Darl Starek Wins Q1 Select Pride Award
posted on Wednesday, October 4, 2023
Congratulations to Darl Starek and his team of Todd Nolte, Isaac Noelck, Jesus Andrade, Ryan Bakker, Shawn Balvanz, Jeremy Welch, Al Deberg, Mike Meyer, Brad Hockenmeyer and Jeff Hockenmeyer for earning the number one spot for quarter one finishing.
Darl's team oversees around 32 finishing farms throughout Franklin, Hardin, Grundy, Blackhawk and Butler County, and together, they ranked highest in livability, marketing performance and biosecurity and production well-being scores for the quarter-one time period.
Darl says teamwork and good communication are critical, and he appreciates how much his team cares about their work and the tenure they bring to the job.
Katie Coleman, DVM and Director of Biosecurity says three things make Darl successful. “First, he’s a good communicator and knows how important it is to get ahead of issues,” she says. “He’s talking to his managers, his supervisor and tags in the veterinarian because he knows when to collaborate on challenges.
Katie adds that Darl is a great caretaker, having worked for the company for over 15 years. “Plus, he’s committed, accountable, and one of the first to jump in and help others.”
Since the first quarter, Darl's team has shifted, but his principles and priorities remain the same. "We take good care of the animals, practice biosecurity and stay ahead of issues," said Darl.
When we caught up with him, he was at Meyer Finisher outside of Ackley in Franklin County, helping his finishing site manager, Jesus, welcome weaned pigs from Ringgold Sow Farm. This means we lucked out—we’ll get to know Jesus in another story.
Darl's supervisor, Tom Boge, said he's proud of Darl and his achievements. “I’ve seen him do well in the sow system and is also thriving in finishing—he’s adaptable and can take any challenge head-on. He’s a great person to have on the team.”
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