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Michigan Farm Bureau Family of Companies

Jack Griffin Wins Elton R Smith Award, Top Farm Bureau Insurance Honor

L to R (Farm Bureau Insurance CEO Don Simon, Jack Griffin, Kelly Griffin, Michigan Farm Bureau President Carl Bednarski) Image credit: Scarlett Piedmonte Download original
Date Posted: February 27, 2023

Jack Griffin received the top honor capturing the coveted Elton R. Smith Award, on February 24th, 2023 at the Farm Bureau Insurance of Michigan Multi-Line Marketing Convention in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Griffin, of Portland, Michigan, noted the support of his wife Kelly, friends, family, fellow agents, the Farm Bureau Insurance corporate support teams among many others across the Michigan Farm Bureau family of companies while discussing his success throughout forty years of service.

The Elton R. Smith Award honors a Farm Bureau Insurance agent who best exhibits commitment to their job, community, the insurance industry, and the Michigan Farm Bureau Family of Companies. It pays tribute to former Michigan Farm Bureau President Elton R. Smith, whose impact on his community and the Farm Bureau organization remains a legacy. “I’m incredibly honored, very pleased, and truly touched to receive this award,” said Griffin during his acceptance speech.

Griffin has served as a friend and mentor to many fellow insurance agents and is highly respected amongst his peers in addition to those in the Portland community. His success at Farm Bureau Insurance of Michigan includes forty consecutive All-American placements, twenty President’s Club recognitions, placement on every Directors Cup team (including seven wins), and platinum-level membership in the exclusive Praesidium Club among among a multitude of additional honors for his consistently strong performance.

In his community, Griffin is known for his support and generosity that often extends beyond his official endeavors. Farm Bureau Insurance of Michigan CEO, Don Simon, stated “(Jack) has impacted so many lives in his community in obvious ways with the lives he's protected and less obvious ways that we may never know about as his helping hand often comes with a condition of anonymity.” Simon continued, “What I can tell you that is no secret is that this agent has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for charity through his annual golf outing and was instrumental in getting the Agent Charitable Fund off the ground." Griffin has also been a notable supporter of the Todd Martin Development Fund which promotes sportsmanship, education, and leadership among Michigan youth.

Jack was nominated by the Central/Bay Thumb Region Managing Partners who noted, “(Jack’s) most enduring gift has been his lifelong passion this business and his community over the past 40 years.”

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Cale Sauter

Public Relations & Social Media Strategist
517-391-5001 [email protected]

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