Some company presidents deal solely in numbers, forecasts, and spreadsheets. Maxine Burton deals in happiness.
Her average workday might involve designing giant paper flowers, selecting the perfect message for a birthday balloon, or brainstorming product lines for holidays years in the future. As the founder of burton + BURTON, she has built a legacy making people smile.
Burton BSEd ’72, MEd ’78 didn’t begin her career in business. Before she married her husband, Bob, she worked in education. After her children were born, she worked alongside him at Flowers, Inc., which Bob co-owned. That’s when the idea sparked.
“Foil balloons were really new at the time, and I saw the potential for them to be more than a stand-alone novelty,” she says. “We could make them a part of the gift experience, like a floating greeting card.”
She was one of the first people to creatively imprint messages and images on foil balloons. She began by promoting balloons to flower shops. Soon, she expanded into gift items, creating matching ensembles of flowers, balloons, vases, and enclosure cards that tied the arrangement together. From there, the party kept getting bigger and bigger.
Her company grew into an industry innovator when it came to party supplies. From flower shops to hospital gift shops to grocery floral departments, everything from balloons to holiday decor had burton + BURTON’s name on it.
Shaping an Industry
Over its 44-year history, burton + BURTON has been recognized multiple times by the Georgia’s governor’s office because of the jobs the company has created as well as its positive impact on the state’s economy. The governor’s office even dubbed September as International Balloon Month. The company is now one of the largest wholesale balloon and gift distributors in the world.
Despite the impact of her growing empire, Burton makes sure the company still feels like a family business, mostly because it is one. Her children now work alongside her, and she hopes her grandchildren choose to join one day (after getting experience outside the business, per the family rule).
But that sense of family extends beyond bloodlines. Burton is deeply committed to her more than 300 employees, many of whom have spent decades with the company. She says that a large part of her drive comes from “making sure the business carries on for all the people who have put so much hard work into it.”
Looking back, Burton is proud that she created more than a company. She changed how people see the balloon. Balloon art, celebratory decor, and coordinated party packs are all part of the legacy she grew alongside her company.
“That’s been one of the most rewarding parts,” she says. “Helping to shape this industry and continue shaping it as it evolves. You never ‘make it.’ You always have to keep going in order to be successful.”
Smiles by Design
Burton often feels like she’s living in the future, designing for holidays months or even years in advance. One day, she’s reviewing Christmas ornaments for 2026, and the next she’s finalizing spring designs for 2027 or approving a balloon message that won’t hit shelves for another year.
“It keeps you on your toes,” she laughs. “Sometimes I have to stop and ask myself what month it actually is.”
Today, Burton’s days in the office look like creative workshops. She can often be found in her favorite department: design. Even if her job always has her thinking ahead, she still stops to appreciate the impact of her work.
“We hope every product is going to make a difference for someone,” she says. “When I hire people, I always tell them that they’ll never work anywhere that’s going to be happier because that’s what we’re selling: happiness. They’re not just balloons and plush toys. They’re moments of joy in someone’s life.”