Business First

Farm Bureau Scholarship/Michael Bridwell

Farm Bureau agency manager Michael Bridwell believes the single most important goal and objective of the business community and the Mississippi Legislature over the next 20 years should be the education of young people.

The Amite County Farm Bureau, with guidance from Bridwell, is setting the example by funding scholarships at The University of Mississippi, Mississippi State University and the University of Southern Mississippi, with a possibility of expanding the new program to other public universities in the state. Begun with $30,000, the scholarship program not only is providing educational opportunities but also adding value to Farm Bureau memberships.

“For years I’ve heard talk in the business community about the need to invest in young people, but unfortunately, I haven’t witnessed much movement in that direction,” the Liberty businessman says in explaining the thought behind establishing the scholarships.

“During a speech at a statewide convention, David Wade, president of the Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation, shared that one of our organization’s challenges is adding value to our memberships,” Bridwell says. “The insurance industry is an extremely competitive business, and our clients have to pay an annual membership fee to participate in our services. Therefore, the memberships have to offer exceptional value. The scholarships do this in that only children of the 2,200 Amite County Farm Bureau members are to be considered for the awards.”

The anticipated impact of the Amite County Farm Bureau scholarships includes help for local young people to pursue college degrees in the state and inspiration to encourage other businesses to invest in scholarships. The Amite Farm Bureau board of directors and Bridwell also plan to follow the recipients throughout their college experiences to offer support because the leaders recognize the importance of mentoring young people.

“Education addresses every challenge facing our state,” Bridwell says. “We hope some scholarship recipients will return to Amite County to reinvest their talents here. These scholarships will not solve all problems created by the lack of education, but they are a great start—a springboard. We believe they will grow and endure.”

The Amite County Farm Bureau board of directors and President Brad Bean reviewed the organization’s financial resources after completing a new Farm Bureau facility. Resources available at that time could have been spent on advertising, but the leaders determined scholarships were a better investment, says Bridwell, who credits John Marc Sharpe and Warner Alford of the Ole Miss First scholarship initiative with providing the expertise to create the scholarships.

Providing scholarships also mirrors the agency manager’s business philosophy: to separate the organization from its competition by continuously adding value to Farm Bureau memberships and by taking customer service to the highest level. With a 47 percent market share, Bridwell and his staff—Ralph Leake, Terry Mann and Bradley Rials, career agents; Joe Rush, claims adjuster; Martha Priest, office manager; and Gina Mann and Gwen McCurley, insurance clerks—are succeeding with that plan.

“We are there when our customers need us,” Bridwell says. “Our goal is to provide fast and fair settlement of claims, and we strive every day to get better. We want our customers to want to do business with us because of the way we treat them.”

After 25 years with Farm Bureau—14 of those as agency manager— Bridwell reaps the rewards of operating a business in the small-town atmosphere of Liberty, located in the southwest corner of the state.

“It’s very fulfilling to work with customers you know personally. Building relationships is the most important and rewarding aspect of what we do at Farm Bureau,” Bridwell says.

Farm Bureau, which is local, state, national and international in its scope and influence, is an independent, nongovernmental, voluntary organization governed by and representing farm and ranch families. Its purpose is to analyze problems and formulate action to improve the financial well-being and quality of life for its members.—Tina Hahn