about the San Jacinto College Board of Trustees
About San Jacinto College
Surrounded by monuments of history, evolving industries, maritime enterprises of today,
and the space age of tomorrow, San Jacinto College has served the people of East Harris
County, Texas, since 1961. The College is ranked second in the nation among more than
1,100 community colleges, as designated by the Aspen Institute and was named an Achieving
the Dream Leader College of Distinction in 2020. As a Hispanic-Serving Institution
that spans five campuses, plus an online college, San Jacinto College serves approximately
45,000 credit and non-credit students annually. It offers more than 200 degrees and
certificates across eight major areas of study that put students on a path to transfer
to four-year institutions or enter the workforce. The College is fiscally sound, holding
bond ratings of AA+ by Standard & Poor’s and Aa2 by Moody’s. San Jacinto College is
accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
