Kerry Burke – The Nexxus Group

How quickly can 10 weeks become 10 years?

Ask Kerry Burke, the vice president of operations and general counsel for The Nexxus Group.

Burke was studying for his J.D. from New England Law Boston when he joined Beverly, Massachusetts-based Nexxus Group as a summer intern in 2013. He was promised the opportunity to practice various legal issues and a good recommendation by CEO Mark Landgren if he worked hard.

Kerry Burke | Vice President of Operations and General Counsel | The Nexxus Group

But he worked so hard and enjoyed himself so much that no recommendation for another job was ever needed—Burke joined the company full-time after law school and has never wondered if it was the right move.

Because Burke was named vice president of operations in December 2022, he’s taken on another dimension in his career to help the scan-based trading company grow with new customers and into new retail areas.

“I came to Boston without knowing anyone, and I was hungry to prove I could practice law and showcase what I can do,” Burke says. “Nexxus was that place.”

Between retailers and vendors

Currently celebrating its 20th anniversary, The Nexxus Group is described by Burke as a third-party scan-based trading provider that partners with clients in the grocery, convenience, discount and pharmacy sectors and their suppliers to provide several services, including price book management & synchronization, customer service support, payment processing and inventory support.

The Nexxus Group was founded to assist retail partners in managing newspaper sales. That included assisting with payment processing, price catalog maintenance, and new store openings and closings. Since then, the company has expanded to assist retailers and suppliers with ice, floral, bakery and general merchandise sales.

Among the retailers The Nexxus Group works with are 7-Eleven, Dollar General and Kroger. Suppliers and vendors using the company include Krispy Kreme and Amerigas. The Nexxus Group also provides inventory monitoring and management services as part of its premium offerings.

“Vendors love the touch point and the dedicated support they receive from our team,” Burke says.

As vice president of operations, Burke can lead and collaborate with Nexxus Group’s two customer service divisions for publications and general merchandise. He says much of that work is with the customer service teams, and he also works with the company’s larger clients on initiatives and projects.

One area he’s been focusing on is enhancing the inventory management services Nexxus Group can offer clients. While working with company departments, including sales, finance and, he wants to help improve how sales data is captured and analyzed to provide retailers and vendors more clarity on which products are selling.

Helping them understand and refine their sales data is crucial to their bottom lines, as well as those of the vendors, Burke says.

“Inventory management is very hands-on, and we have a specific team working on it for clients using the service,” he says.

Contract clarity

Burke’s new role, and the addition of a new attorney in June, has removed him from some of the legal work handled by the legal team. Still, he has always enjoyed that work for its variety and the opportunities to interact with departments, including finance, customer service and HR. This year, he has also guided the selection and implementation of Parley Pro contract management software.

The project was wrapping up as Burke chatted with Vanguard in September, and he says adding Parley Pro enables the company to track its service contracts and agreements better. He says it’s been a good edition because it fits nicely into a company with about 50 employees and provides crucial information and reminders about contracts such as approaching expiration dates.

Burke proved his worth as an intern and young attorney by creating spreadsheets to track contracts, but he says the company is just beginning to understand what Parley Pro offers in terms of data reporting as well as contract management.

From the legal team’s perspective, Burke says it’s also crucial to have all parties understand what services Nexxus Group provides. For instance, while the company can provide inventory services, handle payments and answer customer service questions, it isn’t responsible or liable for the performance of any products it helps vendors and retailers manage.

“One of the things we’re doing is making sure we’re clear about what those services are and how we provide them,” Burke says. “We’re making sure internally and externally that everyone understands what they get for our services.”

Enjoying the ride

Though Burke’s journey to a law career took a bit longer than he may have wanted, he knew from an early age that being an attorney was what he wanted to do.

Raised in the Richmond, Virginia, area, Burke earned bachelor’s degrees in history and political science from Hampden-Sydney College in 2007, where he also played soccer. After graduating, he says law school had to wait because of low LSAT scores.

When the opportunity to study at New England Law Boston arrived, Burke was ready to move even though he didn’t know anyone in the Boston area.

He earned his J.D. in 2015 and became staff counsel at The Nexxus Group after graduating. In 2018, he was named corporate counsel and then general counsel in January 2021.

Burke understands the nature of Nexxus Group’s operations and how they can be improved, but the latter also requires him to keep learning so he and the company can grow.

“I began as an intern, and I’ve stayed for more than 10 years,” Burke says. “I feel very fortunate to be here and work with this group of great people. It’s been a wonderful ride, and I’m looking forward to working with a new generation of employees, too.”