[ About Us ]

CHAD YEARWOOD
president & chief executive officer

I began my insurance career in 1997 with AFR Insurance. Over nearly two decades, I held various positions within the Claims Department, eventually rising to the role of Director of Claims. In 2016, I transitioned to a corporate risk management and claims position in the energy industry; and filled the role of a Claims Specialty Practice Leader advocate in a brokerage setting before returning to AFR in 2023 and becoming the President and CEO of AFR Insurance in 2024. I hold an MBA and a Master of Legal Studies degree, accompanied by several professional insurance designations that reflect my expertise in the industry. Growing up on a family farm in western Oklahoma has been an integral part of my life, shaping who I am today. My wife, Lori, and I find joy in trying to keep up with our active family during their leisure time.

KIMBALL LYNN
DIRECTOR OF UNDERWRITING & OPERATIONS

I bring over 35 years of wide-ranging P&C insurance industry experience to my role as Director of Underwriting & Operations. My prior leadership experience includes the disciplines of underwriting, customer care, product management, product development, state management, and marketing. I have worked at insurance carriers of varying sizes with business models that span the distribution spectrum—independent agency, captive agency, affiliated agency, and direct-to-consumer. I am very excited to work for an organization so connected to its agents and the communities and clients they serve. My wife and I have 5 children who are now grown with families of their own. They bring us great joy.  We are very active at church, enjoy visiting and exploring new places, and gravitate to HGTV renovation shows whenever time allows.

Stacy Pederson
Human Resources Director & general counsel

Prior to joining the AFR team in October 2021 my professional background included a blend of experience in human resources and insurance.  I have experience as an employment attorney and human resources director in Oklahoma state government. My insurance background includes 17 years in claims management, defense litigation, and general counsel work.  Although I’ve lived in the Oklahoma City area for 30 years, I’m originally from the Finger Lakes Region of upstate New York, and I enjoy spending time in the Adirondacks in Northern New York State. 

Barry Squires
Independent Director District 2

Roger L. Edenborough was born in Stillwater, Okla., while his father was attending graduate school at Barry Squires has been a resident of Southwest Oklahoma his entire life. Barry's collegiate studies began in the late 1980' s at El Reno Junior College, where he played baseball and judged livestock. Squires then furthered his education at Oklahoma State University, where he received a Bachelor of Science in Finance. Squires then attended the University of Oklahoma School of Law where he received a Juris Doctorate degree and was later admitted to the Oklahoma Bar in 1993. 
For the past thirty years, Squires has practiced law in rural Southwest Oklahoma. He is currently the Senior Partner at Buzbee, Upchurch, Squires & Eastwood in Anadarko, where he focuses on real estate, estate planning, and solving rural business challenges. Squires and his wife of thirty-two years, Kim, have a farm and ranch where they grow irrigated corn and cotton.

Raymond Schiltz
Independent Director District 3

Raymond Schiltz, 70, is a life-long farmer and rancher of l(ay County. He currently runs a 
diverse cow-calf operation with sheep, hay and small grains. He is a graduate of Ponca City High School. He continued his education at Oklahoma State University where he graduated with a Bachelor of Agriculture Degree in Mechanized Agriculture. 
He worked for Conoco in Ponca City as a Research and Development Technician. He retired after 30 years in 2013. Schiltz is a lifetime member of the St. Mary's Catholic Church. He has served his community in various ways including as a director for the Farmers' Cooperative Association Board of Directors, the Ranch Drive Fire Department Board of Directors and the Northern Oklahoma College's Agricultural Advisory Board. He currently serves as secretary for the Farmers' Cooperative Association. 
As a life-long policy holder and member, Schiltz is deeply rooted in the OFU/AFR organization. His relatives, the Bellinghausen and Schiltz families, were instrumental in founding the Kay County OFU Locals. Raymond's Uncle, Mike Schiltz, and Father, Ray Schiltz, served on the OFU Board of Directors, followed by his father serving as the OFU State Secretary. Schiltz has judged several district and county speech contests, served as a delegate to the AFR State Convention, and been a member of the filing committee. His involvement continues as he is currently serving as the Vice-President for Kay County Farmers Union. Raymond currently resides on the family farm in Ponca City. He has one daughter, Ashley, and two grandchildren. 

