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The product: T.C. Burton makes ballistic armor kits for single-rider all-terrain vehicles. The kits are made up of panels that fit onto the ATV, creating a maneuverable all-terrain vehicle that can protect the driver and withstand rounds up to and including those from AR-15 and AK-47 firearms. The armored vehicles can be used in a variety of settings, including inside buildings, in SWAT team maneuvers and on rugged terrain. Components are sourced from manufacturers in Indiana and elsewhere in the Midwest, and final assembly takes place in Greenfield.
The company: Todd Burton, who founded the company with his wife, Cathy Burton, was inspired to create the product in part because of his stepdaughter Emily Vautaw, who has served in both military and civilian law enforcement. The Burtons established T.C. Burton in 2022. Todd Burton serves as the company’s chief visionary officer, while Cathy Burton is chief administrative officer. The company has five employees; four are local, and the fifth is based in Dallas. The Burtons are two of the company’s four co-owners, along with CEO Glenn Shanahan and board Chair Chris Middleton.
Target customer: Law enforcement agencies, private security firms, federal agencies and the military. “Our initial focus was on domestic law enforcement, but we are quickly gaining traction in the international market,” said Kathy Sipes, one of the company’s two business development managers.
Company logo: Includes a reference to a Bible verse, Ephesians 6:17. That verse reads, “Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God.”
Fun fact: Both Sipes and Cathy Burton had long careers with the FBI in Indianapolis. Sipes spent 25 years in community relations, and Burton spent 26 years as a senior paralegal.•
—Compiled by Susan Orr
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