Daniel Burke has transformed Irvine-based St. John Knits International Inc.’s legal department and played a key role in restructuring other departments.
The general counsel and vice president of administration led St. John’s “Rapid Response Team” that has been credited with saving the company more than $50 million.
Yet it’s not just what Burke did since joining the company in 2006 that brought him honors at the Orange County Business Journal’s 2nd annual General Counsel Awards last month at the Hyatt Regency Irvine.
It’s also how he did it—winning plaudits for tact and professionalism along the way.
“I think companies are like people in that their true character is exposed in times of significant challenge,” Burke said. “It’s easy to be polite when things are great. But we really see the true character of a company in the midst of hurdles. We want to treat all employees the way we want to be treated.”
St. John Knits, like other clothing makers, saw a sales slump during the downturn as consumers pulled back from luxury spending. It also has struggled with its identity as a fashion house known for providing conservative styles for political power players and socialites.
The company now counts about $300 million in yearly sales of its designer dresses and other women’s wear.
It recently decided to shutter a manufacturing plant on Michelson Drive in Irvine, cutting about 100 sewers and other workers and shifting 200 more to six nearby facilities.
Changes have been made with the mindset of “what’s best for the brand and the company and what we saw as best for the business model,” according to Burke.
Celebrity Shake-Up
That has included ending contracts with actress Angelina Jolie and model Karen Elson—both of whom served as spokeswomen.
Burke played a key role in negotiating the termination of those contracts.
St. John Knits recently announced actress Kate Winslet as the new face of its brand.
In 2010, Burke led the company’s legal team in negotiations for revolving and term loan credit deals with JPMorgan Chase & Co.
He and the loss prevention department also are credited with discovering a foreign subsidiary’s misuse and theft of goods and money from St. John Knits.
The company saw favorable results from the cases against the two individuals, with both resulting in more than $1.5 million in compensation. It turned out to be a Loss Prevention Case of the Year finalist with the National Retail Federation in 2007.
Burke oversees about 40 employees in the human resources, legal, loss prevention and risk management departments.
He also has been recognized for his humanitarian efforts within the company.
He received the “Seven Seals” award from the Department of Defense for his leadership and efforts in support of men and women serving in the military.
Burke and other employees have been heavily involved in sending care packages to fellow workers who are in the military and stationed overseas. Burke also has worked to ensure they have their jobs at St. John Knits waiting for them when they return.
“The unemployment of service men and women returning back home is over 40%,” he said. “It used to be it was an 18-year-old going off to serve, and now it’s husbands and wives serving and they are coming back with their jobs gone.”
Burke, who graduated from Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C., hails from the East Coast. He previously worked for Brookstone Inc., Jafra Cosmetics and Ropes & Gray LLP.
When he’s not working, he’s busy spending time with his wife, Kim, and the couple’s four children.
“If I’m not at work, I’m undoubtedly with my wife and kids, and doing all the activities kids do today,” he said.
First Job
Growing up in Brockton, Mass., Burke’s first job was as a paper boy. He also worked at a local pizza and sub shop, ice cream parlor and spent time as a park ranger.
Burke began to study law with visions of becoming a prosecutor but was drawn to corporate law after working at Ropes & Gray.
“Corporate law is about building and creating,” he said. “It’s more proactive, and that’s what drew me to it.”
Burke was attracted to St. John Knits because it offered an opportunity to work on a well-known American brand that was on its way to global recognition, he said.
He also was interested in working for a private company because of its potential for mergers and acquisitions, he said.
Gomez is former Business Journal editor and freelance writer based in Long Beach.
