Top Women in Finance 2023: Jenny Burns

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Murphy Companies

Jenny Burns likes to say she enjoys taking the road less traveled. She had no interest in accounting until a few courses at the University of Minnesota convinced her to earn a degree in it.

In her second accounting job at Boyer Trucks, she rose to become the chief financial officer (CFO) before the company eliminated that role as COVID-19 hit in April 2020. A few months later, the family-owned Murphy Companies hired Burns as CFO.

During that time, the logistics and warehousing company was still recovering from the 2019 death of chief executive officer and president Richard Murphy Jr. Burns liked the company’s values — excellence, creativity, leadership, integrity, mutual respect — and culture. “When I was looking for a new role, culture was super important. I would take culture over pay any day, to be honest,” she said.

Without many other employees in the office, she struggled to learn the culture and understand the dynamics involving the Murphy family that owned the business. She held education sessions for shareholders to help them determine the company’s future.

“They want to see more growth and expansion, which is exciting,” Burns said.

Burns oversees a staff of eight employees and works closely with the executive team on the company’s direction and with staff, often visiting worksites to get opinions of employees she knows by name. She shares financial knowledge by visiting the company’s 13 warehouses and visiting with some of its more than 300 employees.

Burns oversaw the sales of an Eagan company warehouse and a construction division purchased by a former employee who often sought her counsel. “I thoroughly enjoy working with the operations and different people and explaining my world to them,” she said.

Outside the office, Burns enjoys practicing CrossFit. “CrossFit is a community,” she said. “You have teammates cheering you on and pushing you to be your best. I love it.”