Bob Burleson spent more than 40 years in the transportation construction industry. From 1970 to 1988, as a top executive with the Wiley N. Jackson Company in Virginia, he played a key role in the company’s growth.
In 1989, he became chief executive at the Florida Transportation Builders’ Association (FTBA) as it faced serious fiscal challenges. In less than seven years, he returned FTBA to strong fiscal health and retired its building mortgage—23 years early.
Consistent with FTBA’s advocacy mission, Burleson led hard-fought legislative victories for the industry. In 1999, he helped secure the largest funding increase for transportation in Florida history. He championed legislation that doubled fines for motorists in construction zones. He helped create the “Stop Highway Robbery” campaign to prevent legislative sweeps of the state’s transportation trust fund. And in 2010, he helped marshal industry opposition and secured a veto by Gov. Charlie Crist that stopped a raid on state transportation funds.
