Welcome Don, We've been trying to connect for this interview all week and you and Farm Bureau, have been very busy, we wanted to share about Farm Bureau's Home-Office Open-House that took place Tuesday, Aug. 8th

But first, as we start off this conversation can you share with the Michigan business community about Farm Bureau?

Excellent, and you were able to celebrate the renovations to your headquarters, can you tell us about that process and what the building is like now, and what it will allow your company to accomplish going forward?

What does that say about the company, by committing to keep the headquarters in the Lansing area?

I believe in your remarks that day you spoke to company values, and the commitment to your customers, employees, and agents. Can you talk about that?

You listed several in your remarks that day, Are there some groups you care to recognize at this point, in light of the renovations?

What's next for Farm Bureau Insurance?

Farm Bureau Home Office Open House

Shared here are Welcome Remarks from the celebration on Tuesday, August 8, 2023.

· Good afternoon and thank you, Carl.

· Thank you all for coming today. It’s with a great deal of pride that I welcome you all to our open house celebrating the renovation of our headquarters.

· Horrocks Joke: We opened this location at 7373 West Saginaw Hwy. in the mid-70s and for years we were known as “the building next to Horrocks”. Maybe now Horrock’s will be known as the building next to Farm Bureau. (Ha Ha)

· As many of you know, a little insurance company was born in 1949,

o By farmers who wanted an insurance company who worked as hard as they did.

o We’re honored to be on these steps 74 years later.

o Our employees/agents are honored to serve and have this great space to operate

· It’s a beautiful building. With open spaces…designed to provide comfort and promote collaboration. And we’re proud of and appreciate all the thought and effort went into its design.

· But this building is not only brick and mortar. It means so much more.

o It’s a Town Hall.

o It a Community Center.

o It is symbolic of what Farm Bureau has done for more than 7 decades…

o We’re about building relationships

o Taking care of people’s lives, protecting futures, and putting businesses and homes and farms back together – sometimes one brick at a time.

o It’s what we’ve done and what we will keep on doing.

o Times change. Heck, even buildings change. And, yes, we’ll continue to innovate and grow.

o But our values don’t change. They are the same as they’ve always been. We’re committed to our customers, employees, and agents.

o From the very beginning, it’s been about relationships. It is today. And it always will be.

· So, today we take a few moments to celebrate our history and our future.

o We thank those who paved the path for this renovation

o Our designers, local contractors, trades, and partners, including:

o Studio Axis, Architecture

o The Christman Company and Christman Constructor

o Chereo, a workplace research consultant

o DBI, Furniture

o Matrix Consulting Engineers

o Wade Trim, Site Civil Engineering

o I can’t forget Supervisor Ken Fletcher of Delta Township

· Employees: There were countless employees and others who helped us push the dust around.

· If I thanked one person, there’d be dozens that I’d forget…but I do want to mention our IT Service Management Team and Khore Holland. Thanks to Khore for providing IT support and guidance throughout the 3-year process.

· And lastly, thanks for Domik Feldpausch and the Building Services Team for all their efforts.

· And thank you all once again for coming.

· You’re welcome to explore the building.

· We’re proud of it. We’ve got games…and lots of food.

· Please come on in.