Christopher Burt ’81: A Life in GSB Family Pride 

As part of our Alumni Spotlight Series, Gill St. Bernard's recently sat down with Chris Burt, a GSB Class of 1981 lifer, whose multifaceted path has taken him from the rigors of multiple drafts in Pat Gauch’s creative writing class to the fast pace of the financial services and wealth management industries.  

How did you land at GSB?  

I began my GSB journey in kindergarten, in 1967, in Karen McDermott’s class. As luck would have it, she was my Fine Arts teacher my senior year for my last unit class in 1981. I grew up near campus in Peapack. You could say my experience was a family affair as my brothers Jonathan ’79 and Russell ‘83 attended while our father, John Burt, also taught at GSB specializing in Math and Science for many years after we graduated.   

Do you have a favorite GSB memory?   

I have many favorites memories of my 13 years attending GSB. We had a lot of school spirit, and I fondly remember going to the football games in the seventies with Dad to cheer on his students. There was also a history class trip to Boston and Cristina Sutro ’80 convinced the chaperones to let us scalp tickets to Neil Young at the Boston Garden! But I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the honor I felt at commencement receiving the Julian T. Brown cup from the late John Atthowe who graduated in 1980. 

What was your favorite class? 

My favorite (and most difficult) class was Creative Writing taught by Pat Gauch. I was used to doing well in school, but Pat wouldn’t let me submit a finished product. She would say “that’s an OK draft, but you can do better!” Six or seven drafts later, she would give it her final approval. This process made me a much better writer and gave me communication skills to succeed beyond high school.  

How did GSB prepare you for college and the working world? 

GSB prepared me for college by treating students as young adults. We were required to always be prepared for class, participate and share opinions, respectively listen to others, and think critically. Thus, I was prepared to navigate the independence of college and effectively organize my study routine all the while maintaining a healthy balance of important social activities. 

Tell us about what you do now. 

I have been in the financial services industry for 37 years and own an investment advisory practice in Alpharetta, GA. My career began after graduating from Boston University in 1987. I went to work on Wall Street and learned quite a bit about stock trading and investments. The fast pace and volatility were exhilarating, but eventually I realized my personality and passion was better suited for helping people create and manage wealth to reach their life goals. So, after 11 years, I started my own practice and love it! 

What would be your advice to current GSB students be?   

Make the most of your time, experiment with and try as many different classes, art, music, sports, travel programs as you can so you will become well rounded and more experienced for your life’s journey. Also, nurture and cherish the relationships you form with fellow students and teachers; they will bind you for life!