(West Des Moines, Iowa – January 4, 2019) – Farmers Mutual Hail Insurance Company of Iowa (FMH) is proud to announce that Ron Kuethe, Executive Vice President of Reinsurance, has been named Chief Risk Officer (CRO) effective January 1, 2019.

As CRO, Kuethe is responsible for FMH’s risk management operations including managing data requirements needed to adequately evaluate the profitability of products, identifying potential new growth areas, and managing the risks associated with those endeavors. Kuethe will also retain his duties as Executive Vice President of the Reinsurance Division. His leadership will be critical in supporting FMH’s core initiatives.

Kuethe joined FMH in 1987 in the Poultry Department where he was eventually promoted to Vice President and Manager. He then served as President of FMH’s subsidiary company, Farmers Union Co-Operative Insurance Company, prior to the creation of FMH’s Property and Casualty Division in 2011. Kuethe has held several leadership roles before being promoted to Executive Vice President of the Reinsurance Division on January 1, 2017.

“Ron has over 30 years of experience with numerous facets of the company and in managing and mitigating risk,” said FMH President and CEO Ron Rutledge. “His current role as the head of our Reinsurance Division managing risk company-wide for Farmers Mutual Hail, coupled with being intimately in tune with the details of the company's data through his oversight of the Business Intelligence Department, make him the perfect choice to become our first Chief Risk Officer.”