President of the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation Joins Bank Iowa Corporation Board of Directors
Bank Iowa Corporation has appointed Craig Hill, 10-year president of the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF), to its board of directors.
Himself a grain and livestock farmer, Hill is highly attuned to the challenges—financial and otherwise—faced by the state’s ag producers. As such, he regularly advocates for Iowa’s banks to assume leadership in addressing rural Iowa’s most pressing problems. This includes raising awareness around the mental health of Iowa farmers. It’s a cause Bank Iowa has championed in recent years through the coordination of primary research and a partnership with Iowa Healthiest State Initiative’s ‘Make It Ok’ campaign.
In a National Mental Health Month briefing, Hill said, “While our bodies take wear and tear from farming, our minds can, too, and in times of volatility and stress we need to keep those healthy as well.”
Hill, an Ackworth, Iowa native, was elected IFBF president in 2011. He also served as board chairman for FBL Financial Group, Inc., and Farm Bureau Life Companies. In addition, he served on the board of directors for American Farm Bureau. Hill was also the first chairman of the Iowa Ag State Group.
Over the years, Hill has championed several causes and initiatives influential to the financial health of Iowa farms. For example, he was instrumental in developing Revenue Assurance, a revenue-based crop insurance for corn and soybean farmers that is the most popular form of crop insurance today.
In April 2014, Hill joined the Board of Directors for the Cultivation Corridor project to enhance the Ag Bioscience Economic opportunities in Iowa. In May that year, he was appointed to a seat on the Board of Trustees of the Council in Agriculture Science and Technology (CAST). And in June 2015, he joined the USDA’s Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee on Trade.
“Craig Hill embodies leadership; he isn’t afraid to get down in the muck to tackle tough issues,” said Bank Iowa President & CEO Jim Plagge. “When it comes to ensuring Iowa’s farmers have a voice, there’s no one more committed. We know he will do great things for Bank Iowa as we strive to retain the trust we’ve earned from Iowa’s ag community.”
About Bank Iowa
With more than $1.8 billion in assets, Bank Iowa ranks as one of the leading independent ag banks and the second-largest family owned bank in the state. Farmers, families and businesses access Bank Iowa’s products and services through 26 locations in 23 communities, as well as online and on mobile devices. To learn more, visit bankiowa.bank. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender