Patrick Burnett was unanimously appointed to the CAPC at the Feb. 19 meeting, and approved by city council on Feb. 22. Burnett and his wife, Stacey, own Sherwood Court.
Burnett’s experience brings talent to help with challenges currently facing the CAPC. He is a graphic designer, an audio/video engineer, and has served as art director for a large Arkansas advertising agency. “I was spotted by several large advertising agencies and was fortunate to be hired at Cranford Johnson Robinson Woods, where I was a member of the Arkansas Parks & Tourism team as an art director working with and learning from 30+ year veterans, many from the Woods Brothers agency that worked on Eureka and Arkansas accounts for many years,” Burnett said.
After he worked in the corporate environment, he decided to take an independent approach to art design. “After layoffs at CJRW I started my own design and photography studio in downtown Little Rock called Proxy Creative. I left there in 2014 to start my own company again, a full-service branding design studio, Uncaged Creative.”
Burnett said he first visited Eureka Springs in 1993 and fell in love with it immediately. “I spent many years trying to figure out how to move here but continued as an avid tourist here throughout the years.”
In 2019 he and Stacey bought Sherwood Court. “Since then, my marketing/advertising/graphic design abilities have been utilized for our business’s needs leaving little time to operate or take on new clients.”
Burnett attended CAPC meetings and became interested in contributing. “I want to do this out of a love of my favorite town where I also have skin in the game,” he said.
His wife, Stacey, is a physician at Washington Regional-Eureka Springs Family Clinic.
The rest of the meeting
In addition to Burnett’s appointment, commissioners voted unanimously to raise the issue with city council of adding police presence for security at CAPC meetings. This vote was held just before a break for executive session to discuss Gina Rambo’s position of interim director.
Returning to the meeting, commissioners agreed to eliminate Rambo’s title of Interim Director, reverting her authority back to her previous position. That vote was unanimous.
Commissioners noted that the Events Coordinator position remains vacant, and the CAPC also has no director. The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 24 at 6 p.m., in the AUD, where the agenda will include discussion of office computers, office space, and staff.
Newly appointed Chair Jeff Carter said that Florida advertising agency, Paradise Marketing, will make a presentation at that meeting.