Navy veteran turns campus academic and social experiences into lifelong success
Burton Weast ’72 grew up in the northern California coastal town of Crescent City, attended Del Norte High School then attended College of the Siskiyous in Weed, CA and Humboldt State University (HSU) in Arcata, CA. During his fifth year at HSU, he got his draft notice so immediately joined the US Navy, hoping to avoid Vietnam altogether. He was trained as a radioman and ended up doing two tours in the combat zone. After earning his honorable discharge, he met his future wife Ann in Brookings and after doing a summer school term in Ashland at Southern Oregon College, they enjoyed it so much that they decided to stay.
On campus in Ashland, Dr. Frank McGraw, a legendary professor of geography, quickly became Burton’s favorite professor. “Frank changed my life. At the time, relatively few people were in land use planning careers and he encouraged me to look into it as a career,” he said. Every Oregon county by law, had to have a planning director and very few existed after a recent state law had passed. McGraw had planted a seed. Burton loved the quiet but friendly campus and he would end up marrying Ann. Both Burton and Ann became caretakers for Winifred Bosworth Downs. Because of the great rapport they all shared, Downs’ family ended up becoming very close and her family looked out for Burton and Ann. “Those ended up being the best days of our lives both on campus and with our close and special friendship with the Downs family. I will never forget those days,” he added.
After graduating with a bachelor of science in geography the spring of 1972, they moved to the Oregon coast where he eventually became a land use planner for Curry County in Gold Beach. There, he served for three years as a planning director He gave testimony to the Land Development and Conservation Commission (LCDC) for the state senate in Salem but he was lured away from Curry County by the League of Oregon Cities (LOC), where he became a full-time lobbyist. His prowess at LOC got the attention of the housing industry. He was hired by the Home Builders Association (HBD) as Vice President of Government Affairs where he lobbied the legislature and worked with local governments on planning issues. After six years with HBD he was hired by then Congressman Ron Wyden as his Administrative Chief of Staff in the Portland office. “That was a great job, and I enjoyed the connection with constituents, but I travelled to Washington, DC, too often, which can really wear a person out,” Burton said.
After experiencing congressional politics, Burton and Ann started a lobbying company along with former Wyden press secretary Bob Applegate. Western Advocates, Inc., quickly grew to have a staff of nine, lobbying on issues ranging from fire districts, plumbing contractors, unions and pharmaceutical companies trying to develop their property. By 2007, they had 22 clients and were doing $2 million annually in billing. They sold their shares in the company after 23 years in business.
In 2012, Burton and Ann retired and moved to Mesquite, Nevada, to enjoy the high desert air there. He was semi-retired and did some work as a part time news reporter for the local weekly newspaper, the Mesquite News. There, he learned of the local economic development agency and began volunteering his time to help job creation in the town. He’s also been an integral part of developing the Mesquite Science, Engineering, Arts and Math (STEAM) Center for local students, which is a vitally important facility which will continue to help job growth and economic development in the town and region.
All of this started with an education at Southern Oregon College and the sage advice of Dr. Frank McGraw.
Learn more: Mesquite Works STEAM Center