Darcy Quinn: An Early Involvement
By James Florence, Diamond Certified Resource Reporter
NOVATO — Darcy Quinn has been working in the moving industry since she graduated college, but her initial involvement goes back even further. “My dad has worked for Bekins Van Lines since 1966, so I grew up around the business,” she explains. “When I was a little girl, I would go with him on weekends when he was managing office moves—he would pay me 25 cents a day to help out. Later, during high school and college, I continued to work with him during summer and winter breaks. In 2000, around the same time I graduated from college, he purchased the Novato Bekins Agency from Bekins Van Lines and invited me to be his office manager. I’ve been here ever since.”
Today as owner of A and P Moving, Inc. (which she co-owns with her father, Dale, and brother, Darin), Darcy says her favorite part of her job is the opportunity to interact with a variety of people. “I meet people from all walks of life, which keeps things interesting. Most of the people we move are going through some kind of life transition, so it’s rewarding and often inspiring to be a part of that.”
A resident of Novato (where she lives with her husband, Pat, and their two children), Darcy spends her time outside of work on a variety of active pastimes. “I love going hiking and running on local trails with our Australian Cattle Dog,” she details. “I also love music, as does my husband, so we enjoy going to concerts together. As far as family activities go, we like going to the beach and attending sports events.”
In regard to a professional philosophy, Darcy espouses the value of treating others like family. “We’re family-oriented people and that’s how we run our company,” she says. “I think the main reason we have such a loyal employee base is because we don’t view them as numbers but as valuable members of our company family. This philosophy also extends to how we interact with our customers. Ultimately, I think it comes down to respect. Regardless of the level of employee or size of the job, we aim to treat everyone with an equal amount of respect.”
When asked the first thing she’d do if she were to retire tomorrow, Darcy says she’d volunteer her time to a good cause. “I’ve always wanted to work with a nonprofit that benefits underprivileged people. Last year, my daughter and I volunteered at St. Anthony’s Soup Kitchen in San Francisco, and it was a very rewarding experience. It just felt good to make a difference in the lives of others and help them see there is hope beyond their current circumstances. So, if I were to retire from full-time work, I would definitely volunteer for a program like that on a more permanent basis.”
Ask Me Anything!
Q: What’s your favorite local restaurant?
A: Sol Food in San Rafael.
Q: What’s your favorite thing to do on a rainy day?
A: Go running with my dog.
Q: Do you collect anything?
A: I collect matchboxes. When I was a little girl, my dad traveled a lot for work and he always brought me matchboxes from wherever he’d been. I now have a huge, beautiful, eclectic collection of matchboxes, and I still collect them to this day.
Q: What’s your favorite magazine?
A: “Vanity Fair” because it has a little bit of everything. It has the juicy gossip, but it also has relevant stories about what’s going on in society today.
Q: What’s your favorite thing to eat for dessert?
A: Chocolate cake.
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