Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Jo Anne Avelar
joanne.avelar@stbaldricks.org
West Des Moines, IA (July 25, 2024) – The St. Baldrick’s Foundation, the largest charity funder of childhood research grants in the U.S., is pleased to announce the appointment of Shannon Rutledge, President & CEO of Farmers Mutual Hail Insurance Company of Iowa in West Des Moines, IA, to its Board of Directors.
Farmers Mutual Hail (FMH) and Shannon have both been dedicated supporters of St. Baldrick’s Foundation’s mission to Conquer Kids’ Cancer since 2007. Together, they have significantly contributed to St. Baldrick’s and have impressively raised over $1.9 million. Shannon’s unwavering commitment over multiple years has rightfully earned him the esteemed title of Squire of Hope in St. Baldrick’s League of Legendary Heroes.
During his 29-year tenure at FMH, Shannon has undertaken multiple roles across various FMH divisions. He began his career by adjusting crop hail losses in the field and later collaborated with international reinsurance partners in the Reinsurance Division. He then led the newly formed Corporate Services Department and was subsequently promoted to Chief Operating Officer. Shannon’s extensive experience within the company led to his appointment to FMH’s Board of Directors in 2005, where he continues to serve. He held the position of Secretary from 2010 until 2021, when he then was appointed President and CEO.
While leading the Crop Insurance Division, Shannon achieved several significant milestones. He oversaw the integration of the John Deere Insurance Company acquisition and the growth of FMH Precision Crop Insurance Solutions™, which improves coverage accuracy and speeds up claims using precision ag data. Under his leadership, crop insurance revenue surpassed $1.5 billion in written premiums, a milestone in the company’s 131-year history.
As President, Shannon has achieved several key milestones. He established Ag Brokerage Solutions (ABS) and Pledge Insurance Advisors to help FMH agent partners grow their business and support customers in maintaining their farming legacy. Recently, FMH acquired Global Ag Insurance Services, a leading specialty crop insurance provider, furthering FMH’s vision of being a top provider of Complete Farm Insurance Solutions™.
Shannon also serves as a director on multiple boards including Palliser Insurance Company; National Crop Insurance Services (NCIS) and as Treasurer on the Executive Committee for Crop Insurance and Reinsurance Bureau (CIRB).
Shannon has been married to his high school sweetheart, Laurie Rutledge for 28 years. They reside in Altoona, IA and have two daughters; Alexis and Carley who both attend Baylor University and participate on the Equestrian Team.
To learn more about St. Baldrick’s, visit StBaldricks.org, and connect with us on Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, and YouTube.
St. Baldrick’s Foundation Board of Directors
St. Baldrick’s Foundation’ Board of Directors include: Chair of the Board, John M. McManus, Chief Legal & Administrative Officer & Secretary of MGM Resorts International; Founder & Chairman Emeritus, John Bender, President & CEO of Allied World Reinsurance; Smita Bhatia, MD, MPH, Director of Institute for Cancer Outcomes and Survivorship at University of Alabama at Birmingham; Ryan Brown, CAIA, CFP® of Goldman Sachs; Richard A. Bucher, President and Chief Executive Officer of Vitaulic; Jill Cetina, Executive Professor of Finance, & Associate Director of the Commercial Banking Program, Mays Business School, Texas A & M University; Julia Glade Bender, MD, Pediatric Hematologist-Oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering; Tim Kenny, Executive Chairman of Aran Insurance Services Group; Franklin W. Nutter, Chairman Emeritus, Franklin W. Nutter, President of Reinsurance Association of America (RAA); Phil Ralston, President of American Nevada Company; Kathleen Ruddy, Chief Executive Officer of St. Baldrick’s Foundation; Shannon Rutledge, President & Chief Executive Officer at Farmer’s Mutual Hail Insurance Company of Iowa; Jason T. Yustein, MD, PhD, Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine & Director, Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center
About St. Baldrick’s Foundation
Every 2 minutes, a child somewhere in the world is diagnosed with cancer. In the U.S., 1 in 5 will not survive. The St. Baldrick’s Foundation, the largest charity funder of childhood cancer research grants, has awarded more than $342 million to researchers to Conquer Kids’ Cancer. When you give to St. Baldrick’s, you don’t just give to one hospital – you support every institution with the expertise to treat kids with cancer across the U.S. St. Baldrick’s ensures that children fighting cancer now — and those diagnosed in the future — will have access to the most cutting-edge treatment, by supporting every stage of research, from new ideas in the lab to the training of the next generation of researchers, to lifesaving clinical trials. St. Baldrick’s has played a role in virtually every advancement in the field over the past 25 years and remains essential in advancing progress and fostering innovation in childhood cancer research. Visit StBaldricks.org and help #ConquerKidsCancer.