Lear Receives 2017 NAMIC Award

Justin Lear receiving 2017 NAMIC Professional Farm Mutual Manager of the Year Award from Brian Taylor, 2016 PFMM of the Year, at the NAMIC 122nd Annual Convention, Denver, CO

FARMERS MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY 16 N. Main – P.O. Box 396 Ellinwood, Kansas 67526-0396 Phone 620-564-3281 Fax 620-564-3555

Press Release Farmers Mutual Insurance Company (FMI), Ellinwood, Kansas is pleased to announce that Chief Executive Officer, Justin Lear, PFMM has received the 2017 National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMIC) Professional Farm Mutual Manager of the Year Award. One Professional Farm Mutual Manager (PFMM) of the Year Award is given annually to an individual in recognition of their outstanding leadership and many accomplishments in the service to NAMIC as well as the Mutual Insurance Industry. The PFMM of the Year Award recognizes the recipient’s high-level performance in marketing, administrative, and financial management within their company and the industry. This Award is the highest award given by the Farm Mutual Conference of NAMIC which represents the single state or regional member companies of NAMIC that have roots in rural risk coverage through mutual insurance protection. Justin received this NAMIC PFMM of the Year Award at the 122nd Annual Convention of NAMIC in Denver, Colorado on September 25th. Justin has served FMI since 2007, as CEO since February 2010. Since that time he has led initiatives of the company as created with the Board of Directors and completed by efforts of staff in a successful recovery phase due to the effects of severe storm losses in prior periods. Within Justin’s tenure FMI has returned to being a viable company successfully serving a niche market of residential property. FMI is now poised to open new lines of business for other niche markets to serve Kansans’ insurance needs with a focus on the rural landscape of Kansas. Justin has served NAMIC in various capacities in the past, most notably in a term as Chairman of the NAMIC Farm Mutual Conference Board of Directors. Likewise, he serves the state association, Kansas Association of Property Casualty Insurance Companies (KAPCIC) as the FMI representative to the KAPCIC Board of Directors, and as a past President of the association. He has also served NAMIC and KAPCIC, as well as the Kansas Professional Insurance Agents (PIA), in various committee appointments throughout the years. Prior to joining FMI in 2007, Justin served Polk County Mutual Insurance Company in Bolivar, Missouri as General Manager and Director. While in Missouri he was also actively engaged in NAMIC, the Missouri Association of Mutual Insurance Companies, and the insurance industry. Farmers Mutual Insurance Company is a Kansas Domiciled Mutual Insurance Company that is and has been based out of Ellinwood since 1896. Originally formed by a group of Barton county citizens who had a need to insure property that the insurance industry in the late 1800’s would not insure, FMI has continued to serve Kansans with insurance protection on residential and farm property through the past 121 years. A mutual insurance company is one that has no stock investors nor individual owners, being mutual means that all policyholders of the company have an equal interest as stakeholder and therefore the leadership is guided by a Board of Directors that consist of Policyholders of the company. The Mission of FMI is to “Provide Kansans with insurance Protection that is reliable and personal.” FMI distributes its insurance products through over 150 independent agencies across the state and insures nearly 5000 properties for individuals, families, farms, and businesses. More information about FMI can be found at: www.fmi-ks.com . NAMIC is a premier national trade association for the property/casualty insurance industry with over 1,400 member companies. NAMIC’s vision is, “Providing positive contributions to society through a financially sound, competitive, and ethical insurance industry.” And, serves through its mission of, “Strengthening members and the mutual insurance industry by leadership in advocacy, public policy, public affairs, and business support services.” NAMIC member companies insure 54% of homeowners, 43% of automobile, and 32% of the business insurance markets. More information about NAMIC can be found at: www.namic.org. Similarly, KAPCIC is the state trade association of the property/casualty insurance industry. KAPCIC member companies have played an important role in protecting and serving the people of Kansas. KAPCIC’s mission is, “To support the Kansas insurance industry in meeting the needs of our public through market stability and the success of our membership.” More information about KAPCIC can be found at: www.kapcic.org .