A theme of success and moving toward the future rippled through See, Hear Iola Friday morning. GUEST speaker Mark Burris walked through his successful business ventures. Burris is also a product of Iola High School, graduating in 1979, the 100th class at Iola, and attended Kansas Tech Institute in Salina. He then went to Kansas State University and obtained a degree in mechanical engineering. He and his wife Deanne have three children. IOLA HIGH principal Stacey Fager talked about the S3 grant that is in its third year. The grant helps bring safety and communication into the school. This will be the last year the grant is in place at the high school. It has helped purchased new doors, security system, an LED sign, and a video production class to the high school. GUEST speaker Mark Burris walked through his successful business ventures. Burris is also a product of Iola High School, graduating in 1979, the 100th class at Iola, and attended Kansas Tech Institute in Salina. He then went to Kansas State University and obtained a degree in mechanical engineering. He and his wife Deanne have three children. IOLA HIGH principal Stacey Fager talked about the S3 grant that is in its third year. The grant helps bring safety and communication into the school. This will be the last year the grant is in place at the high school. It has helped purchased new doors, security system, an LED sign, and a video production class to the high school.
Jen Taylor, chairwoman for Yes for Iola Kids Yes and the commercial speaker for the event, educated the audience on the proposed school bond issue.
Taylor is an Iola graduate and attended Iola Middle School, Jefferson and Lincoln Elementary. She has children in the school district and has volunteered at Jefferson for 11 years.
“I’ve helped clean out the basement when ground water and mold appeared,” she said. “I’ve seen one school have iPads and another not because their kids sold more cookie dough.”
Taylor said the Nov. 4 bond issue should not be taken lightly. Funds for textbooks and upgrades to technology have been redirected to help maintain district buildings. She showed the audience a chemistry textbook her daughter Abigail uses dating from 1997.
Remodeling current buildings “doesn’t solve our problems,” she said. “There would be $698,000 in savings every year if we were to build new. This money could go to paying teachers better, purchasing new textbooks and improving technology.”
Iola is one of the lowest-paying districts for teachers.
“How can we attract new teachers to our community with low pay and old buildings,” Taylor asked.
The cost of a no vote would be sacrificing classroom materials and children’s’ education, she said.
“Maintaining what we have is just putting on Band-Aids,” Taylor said. “It’s our responsibility to take care of their future. Our community is like the legs of a stool. We need stable healthcare, schools and housing. Strong schools make strong communities.”
Burris fell in love with the oil business at a young age. He joined forces with an entrepreneur Joe Betzen in 1986. In 1990 he purchased Precision Pump with only two full-time employees and one part-time employee. He grew the company to 110 employees, 16 distribution points in North America and three international locations. Precision is a downhole pump manufacture. In 2008 Burris sold Precision to Cameron but regained ownership this July.
“We currently have 58 full-time employees and are working on establishing our footprint in North America,” Burris said.
Burris also owns Superior, which has eight full-time employees that also work in the oil and gas industry. He currently serves as president for Sentry, the largest exporter of pumping units from China and Hurricane Services a full line well service company.
His newest venture is Sentry Rail. It is the first non-manufacturer to receive design approval in the United States. They will become the first U.S. company to import rail cars to transport oil in the U.S.
“People ask me how I do it all,” Burris said. “The answer is people. I surround myself with good people and continue to strive.”
Burris, a school board member for USD 257, couldn’t help but weigh in on the upcoming votes to build new schools.
Burris said he sees the world of education similar to that of a business.
“If we as a company sit and do nothing, the world will pass us by,” he said. “The school is the same situation. We have to attract a great team of teachers and we have to bring the best to our students. I insist we make great decisions.”
Burris is also working with Iola High School to create a work-study program.
“I want to help them know what trades will be there for them and hope to be able to take on as many as we can,” Burris said of prospective students.
A theme of success and moving toward the future rippled through See, Hear Iola Friday morning.
Jen Taylor, chairwoman for Yes for Iola Kids Yes and the commercial speaker for the event, educated the audience on the proposed school bond issue.
Taylor is an Iola graduate and attended Iola Middle School, Jefferson and Lincoln Elementary. She has children in the school district and has volunteered at Jefferson for 11 years.
“I’ve helped clean out the basement when ground water and mold appeared,” she said. “I’ve seen one school have iPads and another not because their kids sold more cookie dough.”
Taylor said the Nov. 4 bond issue should not be taken lightly. Funds for textbooks and upgrades to technology have been redirected to help maintain district buildings. She showed the audience a chemistry textbook her daughter Abigail uses dating from 1997.
Remodeling current buildings “doesn’t solve our problems,” she said. “There would be $698,000 in savings every year if we were to build new. This money could go to paying teachers better, purchasing new textbooks and improving technology.”
Iola is one of the lowest-paying districts for teachers.
“How can we attract new teachers to our community with low pay and old buildings,” Taylor asked.
The cost of a no vote would be sacrificing classroom materials and children’s’ education, she said.
“Maintaining what we have is just putting on Band-Aids,” Taylor said. “It’s our responsibility to take care of their future. Our community is like the legs of a stool. We need stable healthcare, schools and housing. Strong schools make strong communities.”
Burris fell in love with the oil business at a young age. He joined forces with an entrepreneur Joe Betzen in 1986. In 1990 he purchased Precision Pump with only two full-time employees and one part-time employee. He grew the company to 110 employees, 16 distribution points in North America and three international locations. Precision is a downhole pump manufacture. In 2008 Burris sold Precision to Cameron but regained ownership this July.
“We currently have 58 full-time employees and are working on establishing our footprint in North America,” Burris said.
Burris also owns Superior, which has eight full-time employees that also work in the oil and gas industry. He currently serves as president for Sentry, the largest exporter of pumping units from China and Hurricane Services a full line well service company.
His newest venture is Sentry Rail. It is the first non-manufacturer to receive design approval in the United States. They will become the first U.S. company to import rail cars to transport oil in the U.S.
“People ask me how I do it all,” Burris said. “The answer is people. I surround myself with good people and continue to strive.”
Burris, a school board member for USD 257, couldn’t help but weigh in on the upcoming votes to build new schools.
Burris said he sees the world of education similar to that of a business.
“If we as a company sit and do nothing, the world will pass us by,” he said. “The school is the same situation. We have to attract a great team of teachers and we have to bring the best to our students. I insist we make great decisions.”
Burris is also working with Iola High School to create a work-study program.
“I want to help them know what trades will be there for them and hope to be able to take on as many as we can,” Burris said of prospective students.
Education a part of Iola’s future
