Nick Zubke: Keeping the Wheels Turning at Strauss Feeds
When Nick Zubke started his job in maintenance at Strauss Feeds in 2013, it was a homecoming of sorts.
“I’m from Watertown and live in the house where I grew up, which is about 2 miles from the Strauss plant,” he shared. “The plant has been a part of our ‘neighborhood’ for my entire life.” Nick graduated from Watertown High School in 2001 and completed a degree in Automotive Technology from Madison Area Technical College (MATC) two years later. A self-proclaimed “gearhead,” he loves working on cars and equipment of all types.
“My first job was in auto mechanics, but I soon learned that it took away my passion for working on my own vehicles,” said Nick. “So, I got my Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) and became a truck driver.” His trucking career came to an abrupt halt in 2010 when a detached retina damaged his vision in one eye. “I can still see out of that eye, but not well enough to maintain a CDL,” he explained.
He did demolition work for a short time, then learned about an opening in maintenance at his friendly neighborhood Strauss Feeds plant. “I actually took a pay cut to come here,” Nick noted. “I knew about Strauss and their reputation as a great employer. I figured when they had people retiring after 45 years of service, it must be a pretty solid place to work.”
So, he switched gears again, from demolition to keeping things together. Nick said maintaining the manufacturing operations at the Strauss plant draws upon his full bundle of skills as a farm kid, mechanic, curious problem-solver, and team player. Later, those roles were expanded to leader and manager, as Nick was promoted to Maintenance Supervisor in 2025. He is now charged with overseeing all maintenance operations, plus supervising two assistants.
The variety that every days brings is one of the job elements that keeps Nick engaged. “Some days, my phone rings with an issue at 4:00 a.m., and we’re fixing things all day long,” he said. “Other days are filled with meetings and planning for future operations. And some days are just about true maintenance. We work with what we’ve got, and it works very well. ‘Brand new’ doesn’t necessarily fix all the problems.”
Nick said he also appreciates that Strauss Feeds is a family-owned business with a family-like culture to match, because family means everything to him. He and his wife of 21 years, Deanna, have three daughters Alexis, 21; Callie, 18; and Samantha, 14. They are a close family who love traveling together on rambling road trips in a 15-passenger van with grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins to destinations like Yellowstone, Disney World, the Black Hills and more.
Nick and his wife proud of their daughter’s accomplishments
All three of Nick’s girls have been active in 4-H and FFA, and each has developed her own passions, of which Nick is very proud. Alexis is studying to become a special education teacher, following a long line of family members who have a heart for people with mental disabilities. Callie is a photographer and animal lover, currently enrolled at MATC in their Veterinary Technician program. And Sam has a devotion to animals as well, actively exhibiting beef cattle and pigs at their county fair and other regional and jackpot shows throughout the year.
“The girls and I really enjoy showing livestock together, and taking care of those animals at home,” shared Nick. It is a bond that stems from his farming roots and still allows his daughters to develop the same ‘farm kid’ values and work ethic that shaped him.
In his own free time, Nick enjoys helping friends with farming, beach vacations with Deanna, local festivals, tractor pulls, and cruising in his ‘66 Chevelle Malibu and ‘99 Kawasaki 1500 motorcycle.
He also never runs out of projects at work. Next on the list is a new, 24-bin micro-dosing system for supplementing milk replacer with feed additives, a newly automated dump station, and converting to LED lighting throughout the Strauss plant. “I’m sure there will be plenty of challenges and new adventures ahead,” he predicted. “That’s what keeps things fun around here.”
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When Nick Zubke started his job in maintenance at Strauss Feeds in 2013, it was a homecoming of sorts. “I’m from Watertown and live in the house where I grew up, which is about 2 miles from the Strauss plant,” he shared. “The plant has been a part of our ‘neighborhood’ for my entire life.”