About Pete Burton, PE

Pete Burton of Kansas City, Missouri, retired senior associate geotechnical engineer and geotechnical department manager for Burns & McDonnell, earned a bachelor’s degree from Missouri S&T in 1985 and a master’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin in 1987, both in civil engineering. Burton began work as a geotechnical engineer for Burns & McDonnell in 1988 and completed 33 years of service before retirement. He provided support and expertise for all aspects of geotechnical engineering on projects in all the company’s practice areas. His expertise included foundation systems, geotechnical structures and geotechnical site services. Burton provided geotechnical expert witness and legal services and for the last nine years of employment, he was the geotechnical department manager, overseeing geotechnical operations with over 25 direct-report employees. A member of the Burns & McDonnell Principal Group, he provided senior-level leadership and mentorship throughout the company, authored and co-authored technical papers for publication in journals and conference proceedings and provided presentations at associated conferences. He has prepared and provided presentations for undergraduate and graduate classes, seminars and ASCE chapters at several regional universities and the KC ASCE Geo-Institute chapter. As a student, Burton played on the rugby team and played classic rock-n-roll on Friday afternoons as a DJ for KMNR radio station. He holds several positions at Stilwill United Methodist Church. Burton and his wife, Cindy, a 1984 S&T chemical engineering graduate, have two daughters, Rachel and Anna. He enjoys skiing, hiking, camping, canoeing, playing pinball and darts, and good beer.