Representatives

Ken Burke serves as the Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller for Pinellas County, Florida. Growing up in Pinellas, attending high school and college locally, plus experience as a CPA, a law firm administrator and college board chairman, Ken’s credentials are well matched to the duties of the Clerk’s office. In November 2004, Pinellas County voters recognized Ken’s long list of qualifications and elected him to serve as the Clerk. He was sworn in on January 4, 2005 and was re-elected without opposition in 2008, 2012 and again in 2016.

Appointed by Governor Jeb Bush in 1999 and reappointed by Governor Charlie Crist, Ken Burke has also served on the Board of Trustees of St. Petersburg College. Ken was also elected to the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) Board of Directors in 2001. In 2005-07 he served as Chair of the Association.

Ken Burke served as president of Catholic Charities Housing Corporation for the diocese of St. Petersburg and on the Board of Governors of Catholic Charities. His community named Ken “Mr. Seminole” in 1999 in recognition of his civic contribution.

In June 2011, Ken was elected to serve as President of the Florida Association of Court Clerks and Comptrollers, a non-profit, statewide organization. The Association is comprised of the Florida Clerks of the Circuit Court and Comptrollers, and provides education and accreditation for Clerks of the Circuit Court and Comptrollers, information and technical assistance to local governments.

His long record of civic involvement includes serving as:

• President of the Suncoast Tiger Bay Club
• Government chairman for the All Children’s Hospital Development Council
• President of the Kiwanis Club of Seminole
• President of the St. Petersburg Jr. College Alumni Association
• President of the Florida Association of Court Clerks and Comptrollers

He and his wife, Cecilia (Reese), have three children – Catherine, Patrick and Brendan.

Since assuming office, Ken has been elected by his fellow clerks to the statewide Clerks of Court Operations Corporation (CCOC), which is the board created by the Legislature to approve the Clerks’ court related budget. Chief Justice Pariente invited Ken to participate in the Florida Supreme Court’s "Access to Justice" to improve access to the courts by pro se litigants; and to serve on a committee to review the Supreme Court’s judicial plan. Ken was appointed to the Florida Supreme Court’s Standing Committee on Fairness and Diversity. Furthermore, Ken serves as the Chairman of the Legislative Committee of the Florida Government Finance Officers Association (FGFOA) and as a Member of the Board of Directors of the National Association of Court Clerks, County Records & Election Officials (NACRC). Most recently, he was appointed by Governor Rick Scott to the Higher Education Coordinating Council.

The Clerk of the Circuit and County Courts is a Constitutional Officer who derives authority and responsibility from constitutional and statutory provisions. The Clerk is elected to serve a four-year term by the voters of Pinellas County. The Clerk of the Circuit Court manages all courthouse records, a local budget of approximately $43 million and about 550 employees.