Rural Mutual Insurance Company has generously made a donation to the Wisconsin FFA Foundation that will benefit over 19,000 Wisconsin FFA student members across the state. Rural Mutual Insurance Company’s donation of $7,052 to the 2012-13 campaign will help support the annual Wisconsin FFA Convention and the Wisconsin FFA Foundation Annual Fund. Their long-standing contributions have benefited thousands of FFA student members over the past 28 years.

Thanks to support from Rural Mutual Insurance Company, FFA members are able to prepare for successful careers in the science, business and technological aspects of the agriculture, food and natural resources industry. They take what they learn in the classroom and combine it with hands-on experience and leadership skills. As FFA members, their future careers in agriculture, food and natural resources will be a part of some of the biggest issues our world faces.

The Wisconsin FFA Foundation unites individuals, organizations and companies who share a common interest in the advancement of agriculture and community leadership through FFA. You can step up and help today’s FFA members by supporting the programs that have been core tenets of the FFA – proficiency awards, career development events, state FFA degrees, sectional leadership workshops, scholarships, chapter awards, agri-science fair, state FFA convention programs, and state officer support.

The Wisconsin FFA Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization. You can get involved by supporting Wisconsin’s FFA members and their future by contacting the Wisconsin FFA Foundation at 608-831-5058, info@wisconsinffafoundation.org, or 1241 John Q. Hammons Drive, Madison, WI 53717. Visit www.wisconsinffafoundation.org for more information.

Rural Mutual Insurance Company has been protecting what we value in Wisconsin for over 78 years. As one of the top 50 property and casualty companies in the country, they provide a full line of insurance products exclusively to families, businesses and farms in Wisconsin. And since Rural Mutual does business in only one state, premiums paid here, stay here to keep Wisconsin strong.

The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association, in cooperation with Rural Mutual Insurance Company, has selected the team Sportsmanship Award winners for the 2012 Fall State Championships.

The winners of the prestigious award are Waupaca in football, Roncalli in girls team tennis, Oconto in girls volleyball, Marquette in boys volleyball and Mount Horeb in boys soccer.

Waupaca was selected for its sportsmanship at the State football finals. It is the first time the school has been selected for the award in any sport. The Comets advanced to the State final in Division 3 and fell 42-7 to Catholic Memorial in the title game played at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison. Receiving honorable mention were Amherst, Glenwood City, Lancaster, Potosi, Regis and Sun Prairie.

Roncalli is the recipient of the Sportsmanship Award in girls team tennis, which marks the first State sportsmanship honor presented to the school in any sport. The Jets lost their Division 2 semifinal match 4-3 to Edgewood at the Nielsen Tennis Stadium in Madison in October. Green Bay Southwest received honorable mention for the award.

A large contingent and positive enthusiasm earned Oconto the Sportsmanship Award at the State Girls Volleyball Tournament. It is the first time the school and community have received the honor. The Blue Devils defeated Cuba City in their Division 3 semifinal match before falling to Oostburg in four sets in the State championship final. Receiving honorable mention for the award are Cuba City, Grantsburg, Hillsboro, Luck, Sun Prairie and Tomahawk.

Marquette earned its fourth sportsmanship recognition in boys volleyball. The Hilltoppers also received sportsmanship accolades in 2002, 2008 and 2010. They have now won six Sportsmanship Awards overall, earning the award in summer baseball in 2006 and in boys tennis in 2008. They lost in four sets to eventual State champion Appleton North in the semifinals after downing Muskego in the quarterfinal round. Honorable mention for the award went to Muskego.

Mount Horeb is the recipient of the Sportsmanship Award in boys soccer for the first time. It is the first Sportsmanship Award presented to the Vikings in any sport. They were on the short end of a 3-0 outcome in the Division 2 final game against Xavier. They advanced to the final with a 2-1 victory over Pewaukee in the State semifinal. Aquinas, Eau Claire Memorial, Kenosha Bradford and Neenah received honorable mention for the award.

