MMT Chats: One Moldmaker’s Mission Empowers Veterans

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Don Starkey didn’t serve in the military—but he’s dedicated years of service to those who did. As a moldmaking industry veteran and an owner and chairman of Progressive Components, Starkey helps lead iWarriors, a volunteer-driven nonprofit that provides iPads to wounded veterans coping with the physical and emotional scars of war.

The program, started in 2011 by moldmakers Tim and Kim Bartz (Mold Craft), began as a personal mission to give back. When they neared retirement, Starkey and Progressive Components stepped in to keep that mission alive. “We just couldn’t let it fade away,” Starkey says.

Since its inception, iWarriors has gifted more than 1,100 iPads. It’s not just about technology—it’s about connection. “If you’re trying to access the VA, almost everything is digital now. You’ve got to have a computer,” Starkey explains. “But it’s more than that. It’s about connection to the outside world—FaceTime with family, finishing college, or just managing appointments with a calendar.”

Most recipients suffer from traumatic brain injury or PTSD. Starkey says the impact is often life-changing: “Almost all of them say, ‘This changed my life.’”

Fundraising happens through three annual golf outings and merchandise sales—every dollar goes to the vets, with Progressive covering administrative costs. Starkey’s personal goal? Get iWarriors iPads into the hands of veterans at Camp Pendleton, where long rehab stays mean more time away from family. “If anyone has a connection to social workers there—reach out. We need your help.”

Starkey is also passionate about having veterans attend the golf outings to share their stories. “There wasn’t a dry eye last year,” he says. “These men and women want to return to duty—even after multiple injuries—because they don’t want to leave their brothers and sisters behind. That’s why we do this.”