John Burns; Former Chairman of Boys Clubs of America

John Lawrence Burns, 87, former chairman of the Boys Clubs of America. When he became president of the group in 1968, he set a goal of expanding the organization from its 700 clubs to 1,000 serving 1 million boys within 10 years. The goal was met in four. He was named chairman in 1981 and held the position until his retirement in 1988. During his tenure as chairman, the clubs began providing services for girls as well as boys. The name was changed to the Boys and Girls Clubs of America in 1990. He also expanded the clubs’ reach from sports and recreation to leadership training and career planning. A businessman as well as a volunteer, Burns was the former chief executive officer of the Cities Service oil company and for five years was president of the RCA Corp. On Sunday in Greenwich, Conn.