Farm Bureau Insurance Kickball Team Wraps Up Season in the Playoffs

The Farm Bureau Insurance kickball team, also known as F.B.I., recently wrapped up their second season of play in the Little Rock Kickball Association. The team is made up of staff from many of our departments, including: underwriting, claims, finance, and information systems.  Finishing the season ranked 4th in their league and with a record of 6-4, F.B.I. was proud to represent Farm Bureau Insurance and had a fantastic time bonding and working as a team.

The Farm Bureau Kickball team is just one of many ways the company strives to be an active, positive force in the community–and show that Farm Bureau Insurance is a local company with local employees.

We are looking forward to the next season of Kickball. GO F.B.I.!!

Farm Bureau Insurance Summer Interns

Farm Bureau Insurance in Arkansas has a long history of involvement in our local communities. One way we do that is through our internship program. The intent of the program is to provide a hands on work experience to students that will increase their understanding and knowledge of Insurance and Agriculture. To be eligible to participate in the program, students must be actively enrolled in an accredited Arkansas College/University, entering junior or senior level status and pursuing a degree in insurance, business, agriculture or a related field.

This summer our interns were Chance Redfearn, Kaylee Brasko and Kasen Bloodworth. All three interned in our Claims Department, this allowed them to work at different locations across the state. Each spent time working with our adjusters and learning about the crucial role that our claims employees have in the success of our company.

Our interns have diverse backgrounds and interests. Chance is from Ashdown and is a student at SAU where he majors in Ag Business. He is President of the Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity and a Senator for the College of Science and Engineering.

Pictured: Chance Redfearn

Kaylee is from Stuttgart and attends UAM where she is a Plant and Soil Science major. She participates in Collegiate Farm Bureau, Collegiate Cattleman’s Association and is involved with the Alpha Sigma Alpha Sorority.

Pictured: Kaylee Brasko

Kasen is from Brookland, he is a student at UCA and is an Insurance and Risk Management major. He enjoys spending his time outdoors and is involved with the Fisheries and Wildlife Society.

Pictured: Kasen Bloodworth

We hope that our program better prepares these students to enter the workforce after college. A number of our past interns have even transitioned into being employees here at Farm Bureau Insurance in Arkansas. Kasen had this to say about what he learned during his internship: “I learned the importance of interacting with insureds in a positive way. We are able to better people’s lives in the course of a claim, which is very rewarding.” We are proud that we are able to offer this internship program and thankful for these interns that spent their summer learning about the insurance industry!

2019 Farm Bureau Insurance Awards Winners

Farm Bureau Insurance is pleased to announce the winners of the 2019 Farm Bureau Insurance Awards. 

The Farm Bureau Insurance Awards honor Arkansas’ top offensive player, defensive player and coach of the year for each classification. The veteran staff at Hooten’s Arkansas Football selects three finalists for each category, and those 45 finalists and their families are invited to attend the Farm Bureau Insurance Awards in North Little Rock.

Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company of Arkansas, Inc., Executive Vice President and General Manager David L. Moore said, “We congratulate our 15 winners. All 45 finalists represent some of the best coaches and student-athletes in our state. Farm Bureau Insurance is proud to honor excellence as the title sponsor of this outstanding event.”

Farm Bureau Insurance has supported education and community involvement in Arkansas for more than 65 years.

7A/6A OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR (winners in CAPS)
BRANDON THOMAS, NORTH LITTEL ROCK
Jake Meaders, Bryant
Hunter Wood, Har-Ber

7A/6A DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
AUSTIN BAILEY, BRYANT
Daylon Land, Bryant
Jashaud Stewart, Jonesboro

7A/6A COACH OF THE YEAR
MARK KELLEY, SEARCY
Jamie Mitchell, North Little Rock
Buck James, Bryant

5A OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
BRADEN BRATCHER, PULASKI ACADEMY
Jacolby Criswell, Morrilton
Chris Hightower, LR Christian

5A DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
BROOKS BOTH, HARRISON
Clay James, Pulaski Academy
Jackson Woodard, Little Rock Christian

5A COACH OF THE YEAR
KEVIN KELLEY, PULASKI ACADEMY
Sean Cockrell, Valley View
Eric Cohu, Little Rock Christian

4A OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
CANNON TURNER, ARKADELPHIA
Vincent Steppes, Warren
Truitt Tollett, Shiloh Christian

4A DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
P.J. HALL, JOE T. ROBINSON
Bryant Burns, Ozark
Kyren Harrison, Arkadelphia

4A COACH OF THE YEAR
TODD ESKOLA, JOE T. ROBINSON
Jeff Conaway, Shiloh Christian
Bobby Engle, Jonesboro Westside

