Burton Parker
Event Date: Tuesday, October 14
Location: Townsite Tower. 16th Floor, 534 S Kansas Ave.
Time: 5:30pm, Networking. 6:00pm, Dinner
Burton Parker was born in Oregon, raised in Kansas, and is a proud husband and father of four. A creative at heart, Burton enjoys writing and performing music, art, photography, and—by his own admission—cheeseburgers. Known for being loyal, consistent, and hardworking, he thrives on challenges and has a passion for learning new systems and making them better.
For nearly two decades, Burton was the Co-Founder and Co-Owner of Merchtable & Blue Collar Press, a combined merchandising, screen printing, and e-commerce fulfillment company. Over 19 years he helped grow the company from a $10,000 startup to more than $7 million in annual revenue, with nearly one million registered users and 100,000 orders fulfilled each year. His leadership spanned management, design, marketing, merchandising, and operations, including managing teams, overseeing client services for hundreds of high-profile artists, influencers, and record labels, and developing products and digital campaigns with impressive returns.
Burton has designed logos and merchandise for more than 100 artists and labels, built and maintained the UI/UX for over 300 online stores, and managed ad campaigns that achieved returns of more than $20 for every $1 spent. His client portfolio includes names like Diplo, Major Lazer, The WTF Podcast with Marc Maron, The Ringer Podcast Network, Maria Bamford, Sturgill Simpson, Sleater-Kinney, and many more—all acquired through word of mouth.
Today, Burton continues to channel his entrepreneurial spirit and curiosity into exploring artificial intelligence and emerging technology, building on his lifelong drive to innovate and improve systems.
AI and the Future: How It Works and Where It’s Going
Artificial Intelligence has quickly shifted from theory to everyday reality—powering business, creativity, and communication in ways that were unimaginable just a few years ago. But what exactly is AI, how does it work, and where is it heading? In this engaging presentation, Burton will break down the fundamentals of AI in plain language, explore its most exciting applications, and share insights into how this rapidly evolving technology may transform industries, workplaces, and daily life in the years ahead.
