Jeff Pannell, the longtime leader of Farm Bureau Insurance of Tennessee, will step down as CEO at the end of this year. After nearly four decades with the company, Pannell shared the news during the company’s annual agents’ conference.
Pannell said he is retiring to spend time with a new grandchild, who is expected soon. “I promised my daughter that if she was blessed with a child, I would come home to help raise them,” he said. He reflected on his career with warmth, especially on the past nine years he has spent as CEO.
Pannell began his journey with Tennessee Farmers Insurance Companies in 1986 as an agent. Over the years, he climbed the ranks, becoming a regional manager in 1997, chief marketing officer in 2012, and finally CEO in 2016.
Farm Bureau Insurance offers a range of policies including auto, home, life, renters, condo, and business insurance. The company named Bobby Pulley, its current chief marketing officer, as Pannell’s successor. Pulley will take over as CEO starting January 1.
Pannell leaves behind a long and steady career, having shaped the company through years of growth and change. Now, he looks forward to focusing on family and the next chapter of his life.