The WIAA/Rural Insurance Sportsmanship Award is presented to one school program and community–or communities in the case of cooperative programs–in each of the State team tournaments that exemplifies outstanding sportsmanship. Award winners are determined by the conduct and sportsmanship displayed by athletes, coaches, cheer and support groups, mascots, bands and spectators. Additional consideration is given for the effort of school administrators and chaperones to insure support for their teams are positive and that the highest ideals of sportsmanship are upheld.

Award winners receive a trophy and banner in recognition of the honor. Schools receiving honorable mention are acknowledged with a certificate of recognition. The selection process includes contributions and evaluations from contest officials, tournament management, police and security personnel, crowd control and ushers, WIAA staff members, and area hotels and restaurants on occasion.

Rural Mutual Insurance Company presented Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation President Jim Holte with a check for $272.25 to benefit the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Foundation. Every time someone came to Rural Mutual’s Facebook page and “Liked” them Rural Mutual donated 25 cents to the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Foundation. This “Like” program ran from March 22, 2012 through December 31, 2012 and generated 1,089 new “Likes”.

The Wisconsin Farm Bureau Foundation funds a variety of agricultural education and leadership programs including the Agriculture in the Classroom program, Wisconsin Cranberry Discovery Center, Farm Bureau Leadership Training Institute, 4-H Foundation, 4-H Key Awards, FFA Food for America Awards, FFA Farm Forum, FFA Discussion Meet Contest and the Wisconsin Rural Youth Scholarship Fund.

Rural Mutual is proud to provide some added benefits to the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Foundation and we thank everyone who “Liked” us throughout 2012.

If you have not already done so visit us on Facebook and “Like” us at www.facebook.com/RuralMutual.

Rebecca Frokjer of the Town of Pine River in Lincoln County and Benjamin Shaw of the Town of Hudson in St. Croix County are recipients of
the $1,000 Wisconsin Towns Association scholarship sponsored by Rural Mutual Insurance Company.

The announcement was made at the Wisconsin Towns Association annual convention held on Oct. 15th in Appleton.

Frokjer is a 2012 graduate of Merrill High School and is attending UW-Madison, while Shaw is a graduate of Hudson High School and is also attending UW-Madison.

Scholarships were awarded based on applicant essays in response to the question:

“What is the appropriate role of recall elections in Wisconsin at the state and local levels?”

To apply for the scholarship, participants must live in a municipality that has Rural Mutual Insurance coverage as of May 1, 2012; be a 2012 graduate of a Wisconsin public or private high school; and plan on enrolling in a Wisconsin public or private college or vocational-technical school in 2012.

The Wisconsin Towns Association is a non-profit association of town and village officials promoting education for local government officials throughout the state. Rural Mutual Insurance is the Wisconsin Towns Association’s endorsed insurance carrier.

Madison-based Rural Mutual Insurance Company (Rural Mutual)announces its selection as a “Ward’s 50^® Top Performer.” This year’s distinction marks the fourth consecutive year the company, an affiliate of the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation, has earned the designation.

The recognition is bestowed by the Ward Group, which is “aleading provider of benchmarking and best practices research studies for insurance companies,” who chooses its recipients only after a financial performance analysis of over 3,200 property-casualty companies based in the United States.

“For over 78 years we have only done business in Wisconsin, so our stability is truly a credit to the people of this great state,” says Peter Pelizza, CEO of Rural Mutual Insurance Company. “Premiums paid here, stay here so everyone benefits.”

The Ward Group considers multiple criteria for its award including trends in a company’s financial strength over the previous five years. In March 2012, Rural Mutual released its 2011 financials, which featured a strong showing in key industry indicators such as direct premium growth, combined ratios and new policies.

Pelizza notes that “2011 was a challenging year, not only for Rural Mutual, but for the industry as well. Record weather events, a soft insurance market coupled with challenges in the financial markets all made it difficult to post favorable results. The fact is we were all on a level playing field which means our recognition for this award was not due to luck, timing or geography. This recognition further reinforces Rural Mutual’s ability to live up to our promise to policyholders: to financially be there in the time of need.”

