MIKE BURNS

I grew up a Texas boy with no military family history. I was presented with an opportunity to attend a historic military high school. This decision, even though it was made with little information, presented me with opportunities , connections and insights that would become the foundation of a life full of unknowns, excitement and memories.

While in high school, I had a mentor tell me that I should look into a military college in NY called West Point . I visited and fell in love with the uniforms and rich history. Over a stressful, yet impactful 4 year journey, I learned what it meant to be a leader of character with a strong ethical and moral compass.

Post West Point, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do in the Army, but thought flying would be incredibly interesting. While in flight school, I stood with my roommates and, on our 42 inch TV, watched 2 commercial planes fly into the Twin Towers. At that moment, I knew that life would never be the same and war was in my certain future.

I spent the first years of my military career flying Apache helicopters and leading Soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq. These experiences showed me the power of team and the ability to accomplish remarkable and difficult tasks by leveraging individual differences. My appreciation for diversity was born.

7 years into my Army career, I was asked by West Point to come help diversify its student body, but before I reported, I had the opportunity to get a secondary degree from an institution of my choice. Without hesitation, I selected Notre Dame and spent 2 wonderful years cheering on the Irish and getting my MBA.

Serving as the Head of Diversity Admissions and Enrollment for West Point was one of the most impactful jobs in my professional career. In this role and with a great team, I spearheaded and developed initiatives that produced, at that time, the most ethnically diverse class in West Point's 200 year history.

After 13 years of military service, I decided to separate from the Army and venture down the road of entrepreneurship. I helped build the company AnesthesiaOS and served as the Chief Operating Officer. Through hard work, creativity and diligence, we were able to build an organization that was named the Dell Healthcare Start-Up of the Year.

Although my first dive into entrepreneurship was an amazing and anchoring learning experience, I could not pass on the chance to enter back into the world of diversity. I immediately jumped when presented with the opportunity to change the face of financial services as the Head of Diversity for all of the Wall Street businesses of the global bank, Citi Group.

Educating youth on the "power of possibility" has always been a important life pillar. In 2015, I was blessed with the opportunity to build a special concept with my brother and childhood friends. ICON Talks was founded on the principal that an icon is someone who inspires not only through their innate talents, but also by manifesting their purpose and passion through how they live their life and touch the lives of others.

In mid-June 2017, I received an email from Conduent, a large digital interactions company with 80K employees over 20 countries, asking if I would be interested in helping them build out their diversity and inclusion office. I initially entered the organization as the Chief Diversity Officer, was asked to be the Chief of Staff to the CEO and now run their largest business line of 25K employees as the Global Head of End User Experience.

In 2018, the the roads of business, diversity and entrepreneurship converged and I started a jewelry company that specialized in custom engagement rings for the men and women of the military. The company quickly grew and expanded outside of just rings. It is now a social and business vehicle to tell the stories of those who serve (military, firefighters, police, first responders, etc) through beautifully designed jewelry.

I truly believe that my success is a direct reflection of my ability to not only stay true to myself, but more importantly leverage WHO I am. Along the way, I have watched many talented people not reach their potential because they have been told, or believe, that who they are is not enough. My goal is to change that mindset through coaching.

Complacency is the enemy of progress. I must continue to push my learning boundaries. The Hogan Personality Inventory helps employers better understand how employees will perform when they are at their best. Having this certification makes me a more informed, insightful and impactful coach.