Ben Wilke

Background

About Ben Wilke

I have always seen myself as a people person, and it isn't that hard for me to make friends in a room full of strangers. Being naturally social, studying at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln fostered my professional growth to excel in a world of personal development and professional maturity. Having grown up on an acreage in northeast Nebraska, helping out my family at our hog confinements and around the fields was where I learned to put my nose to the grindstone. I am skilled in the operation of heavy machinery, a strategic thinker, and a great problem solver. I have worked construction with Molacek Construction, retail at Menards, line service at Ross/Atlantic Aviation, and livestock reproduction and stewardship at DNA Genetics, Pillen Family Farms, and my family’s operation, Wilke Farms. Through all of these jobs, I have developed an appreciation for manual laborers and respect for customers. These experiences have also helped me with learning to operate new heavy machinery, such as tele-handlers, fuel trucks and forklifts, as well as being able to move large aircraft. I currently hold a private pilot certificate in accordance with FAR Part 61 regulations, and am looking to close out my ratings in the near future. With my studies in agribusiness, I hope to one day become a reputable row crop and hog producer, as well as diversified businessman.