George Starke - Life After The Skins

Life After The Skins

After retiring from the Washington Redskins in September 1985, Starke began working simultaneously on two careers. He was accepted into Ford Motor Companies Dealer Operations Training School in Baltimore, Maryland. Two years later, he graduated and along with a partner opened "George Starke Ford" in Emmitsburg, Maryland.

At the same time, Starke began his career in television broadcasting building on his many T.V. appearances in conjunction with local sports personalities who interviewed him as captain of the Washington Redskins. These interview shows included regular appearances with Glen Brenner - Local Channel 9, Bernie Smilovitz - Local Fox Channel 5 and others. After his retirement from pro football, Starke hosted PM Magazine and co-hosted the show "Redskins Saturday Night" with Pete Wysocki. In addition, Starke began working as a host for Hometeam Sports (Comcast) and a color commentator for ESPN College Football and CBS National Football League Broadcasts co-hosted with James Brown.

The "Redskins Saturday Night" shows went on to win several local Emmies. In 1989, Starke founded a beer company called "Head Hog Premium Beer" that sold beer within the historic Redskins broadcast footprint, which extended from Delaware in the north to Georgia in the south. That company evolved into "Head Hog BBQ Restaurants" in Bethesda, Maryland and Rockville, Maryland.

In 1996 being alarmed by the spike in youth violence in the District of Columbia and determining that violence was primarily a job issue, that involved a large number of youth who were illiterate and therefore unemployable, rather than a crime issue, Starke founded a not-for profit job training facility he named the Excel Institute. The Institute was designed as a two year adult education program for at risk youth above the age of sixteen that provides basic education, life skills counseling and autotech vocational training. Two basic tenets of the Institute were that (1) anyone above the age of sixteen who wanted to attend was admitted and (2) all students were on full scholarship - i.e., nobody had to pay. In October 2010, after graduating over 500 students, Starke retired from management and the Board of the Excel Institute.

After retirement from the Institute, Starke founded Starke Communications, a communications firm that provides communications, PR and marketing services to corporate clients. Starke Communications also provides motivational speakers for its clients.