Our Team: Ted Burton
Title: Executive Vice President
What I do at EnviroMedia:
I manage public relations and advertising campaigns for our clients and
do a mean karaoke performance of the B-52’s “Love Shack”
at the holiday party.
My life before EnviroMedia, in 50 words or less:
I was born and raised in Austin, which makes me an endangered species.
I graduated from the University of Texas and spent 10 years working in
TV news. I covered the bombing in Oklahoma City of the Alfred P. Murrah
Federal Building in 1995, went fishing with former President Bush and
his son George W. and appeared on “The Maury Povich Show”
to explain my investigation into a bikini maid service (OK, so it’s
not quite Watergate, but it certainly was scandalous). Before EnviroMedia,
I served as Director of Public Relations for Capital Metro, which thankfully
wasn’t scandalous.
I work at EnviroMedia because:
I haven’t made the cut to be the next
“American Idol” (yet) and because I love working for a company
that gives a darn and makes a difference.
The celebrity I admire most is:
Either Al Gore or Cher. Gore for his leadership and vision in fighting global warming. And Cher because she has staying power. I was a fan as a child when she starred with Sonny on the “Sonny and Cher” show and again in the '80s during my college days. I’m hanging on for just one more “Farewell Tour”—I know she has it in her (there have only been three so far).
My most recent “brush with fame” was:
Taking a picture with KFC’s Colonel Sanders on Madison Avenue in
New York City, which is tied with sitting next to the cast of “Friday
Night Lights” at Guero’s (thanks, Angela and Gabriela!).
The issue I’m most passionate about is:
Global warming.
My most memorable moment at EnviroMedia is:
Riding into Times Square waving a Don’t Mess with Texas flag with
a pick-up driving, real-life version of “Large Marge” from
Pee Wee’s Big Adventure.
The accomplishment I’m most proud of at EnviroMedia is:
I’m still employed. Okay, seriously, I’m proud I work for a company that does something every day that makes a difference. It’s a rare and wonderful thing.
If I could be anywhere else at the moment, I would be:
Snow skiing at Heavenly in Lake Tahoe.
If I could be someone (or something) else for a day, I would be:
UT Head Football Coach Mack Brown on Jan. 4, 2006.
If I could enact one new law it would be:
The “Stop Global Warming Now” Act (that probably wouldn’t
be the name), which would mandate immediate and drastic carbon emissions
reductions for industry and require greater fuel efficiency standards
for all new vehicles.
My favorite Web sites are:
This one, of course
NYTimes.com for my environmental and political news, hornfans.com to fulfill
my Longhorn sports addiction and wellsfargo.com to see how much money
I have left.
In my spare time I enjoy:
Running, playing tennis and softball, walking my dogs, seeing movies and
plays, eating slice-and-bake cookies and watching the Longhorns play just
about any sport.
My most impressive “cocktail party line” about myself would
be:
“Have you ever seen me twirl?”