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Doug Starcke co-owns South Swell Surf Shop in Emerald Isle, North Carolina.

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Performance Differences between Long Boards and Short Boards

A well-established Emerald Isle, North Carolina, entrepreneur, Doug Starcke serves as managing partner of the Transport Impact and First Flight Solutions. An avid surfer, Doug Starcke also runs the South Swell Surf Shop and offers locals and visitors alike quality surf gear and accessories. One of the key questions facing surfers involves whether to go with a long board or a short board. Longer than 8.5 feet, long boards offer maximum width and volume and are highly buoyant, which makes paddling out easy. They are ideal for learners, as they easily settle into waves and gain momentum that enables them to travel long distances in a straight line. This reliability and ease of catching waves is countered by lack of maneuverability, which makes advanced moves such as carving challenging. Typically featuring a narrow nose, short boards are designed for performance moves such as ripping and shredding. Once the surfer had mastered the difficult art of catching a wave with the short board, he or she can take advantage of the ledges offered by pitching waves and actively control progress toward the shore. Gun short boards are so called for the paddling efficiency they offer when a surfer drops into big, fast waves. They enable the experienced surfer to gain maximum speed through barrels.

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Eastern Surfing Association’s Carolina Beach Regional Championships

Based in eastern North Carolina, Doug Starcke leads the parcel expense management firm First Flight Solutions. Also the owner of South Swell Surf Shop, Doug Starcke enjoys catching waves in his free time and is active with the Eastern Surfing Association (ESA). In its 49th year, ESA sponsors the annual Easterns Championships in September and other regional competitions throughout the year. In April of 2016, ESA sponsored the Mid-Atlantic Regional Surfing Championship, which was held in Carolina Beach, North Carolina, and open to surfers from Delaware to South Carolina. Held in a picturesque island town on the Outer Banks, the event brought out top amateur surfers for a competition that did not disappoint. Kai Dilling dominated among the men through first place finishes spanning Senior Men and Masters Longboard, and OluKai Open SUP divisions. Jo Pickett similarly dominated in both the Ladies Longboard and Shortboard divisions. One of the most coveted recognitions, the Iron Man Award, went to Rick Anson, who not only surfed five divisions, but won the Open Bodyboard and reached the finals in the Legends and Legends Longboard events. The ESA maintained a strong environmental commitment in this event through partnership with the North Carolina Coastal Federation.

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Emerald Isle - A Historic North Carolina Beach Community

Emerald Isle – A Historic North Carolina Beach Community

  Emerald IsleImage: emeraldisle-nc.org Doug Starcke is an Emerald Isle, North Carolina, entrepreneur who guides First Flight Solutions, a Transportation Impact company, as a managing partner. Also a South Swell Surf Shop co-owner, Doug Starcke maintains a strong connection with his local community and is active with the Emerald Isle Business Association. Situated on a Carteret County barrier…

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Surfing North Carolina’s Outer Banks

As co-owner of the South Swell Surf Shop in Emerald Isle, North Carolina, Doug Starcke leads a respected local institution that has nurtured generations of barrier island surfers. Growing up near the beach, Doug Starcke has been a surfing enthusiast since his youth and continues to seek out waves in his free time. The Outer Banks are known for their excellent surfing, with Cape Hatteras situated along a narrow continental shelf that provides swells from the ocean direct, unhindered access to the beaches. Conditions are variable, as the cape lies at a unique point where three major ocean systems meet: the warm Gulf Stream current, the frigid Labrador current, and the local coastal waters. Surfing success depends not only on the time of year but on the interaction of the currents and swells. Summer is hurricane season and while the swells are normally relatively flat, tropical storms can bring sudden, major waves. Fall features the most consistent swells, with waves coming from a variety of directions and the region’s spitting barrels coming to the fore. Surfing past October and through the winter requires a wetsuit and those hardy enough to go out surfing must also brave 30 mph northwest winds as a matter of course. In Spring the waters remain relatively cold until the Gulf Stream currents enter, but the south swell gains consistency, making it an idea time for surfing.

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The Quilting Ministry of St. Mildred Catholic Church in North Carolina

The Quilting Ministry of St. Mildred Catholic Church in North Carolina

A former senior account executive with UPS, Doug Starcke guides a parcel shipping management firms in Emerald Isle, North Carolina. In addition to his work in the logistics field, Doug Starcke supports a range of local nonprofit groups and organizations, including his local church, St. Mildred Catholic Church in Swansboro, North Carolina. Led by Pastor Rev. Donald Baribeau, St. Mildred’s serves…

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Carteret Health Care - One of 100 Top Rural and Community Hospitals

A veteran logistics executive, Doug Starcke brings more than a decade of experience to his current position as the managing partner for First Flight Solutions in Emerald Isle, North Carolina. Outside of his professional life, Doug Starcke gives back to his local community through his support of charitable and health care organizations such as Carteret General Hospital, now known as Carteret Health Care. Based in Morehead City, North Carolina, Carteret Health Care was recently named one of the Top 100 Rural and Community Hospitals in the United States by iVantage Health Analytics. The analytics firm evaluated thousands of rural hospitals around the country using its Hospital Strength INDEX, which ranks medical centers on a series of nine measures, including population health, costs, quality, and clinical outcomes. In addition to recognition from iVantage, Carteret Health Care has recently been honored by industry organizations such as the Leapfrog Group, Truven Health Analytics, and the American Heart Association (AHA). The AHA awarded Carteret the distinction for their care of heart failure, stroke, and atrial fibrillation.

