Member Profile: Jack Smith

 
Jack Smith at his Country Insurance office

Whether it’s selling insurance or selling benefits—the benefits of being a Farm Bureau member, that is—Jack Smith is always prepared with answers and solutions across both these essential fronts.

Smith, who’s been a "lifer" with Bloomington, Ill.-based Country Insurance & Financial Services—24 years all total and the past 18 as an agency manager—has a theory about people and insurance: "I often say, ‘people don’t plan to fail, they fail to plan.’ Many need the tools that we (as agents) can provide them."

Smith, based in north suburban Schaumburg, makes sure to remain one step ahead of customers as it pertains to their vital insurance needs. This includes communicating the value of everything from homeowners and auto insurance to financial services/investment products, college planning products and critical identity theft protection.

Smith carries out his professional duties as manager of 21 Country Insurance agents throughout northern Cook, Kane and DuPage counties—predominantly conducting business in Schaumburg and Elgin. (Smith no longer actively sells insurance, as he is too wrapped up managing the agency network.)

Secondly, there’s the other essential front: Spreading the word about the role Farm Bureau plays in its members’ lives. Smith’s mission is to disseminate all these advantages. He knows some potential policyholders are puzzled initially when the topic of Farm Bureau membership is brought up related to County Mutual Insurance. They wonder what they’re getting in return.

Smith lays it out for them accurately and powerfully, a task made easier since he’s a member of the Member Relations team. "I decided to become a committee member because it made it easy for me to engage Country agents and their policyholders about all the benefits of membership," he says.

Managed soy fields
Raised in Tolono, Ill., a community of about 1,200 residents in farm-rich Champaign County, Smith worked for two local farmers in high school, which "gave me a chance to see and touch farming since our family was not active in it. The work allowed me to see the ingenuity that goes into farming—the time and passion required in the fields, as well as actually running the operation."

While working on farms in Tolono in the early 1970s, Smith walked rows of soybean fields for hours with a pick and hoe, pruning weeds that crept into soybean plants.

Attending Unity High School in Tolono, Smith says this high school Ag instructor, Doug Arends, was instrumental in his career path, as he eventually encouraged Jack to consider a position as a Country Companies agent. "I always listened to Doug (who subsequently had gone to work for Country), so I naturally took him up on his advice, and became an agent in Tolono."

Smith spent five years in central Illinois, where the "rich heritage of Country Companies made it easy for me to succeed. My top objective was to maintain those customer relationships." What proved more challenging occurred in 1989 when Mr. Smith went to Cook County…to assume his current role as agency manager. "This was a huge move for the family, relocating to ‘big Cook County’ from rural central Illinois," says Smith.

"I remember introducing myself to people, and most had never heard of Country Companies," he says. Smith possessed the solid relationship-building skills needed to build a new base of business for the Bloomington insurer in metro Chicago. During the 1990s that’s exactly what happened, as more and more Country agencies were established, continuing to grow their books of business at a steady pace.

People’s advocate

As an insurance specialist, Smith knows that people don’t always have the answers, and must rely on trusted advisors for assistance. These days, Smith works hard with his agency network to get the word out to customers about their vulnerability to identity theft.

"With technology today, people’s personal information is exceptionally vulnerable. We want to inform them that they can buy ID theft coverage very inexpensively (about $30 per year) as an endorsement to a homeowner’s policy. It’s vital that agents be an advocate to customers. We have to be there to provide not only the ‘what’s next’ needs. We also have to be there for the ‘what ifs’—which is what ID theft coverage addresses."

Smith employs the same advocate policy as a member of the Member Relations committee—in this case informing members about Farm Bureau’s many services. "What we try to focus on is the utilization of Co-Operator (newsletter) as a valuable tool for members, as well as all the other services offered. This was the first year we had a Member Appreciation banquet and annual Farm Day, and they were both very well received."

Smith wants to continue championing the concept of scholarships for deserving students eager to launch careers in agriculture. "This assures that people who have a passion for agriculture get to put it to use," says Smith, who also enjoys promoting Farm Bureau’s Ag in the Classroom initiative whenever he can.

His is also doing a standup job raising awareness—and donations—for the Ronald McDonald House. "Each one of our agencies is considered a drop-off spot in which to make food and clothing donations. What it does is show our support for the local community," he states.

The product of central Illinois has a farming philosophy that’s compelling, if not refreshing. "I regard the farmer as a solid business person—not just someone who jumps into a tractor to till the land," states Smith. "The farmer’s like a CEO—a solid business person who must keep a pulse on economic situations and more. It’s a challenge today because the value of land makes it much more lucrative to put homes on farmland rather than rotating crops."

Jack Smith Profile
Hometown: Tolono, Ill.
Profession: Agency manager for Country Insurance & Financial Services
Farm Bureau affiliation: Member Services committee
Family: Wife and high school sweetheart Julie along with three children—Kyle, Kolin and Kelsey—ages 17 through 22.