Do it Best President, CEO honored with Sagamore of the Wabash

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WPTA) - Governor Eric Holcomb visited the Summit City on Thursday to honor a local business leader with the Sagamore of the Wabash.

Holcomb stopped by the Electric Works campus to present the award, one of the highest civilian honors in Indiana, to Do it Best President and CEO Dan Starr. Do it Best is the anchor tenant at Electric Works, a sweeping redevelopment project in downtown Fort Wayne that repurposed the former General Electric campus.

“I’ve been around the world, been around the state, been around the country, and I’ve never seen this,” Holcomb said. “This is second to none in terms of talent, attraction, creating that talent density, vibrancy...I’m really proud to associate with this project. It was big, it was bold, they had to create believers at the very outset and they did.”

Starr has served as president and CEO of Do it Best since January 2016, having joined the company in 2005, according to its website. The businessman has also held a number of leadership roles in the community, with involvement on civic, charitable, and business boards.

“It’s a tremendous honor—it’s the highest civilian honor in the state of Indiana—and I couldn’t be more proud or pleased,” Starr said. “But as I did in the awards ceremony, I gave the credit for that back to the team of folks that we have at Do it Best, I really believe that that’s where the honor belongs.”

“This is the way communities will distinguish themselves, with projects that are big and bold and attract talent. That’s the name of the game,” Holcomb said.

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