Sorry for bad english but my native is german.
The second Fluker farm is belonging to David and Diane Fluker of Fluker Farms USA (a.k.a. Fluker Labs). Inside story about farm is that Fluker Farm owners USA want to build new farm to compete against own brother (Howard) and father (Richard) who have farm based in El Salvador. This is confusing yes, but I explain all below.
As to relation with the parties, I Howard’s friend of around 15 years. We buy Iguanas and Bearded Dragons from Howard’s and father farm in El Salvador for reptile company in Germany, which has suppliers from Honduras as well. In this regard, we also to visit Honduras (other supplier) and El Salvador to see his farm periodically. Some while back we met his brother, David Fluker, some 13-16 years back at Fluker Farms stand in trade fair in Nuremberg Germany. David seemed pretty nice man when met first time but not think so now after what he try to do to own brother and own father as explanation in this post you will see.
Last time we visit with Howard at farm in El Salvador was last year in October 2009 when we also had a chance meeting with his father, Richard Fluker, he is older man, crippled and was confined to wheelchair for movements. It seem Richard Fluker have strong religious beliefs and seem to be good man with good spirit and very strong in his mind and is particularly pleased by Howard's efforts to help poor children in El Salvador through the ReptileRepublic Community School, which established around 8-10 years back. Howard take me to see school many times when visited him which is located next to farm in El Salvador. I really like idea that from my company buy reptiles from them and that help support childrens school. Reptile school which is located next to farm and is 100% funded by Howard and reptile farm. Local underprivileged young children learn English and computer skills in school so they can get jobs when graduated in call centers spread across El Salvador. According to Howard, the school imparts education 100% free paid by farm by income made from he and father’s reptile farm to help around 50 young children students at any given time. Howard said that inspiration to build school came to him from father, Richard, who built hotel for children in a rural part of the USA several years ago to also help children.
In month of fall this coming year, after National Reptile Breeders Expo 2010, we planning another visit to El Salvador where I’ll take a few pictures of childrens school and post pics here. I think Howard tell us that school also have a website. Later get URL from Howard and post here on this board. Thinking to also share link to this post with Howard because he should know that this forum post exist.
And now some insight into company and people behind it! According to Fluker Farms own website
http://www.flukerfarms.com/aboutus.aspx Richard Fluker (father) started main company, Fluker Farms, in 1953.
From what I know, he gave company he start to his children many years ago. The siblings - David, Howard and Diane - and father, Richard, were all equal partners in reptile farm in El Salvador, and they also partners dry reptile products company a.k.a Fluker Labs and cricket farm operation in United States, known as Fluker Farms/Fluker Labs.
From my own memory, David always run US operations of breeding crickets and selling dry reptile products a.k.a Fluker Labs. Howard always run El Salvador operations of breeding Iguanas and Bearded Dragons. About 3 years back, it seem that David and Howard had big disagreement on direction companies were heading. This disagreement result in split in the ownership of companies a little more than 3 years ago.
David and sister, Diane, took US operations of breeding crickets and making and selling Fluker Lab dry reptile products. Howard and father, Richard, took El Salvador operations
www.reptilerepublic.com of breeding Iguanas and Bearded Dragons.
However, from what know me, the split was far from friendly. Since David and Diane Fluker a.k.a Fluker Laboratories
www.FlukerFarms.com make a Dragon farm in USA just after they split company then the two groups are basically in competition with each other. Howard say me that David and Diane have their company in USA and is not understand why they want compete with he and his father because USA company Fluker Labs is many, many times larger than El Salvador company. Moreover, in past years before they split company, whenever we to visit Howard in El Salvador, he always having some dispute with brother David who run Flukers back in USA.
This family drama took very interesting turn when couple years back, I learned David Fluker hired Howard Fluker ex-wife / ex-manager to help him start his new dragon farm in USA just few months after company split then Fluker Farm USA have Bearded Dragon operation in USA to compete with brother and father. Before their divorcing or her and Howard, she was his main Bearded Dragon production manager at El Salvador farm. But later she quit working for David at Fluker Farms/Fluker Labs USA and resumed working for again for Howard her ex husband at El Salvador farm. Howard tell me that she still work for him in El Salvador and is now partner in El Salvador farm.
During last visit to Howard Farm in El Salvador last year in October, we learned that David and Diane Fluker were making final grand plans to move Bearded Dragon operations from USA to El Salvador. To fructify his plans, David also tried to hire Howard’s ex wife again from Howard and Fathers Farm, at time she his current production manager in El Salvador, they try this before they started plan move to El Salvador but she stay with Howard. It seem that Davids plan was to hire Howard current manager (ex wife, again) to build another farm in El Salvador that could give tough competition to his own brother and own father’s farm. Kind of sad since the father gave David and Diane Fluker farm in USA to them in first place and it not good to make competition for their very own father using the very same business he gave them years ago in first place. And then do it in the fathers and brotherd own back yard so to speak in El Salvador and try to use brothers own ex wife/ex manager in grand plan against them. Howard tell me he think brother jealous of how big he make Dragon farm with fast grow and David not grow Flukers USA same fast as Howard. But Howard say he not understand why David and Diane jealously because Farm in USA many time size of farm in El Salvador. This should be American soap opra!
To specifically answer your question, we think David and Diane initiated steps in their grand plan to move Dragon farm from USA to El Salvador. However, I try to get more from Howard when email him to inform about this post. Not sure if he will do so but I request to Howard to post some info here but do not think he want to say anything public. Howard do not like talk much about this family situation in public largely due fear that financial behemoth by name of Fluker Farms/Fluker Labs USA could destroy he and his father’s much smaller company in El Salvador.
Finally, a disclaimer! Since I friends with Howard, the story may seem somewhat biased and inclined in favor of Howard and father. I invite if anyone out there knows a thing or two about behind-the-scenes situation in this family saga/drama post info here.
Hans Schulze