Director of Livestock
Ever.Ag
06.2022 - 01.2024
Hi, I’m
Stephen Hardison
Director
Fort Worth,TX
Summary
Agricultural minded results-driven crop insurance professional with forward-thinking approach centered on company success, competitive growth and innovation in agriculture technology. Demonstrated record of success in growing sales and managing profitable operations. Skillfully recruit and train employees at all levels to meet customer and business demands. Highly effective and comfortable working with people at all levels of in the organization.
Work History
Ever.AgLewisville, TX
Director of Livestock
06.2022 - 01.2024
Job overview
- Lead and managed team of 7 offering brokerage and insurance services to livestock value chain.
- Increased year over year Livestock Risk Protection premium by 105% from July 2022 to July 2023.
- Increased total Livestock Risk Protection premium by 221.8% during tenure.
- Forecast Livestock Risk Protection feeder cattle endorsements to measure buying sentiment for the United States.
- Reported price impact of livestock fundamentals and futures technical analysis for managing clients livestock risk using futures, options, and insurance products.
- Oversaw operations and provided corrective feedback to achieve daily and long-term goals.
- Worked closely with organizational leadership and to guide operational strategy.
- Monitored team workflow and administrative processes to keep operations running smoothly.
- Established departmental performance goals and provided feedback for underperforming areas.
- Developed process to authenticate, query and import GraphQL data into PowerBI using Power Query.
- Built separate Microsoft PowerBI reports and dashboards showcasing beef division team performance and dairy division team performance.
- Created PowerBI dashboard for team encompassing facets of beef fundamental data to include USDA-FAS exports, USDA-NASS Cattle on Feed, USDA-AMS choice cutout, USDA-AMS weekly 5-Area Weighted Average Prices, CME feeder cattle index, USDA-NASS Cattle Inventory and USDA-RMA summary of business data.
- Created a library of training videos for learning Microsoft 365 applications to include SharePoint Online, List, PowerAutomate, Stream and PowerBi to foster easy migration from Google to Microsoft.
Agrestic ResearchFort Worth, TX
Crop Insurance Consultant
10.2021 - 06.2022
Job overview
- Created 89 separate industry only crop insurance seasonal patterns for FCIC/RMA Livestock Gross Margin and Dairy Revenue.
- Conceptualized and created sales alerts for buying livestock insurance using commodity prices and indicators.
- Developed Agrestic Research subscription service for futures traders, commodity producers and crop insurance agents.
- Promoted products, news, market updates, market research and analytics on multiple channels, including social media, online ad campaigns and word-of-mouth initiatives.
- Consulted with customers to assess needs and propose optimal solutions.
- Schedule and conduct online webinars to increase learning opportunities for utilizing seasonal products, as well as fundamental and technical analysis of commodity markets.
- Manage day-to-day business operations.
Ag Resource ManagementFort Worth, TX
Systems Administrator/Director of Information Technology
03.2017 - 10.2021
Job overview
- Assisted as Product Manager for proprietary loan underwriting system with focus on long term strategy by implementing API's, as well as structured and unstructured data.
- Established criteria for each milestone within product roadmap as means to measure developmental progress.
- Developed and implemented technical application support and information technology policies and procedures that advanced investment needs, outcomes and performance measurements to balance continuous innovation with responsible risk-taking.
- Analyzed department and job-related functionality requirements to align technology priorities with business needs.
- Researched, recommended, and purchased computer hardware for transition away from thin-client and remote desktop for over 150 users.
- Led change management and implementation of Office 365, Intune MDM (mobile device management) and new VOIP phone system utilizing Skype for Business resulting in cost savings of $82,800.
- Strategized, restructured, and implemented cloud-based technology to improve efficiency, remote work, and security.
- Implemented, created and tested disaster recovery and business continuity plans and maintained appropriate back-up system.
- Developed key business process improvements increasing data availability for business reporting tools like PowerBI.
- Interviewed, hired, trained and mentored two staff by coaching daily, leading performance reviews and offering constructive feedback.
- Fostered positive working environment that encouraged innovation, collaboration and accountability and managed end-user needs with functional and security responsibilities.
AgriLogic Insurance Services, LLCArlington, TX
Director of Livestock Operations & Customer Support
11.2014 - 02.2017
Job overview
- Oversaw entire livestock insurance operations for FCIC Livestock Risk Protection (LRP) and Livestock Gross Margin (LGM) policies for dairy cattle, fed cattle, feeder cattle, and swine.
- Liaised with sales, marketing, actuarial, and employee services departments to prepare and submit Livestock Price Reinsurance Agreement (LPRA) to USDA RMA.
- Provided livestock price market analysis and forecasting for ongoing premium growth and reinsurance ceding decisions.
- Conducted onsite and offsite training for LRP, LGM and PRF polices, as well as conduct agent and producer meetings.
- Increased year-over-year livestock insurance premium by 76% for 2016 reinsurance year.
- Solely received commitment for $1 million in new livestock premium and $7 million in multi-peril crop insurance premium for 2017 reinsurance year.
- Qualified and developed pipeline of new livestock premium opportunities in excess of $4.8 million and multi-peril crop insurance premium in excess of $15 million.
- Provided cross-functional support for multi-peril crop insurance premium growth and retention.
Education
University of Central OklahomaEdmond, OK
M.B.A from Finance
01.2000 - 12.2002
Oklahoma State UniversityStillwater, OK
B.S from Plant and Soil Science, Agriculture Economics
08.1995 - 05.2000
Skills
Customer Relations
Problem-Solving
Staff Development & Management
Business Development and Planning
Strategic Planning and Execution
Analytical problem solver
Issues Resolution
Entrepreneurship
Business Administration
Futures & Options
Crop Insurance
Technology Development
Accomplishments
- Strategized and spearheaded the implementation of many IT initiatives to include the move away from managed IT provider saving over $82K per year.
- Developed key business processes for data mining across several business applications resulting in a single pane of glass business reporting dashboard for the organization using Microsoft Data Factory, Microsoft Data Warehouse and PowerBI.
- Developed proprietary indicator using CFTC Commitment of Traders Data to determine market turning points.
- Invented and developed corn stover insurance policy for corn growers to mitigate the risk of loss of corn stover biomass to be utilized in the conversion to cellulosic ethanol.
- Completed research, development, evaluation, and education of risk management products for the United States Department of Agriculture's Risk Management Agency resulting in $7.1 million in revenues.
- Played a key role in supervising a team of analyst for the development of an alternative energy presentation aimed at a large publicly traded company's board of directors. Presentation resulted in the award of an $80,000 fixed price research project.
Timeline
Crop Insurance Consultant
Agrestic Research
10.2021 - 06.2022
Systems Administrator/Director of Information Technology
Ag Resource Management
03.2017 - 10.2021
Director of Livestock Operations & Customer Support
AgriLogic Insurance Services, LLC
11.2014 - 02.2017
University of Central Oklahoma
M.B.A from Finance
01.2000 - 12.2002
Oklahoma State University
B.S from Plant and Soil Science, Agriculture Economics
08.1995 - 05.2000
Licenses
- Texas-General Lines Property and Casualty Agent
- Oklahoma-General Lines Property and Casualty Agent