Jack Burkman

Commission Vice President

Jack Burkman was elected to the Port of Vancouver Board of Commissioners in 2019. Burkman has lived in Vancouver for over 35 years and holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Montana State University. He retired from Hewlett Packard after a 28-year career where he was a R&D manager leading development and commercialization of new technology and products for global markets.

For over three decades, Burkman has been active in the Clark County community. In addition to three terms as a Vancouver Councilmember and 10 years as a Clark College Trustee, he has served on numerous public and non-profit agency boards.  These include the Regional Transportation Council, C-Tran, Portland Metro’s Joint Policy Advisory Committee on Transportation, Fort Vancouver Regional Library, League of United Latin American Citizens, and the YWCA Clark County.

Burkman and his wife of 46 years, Sherry, have three adult children and seven grandchildren. They were both raised in western Montana where they developed a love of nature and the environment. He is an avid bird photographer and enjoys spending time in the beautiful Pacific Northwest.

Burkman supports creating additional family wage jobs in Southwest Washington, improving freight mobility efficiencies, and developing a skilled workforce in the Greater Vancouver community. He also promotes continued transparency, community involvement, and fiscal responsibility at the port. Burkman represents the Port of Vancouver’s District 3 and his current term expires December 31, 2025.