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Eastern Surfing Association Hosts Mid-Atlantic Competition

Drawing on experience as a senior account executive at UPS, Doug Starcke serves as managing partner at First Flight Solutions. An avid surfer, Doug Starcke co-owns South Swell Surf Shop and maintains a membership with the Eastern Surfing Association (ESA). As the world’s largest association for amateur surfers, ESA promotes widespread participation in the sport by offering a number of member program. Operating from 26 districts along the East Coast, the organization specifically works to increase competitive surfing opportunities by hosting amateur tournaments each year. Most recently, the Mid-Atlantic division of the ESA welcomed surfers to its Regional Surfing Championship in Carolina Beach, North Carolina. Held from April 28 to May 1, the competition drew hundreds of surfers from across the region. Over the course of the event, participants competed in various divisions, including Masters Longboard, Open Bodyboard, and Junior Women’s Longboard. The event saw several individuals take home honors, with one surfer earning the Iron Woman Award for participating in five events, of which she won three, and another garnering the Iron Man Award for competing in five divisions. The top-placing participants qualified for ESA’s Eastern Surfing Championship, which will take place in September of 2016.

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Benefits of Being Recognized on the Inc. Magazine 5000 List

Benefits of Being Recognized on the Inc. Magazine 5000 List

Inc. Magazine 5000 ListImage: inc.com/inc5000 Since 2009, Doug Starcke has served as managing partner of First Flight Solutions, LLC, a parcel and freight spend management firm operating out of Emerald Isle, North Carolina. With a history in the sales and logistics fields, Doug Starcke helped First Flight Solutions gain recognition as America’s 184th fastest-growing company on 2013’s Inc.…

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The 2016 National Boys and Girls Club Week

A North Carolina-based shipping executive with nearly 15 years of experience, Doug Starcke serves as the managing partner of First Flight Solutions in Emerald Isle. In addition to his activities at the company, Doug Starcke gives back to his community through his support of several organizations, including the local Boys & Girls Club. Boys & Girls Clubs across the United States recently participated in National Boys & Girls Club Week, which took place March 7-12, 2016. Throughout the week, clubs held open houses and other events to raise awareness about the various programs that Boys & Girls Clubs offer in more than 4,100 communities around the country. As part of the week’s activities, clubs also decorated quilt patches that will be sewn together for the Great Futures Quilt, which will be created with the support of Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores. Additionally, Boys & Girls Clubs released its Youth Bill of Rights, a document highlighting current issues facing youth. To view the Youth Bill of Rights or learn more about National Boys & Girls Club Week, visit www.bgca.org.

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The Eastern Surfing Association’s Marsh Scholarship

Since 2008, Doug Starcke has served as the managing partner of First Flight Solutions in Emerald Isle, North Carolina. An avid surfer, Doug Starcke also co-owns South Swell Surf Shop and maintains membership in the Eastern Surfing Association. For nearly 50 years, the Eastern Surfing Association has organized amateur surfing competitions along the entire East Coast. Today, the organization operates 26 separate districts and holds more than 150 competitions each year. In addition to its activities managing surfing competitions, the Eastern Surfing Association conducts other programs to support the surfing community. Since 1981, the organization has offered the Marsh Scholarship Program, which provides financial aid to young surfers heading to college. To qualify for a Marsh Scholarship, applicants must be a member of the Eastern Surfing Association and submit a school transcript along with a letter of recommendation and a short essay outlining their future academic and career goals. Although the scholarship is for surfers, it is not awarded based on athletic ability but on academic performance. Each year, the Association awards approximately $8,000 to deserving students in states throughout the East.

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Volunteer Opportunities with the Eastern Surfing Association

Shipping executive Doug Starcke serves as managing partner with First Flight Solutions,a Transportation Impact company, located in Emerald Isle, North Carolina. An avid surfer, Doug Starcke belongs to the Eastern Surfing Association (ESA). The world’s largest amateur surfing association, the ESA sponsors a variety of family programs and surfing competitions along approximately 2,000 miles of coastline. For individuals interested in donating their time to the ESA, the organization offers volunteer opportunities in local districts throughout the eastern United States. Common responsibilities of local district volunteers include event planning, competition judging, marketing, website design, and more. The social media and marketing department at the ESA provides excellent opportunities for college students looking to earn course credit. Volunteers must have experience with social media platforms, such as Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. The ESA also encourages individuals with sales experience to help recruit sponsors at both the national and regional levels. Volunteers do not receive base pay, but they do have an opportunity to earn commission on their sales.