Ron Ramming
Statewide Independent at-Large Director

Ronald Ramming was named the 17th President of Connors State College by the Board of Regents for the Oklahoma A&M Colleges in April of 2017 after serving as Interim President for the 2016/17 Academic Year. He began his career at Connors in August of 1990 in the Agriculture Faculty. Before assuming his present responsibilities, he held several administrative positions in Enrollment Management, Student Services, and Academic Affairs. Ramming is 59 years old and was raised on a diversified farm in Hinton, Oklahoma. His educational background includes an Associate of Science in Agriculture from Connors State College, a BS in Animal Science from Oklahoma State University, an MS in Animal Science from the University of Tennessee, and a Ph.D in Agricultural Education from Oklahoma State University. University. Ramming is highly active in the community, serving on various boards such as the Greater Muskogee Area Chamber of Commerce, Saint Francis Hospital-Muskogee Community Advisory Board, Warner Public Schools Board of Education, and the Muskogee County Excise/ 
Equalization Boards. His involvement with American Farmers & Ranchers (AFR) includes AFR Day at the Capitol, AFR Convention Delegate, and AFR Policy Committee presenter. He also helped organize the first AFR/OFU livestock judging contest and worked with AFR Leadership to establish the J.P. Connors American Farmers & Ranchers Endowed Scholarship Fund. Ramming has two adult children who are both Oklahoma State University graduates. Bobby is currently working at OSU as an Academic Advisor and Madison is in medical school at OSU's Center for Health Sciences in Tulsa. 

Dustin Tackett
AGent Director District 2

Dustin Tackett and his son Hudson live north of Fort Cobb on the farm Tackett’s great-grandfather bought in 1913. Tackett has been an AFR insurance agent since 2004 and has served in several capacities before sitting on the AFR Board of Directors. Tackett is a two-time Oklahoma State University graduate with a bachelor’s in agricultural economics and an MBA.  He owns agencies in Fort Cobb and Anadarko.  Tackett is currently the President of the Caddo Kiowa Technology Center Board of Education.

Will Lane
Agent Director District 3

William Lane grew up in Northeast Oklahoma at Jay, Okla. He attended school at Jay and graduated in 1992. From there, he attended NEO and was a member of the livestock judging team. After NEO, he attended Oklahoma State University and was on the livestock judging team there as well. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in 1993. He was a member of Class 10 of the Oklahoma Ag Leadership Program. William is a third-generation AFR insurance agent. His grandfather Claud Cagle started in the insurance business in 1974 when he purchased an AFR agency. William owns an AFR insurance agency in Gentry, Ark., and helps his mother with her AFR agency, Cagle Insurance, in Langley, Okla.

ryan plemmons
Agent Director District 4

Ryan Plemmons, 50, was raised on a diversified poultry, swine, and cattle farm near Battiest, Okla. Plemmons attended Connors State College and Oklahoma State University, receiving a bachelor’s degree in agricultural science. Ryan and his two children, Kaylan and Blaine, reside on a small cattle and hay farm near Battiest.

Plemmons owns and operates Plemmons Insurance Agency in Broken Bow and has been an agent with AFR for 23 years with a combined 28 years’ experience in the industry. Plemmons currently serves as the State District 4 Agent Director American Farmers & Ranchers. He has served as past President of the AFR Agents Association and chair of the AFR Policy Committee. Additionally, Plemmons has helped with numerous events sponsored by the organization and initiated the AFR Livestock Judging Contest. Plemmons has served on the Battiest School Board and the McCurtain County Fair Board, chaired the McCurtain County Spring Livestock Board, and been involved in many of his community’s activities and events. Plemmons currently serves on both the Local 295 and McCurtain County Farmers Union Boards, and helped implement and develop the AFR Strive Program.

Plemmons enjoys hunting, fishing, and camping with his family and working on the farm in his spare time.