A Century of Commitment, Supported by People Who Keep Things Moving

As technology continually evolves, it changes the way teams within ProAg serve our agents and their policyholders.

The purpose behind the work has stayed the same: help agents serve their customers and support the farmers and ranchers who depend on crop insurance.

For Leigha Calder and Angela Champion, that purpose has shaped long careers in ProAg’s IT department. Leigha, Director of IT Operations, has spent 22 years learning the business from several angles. Angela, Senior IT Service Desk Specialist, has spent 39 years helping employees, agents and customers solve issues so the work can keep moving forward.

As ProAg celebrates its 100th anniversary, their stories show the work that often happens behind the scenes: better systems, reliable service and dependable people who keep looking for a better way.

Careers Built Through Learning

Leigha started at ProAg while she was still in college. What began as a part-time job grew into a career that has touched many parts of the business, including Crop Hail support, Accounting, Help Desk, Vendor Management, Product Management, Business Analysis and IT leadership.

Each role taught her something different and gave her a broader view of ProAg, the crop insurance industry and the people the company serves.

Angela’s career has followed a similar path of growth and service. Over nearly four decades, she has served in several roles, including Office Manager, Underwriting/Claims Manager, Accounting Operations Manager, Crop Accounting Manager and now Senior IT Service Desk Specialist.

Being part of the ProAg Service Desk from its beginning has been one of the most meaningful parts of her career. For Angela, troubleshooting has always felt like solving a puzzle. It starts with listening, asking the right questions and working through the details until the person on the other end can move forward.

Service Desk work is often quiet, behind-the-scenes work. For Angela, each resolved issue helps a team member, agent or policyholder do their job with fewer delays.

Watching Technology Change the Work

Both Leigha and Angela have seen how technology has changed ProAg during their time here.

Leigha remembers when many processes were still paper-based. Over the years, she has watched ProAg build and adopt innovative in-house tools and products that help teams serve customers better. The systems have changed, but the goal has stayed consistent: support the business, improve service and make the work we do easier.

Angela has seen that same change across 39 years. Early in her career, calculations were completed with actuarial books, and APH documents were printed on dot-matrix printers and mailed for signatures. Today, that work can happen electronically in minutes.

Those changes improved accuracy, efficiency and turnaround time while helping ProAg keep up with the needs of agents, growers and the agriculture industry.

A Culture That Helps People Grow

When Leigha talks about what sets ProAg apart, she starts with the people and the culture.

Throughout her career, she has seen a workplace where leaders know employees by name and take a real interest in their lives. She has also had leaders who saw her potential before she fully saw it in herself. Some opportunities stretched her or moved her outside of her comfort zone, but all of them helped shape the leader she is today.

That support changed the way Leigha leads. Because others invested in her, she looks for ways to invest in the people around her.

Angela also points to the people who helped guide her career. She started with no background in crop insurance, but mentors encouraged her to keep learning and gave her the confidence to take on new challenges.

One of the people who made the greatest impact was Larry Latham. Angela remembers him as someone who could make the future of crop insurance technology feel exciting, even sketching ideas on napkins during a plane ride. More than anything, she remembers the values he reinforced: respect, encouragement, integrity and keeping your word.

Those values still guide the way Angela approaches her work.

Service That Reaches Beyond the Desk

For Leigha and Angela, their careers have always been about service.

Leigha’s connection to agriculture is personal. Growing up around farming and ranching gave her a deep appreciation for the people ProAg serves. Knowing that her work helps protect America’s farmers and ranchers makes the role meaningful.

Angela sees that same purpose through the Service Desk. Her work supports internal users, but it also connects back to agents, policyholders and growers. Each solution helps someone continue their work with fewer delays and more confidence.

That spirit of service also shows up through ProAg Cares.

Leigha appreciates that ProAg makes giving back part of who the company is. She remembers stuffing backpacks with school supplies for children in need during a Leadership Training Camp and building bicycles for kids during an All-Employee Gathering. Those moments reminded her that even small acts of service can make a real difference.

Angela sees ProAg Cares as a reflection of the ProAg culture she has known throughout her career. To her, it reinforces the spirit of family, service and integrity that has shaped her experience at ProAg and helped carry those values into the communities the company serves.

Looking Ahead to the Next 100 Years

A 100th anniversary carries a different meaning for employees who have spent much of their careers helping ProAg grow and adapt.

Leigha believes ProAg is positioned for the future because the company has never stopped evolving. She has watched ProAg embrace new technology, modernize systems, invest in employees and adapt to a changing crop insurance industry. What gives her the most confidence is that ProAg has continued to care about people along the way.

Angela sees the same strength in ProAg’s foundation. Integrity, teamwork and dedication to the American farmer have carried the company through nearly a century of change. With strong leadership, a forward-thinking vision and a willingness to embrace technology, she believes ProAg can continue serving agents, policyholders and employees well into the future.

ProAg – Built for What Comes Next

For a company to reach 100 years, it takes people who are willing to learn, adapt and step in where they are needed.

Leigha Calder and Angela Champion have each helped ProAg move forward through years of change. Their careers reflect the steady work behind the systems, service and relationships that keep the company strong.

The next century will bring new tools and new challenges. With people like Leigha and Angela helping lead the way, ProAg is ready for what comes next.