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Carteret Health Care’s Karen Gurney Receives 2015 Clapsadl Award

A shipping logistics executive based in North Carolina, Doug Starcke is a managing partner of First Flight Solutions in Emerald Isle. Outside of the professional arena, Doug Starcke donates to Carteret Health Care, formerly known as Carteret General Hospital. In December 2015, Karen Gurney, RN, received the 2015 Clapsadl Award, which recognizes the impact of high-quality nursing on patient care. A nurse in the surgical services department at Carteret Health Care, Ms. Gurney also received an all-expenses-paid trip to a national nursing convention of her choosing. In addition to earning a position on the North Carolina Nursing 100, the award recipient also receives $500 in cash. Carteret Health Care presents the Clapsadl Award in the fall/winter and the Georgia Lewis Award in May. Both awards recognize excellence in nursing, and all clinical RNs and LPNs with a minimum of three consecutive years with Carteret are eligible. To learn more about nursing excellence awards at Carteret Health Care, visit the official website at carterethealth.org.                            

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The Eastern Surfing Association’s Marsh Scholarship Fund

Since 2009, Doug Starcke has served as the managing partner of First Flight Solutions, a small-package-delivery consultancy that was ranked number 183 on the Inc. 500 list of America’s fastest-growing private companies in 2013. Doug Starcke is also a co-owner of South Swell Surf Shop and a member of the Eastern Surfing Association, the world’s largest amateur surfing organization. The Eastern Surfing Association (ESA) promotes a healthy, active lifestyle through a number of competitions for all ages. The organization also helps support student surfers in college through the Marsh Scholarship Fund, which was established in 1981 by former ESA executive Dr. Colin J. Couture. The fund honors the Marsh family and, specifically, Mike Marsh, who completed his law degree while battling cancer. The Marsh Scholarship Fund awards approximately $8,000 in annual financial aid to ESA surfers in good standing. The scholarship is awarded based on academic achievement and United States citizenship.

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An Overview of the NFL and NBA Seasons

Based out of Emerald Isle, North Carolina, Doug Starcke manages Transportation Impact and First Flight Solutions while also acting as co-owner of the South Swell Surf Shop. Outside of work, Doug Starcke likes to stay physically active. He also following basketball and football on television. Football and basketball rank as two of the most popular sports in the United States. In 2014, 34 of the 35 most watched television programs in America were NFL football games, which averaged 20.3 million viewers each, while the most recent NBA Finals achieved the highest ratings since 1998, the last playoff series to feature Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. As both sports continue to bring in larger and larger audiences, individuals may want to familiarize themselves with the structure of the respective seasons. The NFL season generally begins early in September and continues for 17 weeks, with each team playing 16 games and taking one week off. The NFL playoffs start during the first or second week of January, with the Super Bowl occurring early in February. The NBA season, meanwhile, is much longer, with all 30 teams playing 82 games each. The season starts off during the last few days of October and extends to mid-April. The playoffs start after about two weeks of down time. The NBA post-season can extend into June, with a team needing to win four best-of-seven series in order to claim the Larry O'Brien trophy.                            

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The Golden Goal Rule in Soccer

Doug Starcke currently works as a managing partner at First Flight Solutions. He is also the co-owner of Emerald Isle, North Carolina's South Swell Surf Shop. In addition to surfing, Doug Starcke enjoys staying physically fit through other water activites and soccer. He has played soccer since childhood. The golden goal rule was established by the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) in 1993 and was last used in 2002. Under the rule, teams tied after 90 minutes of regulation play and stoppage time would engage in two 15-minute periods of extra time. If either team scored a goal during the first or second period, play would immediately end and the scoring team would be declared the winner. In the event of two scoreless periods, the game would end in a draw. Games played during knockout stages at events such as the World Cup would be decided by penalty kicks. In many cases, the nature of the golden goal rule led to highly defensive play as both teams essentially waited for the penalty kicks to come. In modern times, the golden goal rule has been completely phased out of international play. Teams tied at the end of regulation still get two 15-minute periods of extra time. However, a team scoring one or multiple goals in either period does not signal the end of play. In other words, even if one team scores a goal in the first minute of extra time, the second team still has 29 minutes to tie the score once again and force a penalty shootout.

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Doug Starcke, Humble Beginnings

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About Doug Starcke

Doug Starcke serves as managing partner of First Flight Solutions, a Transporation Impact company, in Emerald Isle, North Carolina. Since joining the small parcel spend management company, he has facilitated the creation of an elite team composed of executives with experience working for major transport firms like FedEx and UPS. In collaboration with his team, Doug Starcke helps reduce each client's transportation spending while enhancing business processes. Beyond his business endeavors, Doug Starcke stays active in his local community by contributing to nonprofit organizations. Among these, he supports Carteret General Hospital, and the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. He also donates to religious establishments like St. Mildred Catholic Church, where he attends services. In his private life, Mr. Starcke enjoys listening to musical genres ranging from punk rock to doo-wop. An outdoorsman with an affinity for the water, he pursues activities like boating and surfing in the company of friends and family.