Senator Max Burns

Senator Max Burns, a Republican, serves as the Senator for Georgia’s 23rd Senate District. He was elected to serve in November of 2020, representing Burke, Emanuel, Glascock, Jefferson, Jenkins, Johnson, McDuffie, Screven, Taliaferro, and Warren counties, as well as portions of Colombia and Richmond counties.

Sen. Burns serves as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics and Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Higher Education. Additionally, he serves as Ex-Officio of the Senate Committees on Appropriations and Transportation, and is a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Consumer Affairs.

A native of Georgia, Sen. Burns was born in Millen, Georgia, and received his undergraduate degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1973. He then completed his M.B.A. from Georgia State University in 1977, followed by his Ph.D. in 1987.

Prior to starting a career as a professor in higher education, Sen. Burns served as a member of the United States Army Reserves. He then worked as a Professor of Information Systems at Georgia Southern University, and also taught in various countries across the world as an active member of the Fulbright Scholar Program.

Sen. Burns furthered his professional career in information management by working with major companies and organizations like Gulfstream Aerospace, Grinnell Corporation, Oxford Industries, and the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention.

Sen. Burns began his career in public service in the early 1990s through his election to the Screven County Board of Commissioners. After serving five years on the Commission, he concluded his service with the Commission in 1998.

In 2002, Sen. Burns was elected to serve as the Representative for Georgia’s 12th Congressional District. Senator Burns served one term in the U.S. House of Representatives, and went on to lead the Mike Cottrell College of Business as the school’s Dean at what is now known as the University of North Georgia. He was named the President of Gordon State College in 2011 and worked in this capacity until 2017.

Senator Burns resides in Sylvania, Georgia with his wife, Lora. The Burns attend Jackson Baptist Church in Sylvania, and together they have two sons and three grandchildren.