Kelly Victor-Burke is an entrepreneur & woodwork manufacturing advocate. Kelly and her husband/business partner Barry founded Burke Architectural Millwork (BAM) in 2016 to disrupt the status quo in the woodwork industry and bring positive recognition to the field of woodwork manufacturing. BAM is Michigan’s first and only WBENC Certified Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE) in custom architectural millwork. In June 2023, they are launching a divisional brand, Bespoke Closets & Organized Spaces (BCOS).
As a woodwork manufacturing advocate & industry speaker, Kelly conceived of and lead a team of dedicated innovative business owners, educational partners and industry organizations to create the first 21st century approved Department of Labor registered apprenticeship in woodworking, “Woodwork Manufacturing Specialist”. She drafted the initial framework to address the employment gap in the wood products industry through cross-training and upskilling new and existing employees in a combination of CAD/CAM, mechatronics, wood processing, coatings, estimating and project management.
A proud alum of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program, Kelly was also named a “Notable Women in Manufacturing” by Crain’s Detroit Business and “Market Leader” by the Woodworking Network. She serves on the newly formed National Woods Board. The U.S. Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeship appointed her an “Apprenticeship Ambassador” in 2022. Kelly & BAM are active members of the Cabinet Makers Association (CMA) & the Association of Closet and Storage Professionals (ACSP)