3A OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
M.J. VANCE, OSCEOLA
Xaylon Falls, Camden Harmony Grove
Eli Roberson, Atkins

3A DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
DANIEL HICKS, CAMDEN HARMONY GROVE
Carter Hawkins, McGehee
Derriun Thompson, Prescott

3A COACH OF THE YEAR
NEIL EVANS, HARDING ACADEMY
Robert Hooks, Osceola
Ernie Horstkamp, Camden Harmony Grove

2A OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
CALEB JACOBS, PARKERS CHAPEL
Isaac Carver, Foreman
Jackson Morton, Des Arc

2A DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
JAKIRON COOK, JUNCTION CITY
Kyle Kidwell, Junction City
De’Arius Sledge, Fordyce

2A COACH OF THE YEAR
TIM RODGERS, FORDYCE
Kyle Jackson, Gurdon
Brad Smith, Junction City

Farm Bureau Insurance Generously Invests in SAU Through Gift to Poultry Science Facility

Dr. Trey Berry, SAU president, and David Moore, executive vice president and general manager of Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance of Arkansas, celebrate with SAU administrators and the Farm Bureau leadership team as Farm Bureau contributes $100,000 to the University’s new poultry science facility. Also pictured are, left to right: John Bonner, Vice President – Underwriting, Dina Bates, Vice President – Products and Education, Wade Berry, Vice President – Information Systems, Mack Wallace, Vice President – Sales, Kevin McKenzie, Vice President – Claims, Dr. David Lanoue, SAU Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs, Dr. Jeff Miller, SAU Agriculture Department Chair and Boulware Professor, Tammy Crumey, Vice President – Human Resources, Dr. Abdel Bachri, SAU College of Science and Engineering Dean, and Rick Wells, Vice President – Finance.

In a tremendous show of support for the students of Southern Arkansas University, Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company of Arkansas, Inc. has generously donated $100,000 to the University’s new poultry science facility.

Dr. Trey Berry, SAU’s president, said the gift represents the extraordinary bond between Farm Bureau and SAU and its budding poultry program.

Farm Bureau Insurance made the gift to the SAU Foundation. It supports construction of the new poultry house on the north side of the Agriculture Center.

“SAU is truly grateful for our partnership with Farm Bureau,” said Dr. Berry. “It is committed to providing facilities necessary for our students to be educated in an environment that meets local industry needs.”

He thanked David Moore, executive vice-president and general manager of Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance of Arkansas, for his ongoing support for SAU’s students. “Farm Bureau has been a partner in our success long before this commitment,” Dr. Berry shared. “They have provided internships for many of our agriculture and business students and employed many of our graduates.”

Moore said that as the leading provider of agricultural insurance services in Arkansas, Farm Bureau Insurance assumes a responsibility of helping customers make informed buying decisions. “Our partnership with Southern Arkansas University is unique in that it provides educational opportunities for our customers and staff. Plus, it assists SAU in providing learning activities for students who want to be involved in the poultry industry. Southern Arkansas University, Farm Bureau, and the surrounding communities all win.”

In recognition of this extraordinary gift, the university will name the Agriculture Mechanics Teaching Laboratory in honor of Farm Bureau Insurance. Inside the First Financial Bank Poultry Facility, Farm Bureau will also be recognized in the naming of the Broiler/Breeder Room.

In addition to strengthening the educational component of SAU’s poultry program, Farm Bureau will document the proper construction techniques used in building the poultry house.

Poultry is the leading agriculture industry in Arkansas, and SAU’s Poultry Science program will prepare students for careers in the ever-growing and changing industry. The poultry industry provides more than 15,000 jobs in Arkansas. Forty-one percent of farms in Arkansas produce some type of poultry, and the poultry industry pays an average of $58,776 in wages and benefits.

Team Farm Bureau Donates to the Arkansas Foodbank

Recently, Team Farm Bureau came together for a community outreach project aimed at helping the Arkansas Foodbank with a need for canned goods in the aftermath of recent flooding that has impacted much of the state.

The Team Farm Bureau Community Outreach program donated 1,176 canned food items to the Arkansas Foodbank. The food donated came from a combination of employee donated items and a company match on those donations. Always a champion of the company’s community outreach efforts, VP of Human Resources Tammy Crumley had this to say, “The Foodbank requested help, so Team Farm Bureau jumped right in and made it happen!”

Farm Bureau employees helping to load canned good donations.

The Arkansas Foodbank started in 1984 as an organization serving a number of south Arkansas counties as a source of food for local agencies who sought to reduce hunger in their communities. Since then the Foodbank has grown to serve 450+ partner agencies and more than 280,000 people. Farm Bureau Insurance in Arkansas and its employees are proud to be able to help those individuals in our state who benefit from the essential work of the Arkansas Foodbank.