Lisa Haag, Rural Community Insurance Services (RCIS) is the recipient of the 2024 Crop Insurance Friend of the Industry Award, which was presented during the 2024 Crop Insurance Industry Annual Convention in Scottsdale, Arizona. The Friend of the Industry award recognizes an individual who provides exceptional and notable contributions to the crop insurance industry.

Lisa Haag has worked in support of and for the betterment of agriculture and the crop insurance industry her entire career. Over the years, her tireless dedication and leadership, along with her collaborative relationships with underwriters, agents, and regulators, have provided the industry with the steady leadership and guidance that has positively impacted crop insurance and the growers who depend on it each year.

Lisa joined RCIS in 2000 and is a valued member of the RCIS Leadership Team and the Zurich North America Compliance Leadership Team. Lisa’s extensive day-to-day experience working within the Approved Insurance Provider (AIP) environment includes oversight of the following:

• Advisory functions to Identify, Communicate, Advise and Monitor Implementation of Federal Crop Insurance,
• Assurance that customers are receiving products and services they expect,
• Guidance on Federal Crop Insurance Program policy and procedures for all departments, and
• Staff who are single points of contacts with NCIS and RMA for interpretation and comments to draft policy and procedure.

Lisa is not the type of person who seeks out recognition or credit for a job well done. Lisa rolls up her sleeves and goes to work to make sure the crop insurance program has strong policy and procedures in place that will work with the system in place to process and manage the business. She has an amazing ability to bring all perspectives together – AIP, agent, farmer, Risk Management Agency (RMA) – to outline realistic policy and procedures that will work. Lisa has participated at an industry level in many RMA meetings and sat in on many NCIS committee meetings where she was asked to provide input and feedback. She’s had substantial involvement and impact within industry-level work groups, including the last Standard Reinsurance Agreement negotiation and the implementation of the Combo plans of insurance in 2009-2011.

Lisa is a powerful advocate for program integrity, working closely with both legal and regulatory affairs team members and RMA to strengthen program controls and protect the program from waste and abuse. Her historical and institutional knowledge enables her to identify seemingly minor issues that could have major consequences for the program.

She has helped develop the concept of written agreement actuarial data masters, provided ideas and input on crop insurance legislation concepts and text, and endless numbers of provisions and procedures. Lisa’s opinion is sought out from both inside and outside of RCIS. She is a trusted resource who has genuine concern for all involved in an efficient and effective crop insurance program and procedures.

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PHOTO: Lisa Haag was presented with the 2024 Crop Insurance Friend of the Industry award by Scott Arnold (right) Chair of the National Crop Insurance Services Board of Directors, and Tom Zacharias (left), President of National Crop Insurance Services.