With panache, St. Luke’s employee dons world-class mustache at events across U.S.

Jake Burlile has often thought about shaving off his mustache.

But it's also an award winner.

“It looks ridiculous, it's in the way,” Burlile said. “I was going to shave it off after a couple of competitions, but they're all for charity and I've seen how much money they've brought in. So, that's kind of why I decided to keep it.”

Burlile and his mustache have traveled from state to state, competing in competitions and raising money for charity.

“I think one time in Austin, Texas, we raised $30,000 for pit bulls,” said Burlile, a St. Luke's heating and cooling mechanic. “I was like, ‘All I had to do was wear my mustache and drink beer and hang out with friends?’”

And so, the mustache has stayed, and the competitions have continued for the past several years.

His biggest claim to mustache fame? Likely the pair of silver belt buckles he has earned for finishing in second place at the World Beard & Moustache Championships.

“During competitions it's all about your outfit, your personality and your facial hair,” said Burlile, who competes in the event's Hungarian Moustache category. “You do have to go up on stage and present yourself. You can be wacky and wild, or you can be romantic or whatever. I always mix it up. … I’ll wear a really nice white button-up shirt with suspenders and some nice jeans. … I inherited a bunch of my dad's clothes from the 70s and he had some pretty wild wardrobes. People seem to like those.”

Burlile said it takes him about an hour to get his mustache ready for competition. The formula for success: some hair spray, a little hair straightener and a hair dryer. The last time he measured the mustache from side to side it spanned 18 inches.

But you won't see the mustache in all of its glory if you happen across Burlile while he’s on the job. He was a St. Luke's contractor for years before becoming an employee about three years ago.