Darren Neuman
Millwright Manager
What is your role at Didion?
As Millwright Manager, I do my best to set the millwright team up for success. The millwright crew works to install new equipment and processes, as well as assists in maintaining the existing equipment and facilities. I work in other team leaders to ensure that all Didion plants operate at their full potential. This includes the coordination of work plans across different teams including mill maintenance, ethanol maintenance, millers, our soybean plant, and our Markesan plant.
How does your role help the organization and the community?
A large part of my role is keeping strong communication across different teams to schedule work that needs to be done. My role and our team is essential in helping to keep all Didion facilities running and operating efficiently.
What do you find the most rewarding about working at Didion?
The most rewarding part about working at Didion is accomplishing huge tasks with large amounts of people. It is great to see different teams work together to get the job done. There is no better feeling of working hard as a team and accomplishing a large project. Our project planning team sets the Millwrights up for success, which sets the operations team up for success. It’s rewarding to see a project go from planning to construction to being fully operational. Being able to look back at the end of the day and say, “We made a difference” is a great feeling!
Are there any career highlights or industry skills that have contributed to your career path?
I started at Didion 6 years ago as a Millwright helper. I came to Didion with no industrial work experience and little experience as a millwright. With the right training and opportunities, Didion quickly gave me the chance to be a leader on the Millwright team. Many people helped me get where I am today, and I am very thankful for the culture here at Didion.
What advice would you give a job seeker who’s thinking about applying for a job with us?
Didion is a great place to work! There are a lot of opportunities if you are willing to get out of your comfort zone and give it your all. Show up to work on-time every day, be willing to learn, stay humble and you will be surprised how much potential you can have here.