It was also announced that AM Best affirmed Rural Mutual’s rating of A (Excellent) with a stable outlook. This rating is assigned to companies that have an excellent ability to meet their ongoing insurance obligations.

To learn more about the Ward Group, please visit www.wardinc.com.
To learn about AM Best, please visit www.ambest.com

The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association, in cooperation with Rural Mutual Insurance, has selected the team Sportsmanship Awards for the 2012 winter State Tournaments.

The winners of the prestigious award are River Falls in gymnastics, Lodi in boys basketball, Notre Dame in girls basketball, Wausau West in boys ice hockey, Kettle Moraine Co-op in girls ice hockey and Spring Valley/Elmwood in wrestling.

River Falls receives the Sportsmanship Award for the first time in gymnastics. The Wildcats placed second in Division 2 at the WIAA State Gymnastics Championships in March. The schools and communities receiving honorable mention include Arrowhead, Ashland, Burlington/Badger/Catholic Central/Wilmot, Franklin/Muskego/Oak Creek/Whitnall, Mount Horeb and West Salem/Aquinas.

Lodi, in its first-ever State Tournament appearance, was selected as the recipient of the sportsmanship award boys basketball. The Blue Devils displayed outstanding sportsmanship, enthusiasm and community support in their 59-30 semifinal loss to eventual champion Brillion. It is Lodi’s third Sportsmanship Award overall, having earned the award for team wrestling in 2003 and 2005. Schools receiving honorable mention are Brillion, Drummond, Oshkosh North and Sheboygan Lutheran.

Notre Dame was selected as the Sportsmanship Award winner in girls basketball for the first time, and it is the fifth overall sportsmanship award won by the school. The Tritons also received the commendation in girls soccer last spring and in 2002, boys soccer in 2007 and in girls tennis in 2008. This season, they fell 52-34 to defending-and-eventual Division 2 champion New London in the State semifinals. Barron, Milwaukee King, Oostburg and Seneca and receives honorable mention.

Wausau West was chosen as the winner of the boys hockey Sportsmanship Award for its sportsmanship at the State Tournament. It is the second sportsmanship honor in the past three years presented to the Warriors in hockey, having also been selected in 2010. It is the fourth sportsmanship honor overall. They also received the recognition in boys soccer twice, in 1996 and 2000. The Warriors finished runner-up at the State Tournament, falling in the championship final to Notre Dame, 3-2, in two overtimes. Honorable mention goes to Eau Claire Memorial and Verona.

The Kettle Moraine Co-op, which includes Kettle Moraine/Brookfield Central/Brookfield East/Menomonee Falls/Milwaukee King/Mukwonago/Slinger/Waukesha North/Waukesha South/Waukesha West, won its first sportsmanship award in girls hockey. The Glacier fell to the Onalaska Co-op, 5-4, in four overtimes in their semifinal match-up. The D.C. Everest Co-op received honorable mention recognition.

Spring Valley/Elmwood receives its first Sportsmanship Award as a co-op in wrestling following its display of sportsmanship at the State Team Wrestling Tournament. It’s the second time Spring Valley has been recognized with the honor. The Cardinals received the accolade in boys basketball in 1991. This year, they finished runner-up in Division 3, falling to two-time defending champion Coleman, 59-5, in the championship match after advancing with a 30-27 win over Random Lake in the semifinals. Arrowhead, Badger, Coleman, Delavan-Darien, Holmen, Iowa-Grant received honorable mention for the award.

The WIAA/Rural Mutual Insurance sportsmanship award is presented to one school and community in each of the State team tournaments. The award winners are determined by the conduct and sportsmanship displayed by athletes, coaches, cheer and support groups, mascots, bands and spectators. Additional consideration is given for the effort of school administrators and chaperones to insure support for their teams are positive and that the highest ideals of sportsmanship are upheld. Award winners receive a plaque and banner in recognition of the honor. Schools receiving honorable mention are acknowledged with a certificate of recognition.

The selection process includes contributions and evaluations from contest officials, tournament management, police and security personnel, crowd control and ushers, WIAA staff members, area hotels and restaurants.