Dave Paul is the recipient of the 2025 Crop Insurance Friend of the Industry Award, which was presented during the 2025 Crop Insurance Industry Annual Convention in Bonita Springs, Fl. The Friend of the Industry award recognizes an individual who provides exceptional and notable contributions to the crop insurance industry.

Agriculture has always been in Dave’s blood.  From growing up riding horses and competing in rodeos (professionally for many years), being involved in FFA in high school, to graduating from North Dakota State University (NDSU) with a degree in Agricultural Economics, Dave has loved agriculture.

Dave has spent a good part of his life in support of the American farmer. He spent many years working for the Risk Management Agency (RMA), having begun his career in 1981 as a Field Underwriter in Billings, MT, and ending as the Director of the Spokane Regional Office where he assisted farmers as well as AIP’s administering the program.

After leaving RMA, Dave spent two years with Watts and Associates as a National Manager working on new product development for the crop insurance program.

He has spent the last nine years at NAU as a VP of Underwriting.  In this role Dave has continued to work with RMA and others on enhancing product offerings including a tremendous amount of work on the Whole Farm Revenue Protection program.

Dave has spent a great deal of time throughout his life involved in local and national programs dedicated to our youth.  From serving on his local schoolboard, his many roles involving his love of rodeo, serving as a board member for the local fair to spending the last two years on the FFA National Sponsors Board, helping to promote agriculture with another up-and-coming generation of young farmers.

Dave has supported his community in many other ways as well, working with the Farm to Table program, serving on the local Federal Coordinating Board for United Way, and being very involved in his church.

Dave has won many awards throughout his career including the Federal Employee of the Year from the Spokane Executive Commission and the Department of Agriculture Honors Award.

PHOTO: Dave Paul was presented with the 2025 Crop Insurance Friend of the Industry award by Scott Arnold (left) Chair of the National Crop Insurance Services Board of Directors, and Tom Zacharias (right), President of National Crop Insurance Services.