William “Bill” Pearson, Huisenga Pearson, is the recipient of the 2022 Crop Insurance Friend of the Industry Award, which was presented during the 2022 Crop Insurance Industry Annual Convention last week in Indian Wells, California. The Friend of the Industry award recognizes an individual who provides exceptional and notable contributions to the crop insurance industry.

In today’s complicated farm community, farmers depend on crop insurance in so many ways. They expect our industry to unite to solve the issues on the farm and to overcome the many difficult program and delivery issues that come up. Pearson has been a voice of reason and one of unity in the industry. His common-sense insights have been extremely helpful in uniting the industry on our farmer’s behalf.

Pearson is passionate about providing his farmers with the most up to date information in helping them to make the risk management decision that is best for them. He has been an active member of the independent insurance agents of Iowa since 1986 and has served as the chairman of the Iowa Rural Agent Conference in Des Moines, Iowa. He has also been a member of the National Independent Insurance Agents of America and currently serves on the crop insurance task force in Washington D.C.

Pearson has seen a need to reach out to other industry groups to improve communication and unite the industry on behalf of the program and the American farmer. In this effort, he has become an active member of the American Association of Crop Insurers (AACI) agent contingent and the Crop Insurance Professionals Association (CIPA) where his efforts are to improve and synthesize communications across the different organizations. This is so important during these times when it seems our country is so divided. If you ask him, Pearson will tell you, “…we need to stick together and unify for the good of the program. We need to keep in touch with our friends but also work on educating those that don’t support us. The future of our industry depends on it.”

Pearson and his wife, Jan, have five children and 13 grandchildren. He is active in his church serving on the board and as its treasurer and enjoys story telling as he teaches the kids at Sunday school. He has served as an EMT for the county and enjoys family, friends, hunting, fishing, and golfing.

PHOTO: William “Bill” Pearson was presented with the 2022 Crop Insurance Friend of the Industry award by Kendall Jones (left) Chair of the National Crop Insurance Services Board of Directors, and Tom Zacharias (left), President of National Crop Insurance Services.