By Kristyn Cook, Executive Vice President and Chief Agency, Sales & Marketing Officer

Every State Farm agency begins with a dream. I know because my family lived it.

When I was a child, my parents invested their life savings so my dad could open a State Farm agent office. Their dream was simple but powerful: build a business, help people and create opportunity for our family and community.

Years later, I made the same bet and opened my own agent office on Chicago’s southwestern side.

The State Farm agency model is one of America’s great entrepreneurial success stories. It pairs the strength of an iconic brand with the heart of local business owners committed to helping people.

Behind every office is an entrepreneur building something that matters - creating jobs, serving neighbors and strengthening a community.

Agents know customers by name because those customers are their neighbors. They support local schools, teams, food drives, first responders and community events. They form one of the nation’s most powerful communities of independent small-business owners, helping millions move forward with confidence.

I have seen the power of human connection - and the entrepreneurial spirit behind it. These things have strengthened State Farm for more than 100 years. To keep that advantage, we must evolve with customers, technology and the marketplace.
 

Human + Digital

In May, we announced changes to our agency model grounded in the customer - changes rooted in the vision for the future we had shared in the months before. Since then, I have spent time with agents, listening to what those changes mean for their businesses, teams and futures. Their feedback has mattered. We have listened, learned and, in some cases, adjusted.

What has not changed is our belief in the agency model, and the unique value it delivers to customers.

That belief is at the heart of our Next Gen Good Neighbors vision: a faster, more tech-enabled State Farm that remains true to our mission and values. We call it Human + Digital.
 

Human connection sets State Farm apart

Digital tools can make it easier for customers to do business with us and help agents and employees serve them more effectively. But human connection is what sets State Farm apart. Every customer has access to a real person who knows them, understands their needs and is there when life does not go as planned.

Customers get the best of both worlds - and the freedom to choose how they engage with us.

Some want to research, get a quote or buy insurance online. Others prefer to work with a local agent from the start. Many want both. Whatever path they choose, they expect competitive prices and an easy, valuable experience.

What makes State Farm different is that every policy comes with access to a dedicated agent. That human connection matters most after an accident, when a storm damages a home or when a family faces a loss. In those moments, customers need speed, but they also need support, empathy and a clear path forward.

Agents take time to understand the whole customer. By bringing together home, auto and life insurance, they can help provide more protection - often at a better price.

That relationship goes beyond protecting what customers have today. It can help build the future they want. State Farm registered agents can help customers consider investment products and services as they save for a major purchase, education or retirement.

Technology helps make this experience possible. Customers can handle simple tasks on their own, while agents gain more time to focus on what matters most. AI can summarize meetings, find answers and reduce routine work. Connected systems can identify coverage gaps and give agents a clearer view of their businesses. Digital tools can help customers compare coverage or connect with an agent.

The goal is simple: let technology do more of the tasks so people can do more of the helping.
 

Strengthening our agency model for the future

The changes we introduced support our Next Gen Good Neighbors vision and strengthen the agency model for the future.

The new agent agreement is designed to help State Farm and agents evolve as customer expectations change. It creates a more consistent compensation structure and better aligns the agent opportunity with what customers expect: an excellent experience, competitive prices and help with more of their insurance and financial needs.

We will continue to appoint new agents and offer a premier entrepreneurial opportunity to build a local business backed by a trusted national brand.

Technology will keep changing how people shop, communicate and make decisions. We welcome that change because it gives us new ways to serve customers better. At the same time, we believe human connection will become more valuable, not less.

Customers should have digital speed and convenience when they want it, and a local agent who understands their lives when they need one.

That combination is a distinctive State Farm strength - and why independent contractor agents remain central to our future. The opportunity my parents believed in, the one I chose and the one thousands of agents still choose today, continues to matter to customers. We are evolving it so the next generation of Good Neighbors can protect what matters most.

When agents succeed - along with our employees and empowered by technology - communities grow stronger. Families pursue their dreams with confidence. Small businesses thrive. Together, that impact reaches far beyond insurance.

That is the power of local, and the power of State Farm.

Harbert joined State Farm in 1992 as an agent. During his tenure as CMO, he helped the State Farm brand become even more recognizable amidst fierce competition and rapid modernization of the insurance industry. He led a complete transformation of the State Farm logo and overall brand positioning. He also reinvigorated the iconic Like a Good Neighbor slogan and re-introduced Jake from State Farm in 2020.

“State Farm is represented by 19,500 agent offices across the country. It’s been my honor to lead this agency force and to move our brand forward,” said Harbert. “I’m pleased to pass the torch to Kristyn, who has been by my side playing a pivotal role in some of our biggest marketing and agency decisions. I have no doubt she will continue to exemplify what it means to be a good neighbor.”

Kristyn Cook will step into the CMO role at the start of the new year. Cook is a former State Farm agent and has also been instrumental in reshaping the State Farm marketing strategy, expanding beyond traditional media and historically targeted demographics. Her work bridged the legacy State Farm brand into digital platforms like the metaverse, gaming and TikTok to better reach Gen Z and Millennial markets.

“I’ve been so fortunate to work alongside Rand for the past three years and will continue to build on the impactful work we accomplished in our time together,” said Cook. “My connection to State Farm runs deep. My father was an agent, I opened my own State Farm agency 15 years ago, and I’m thrilled to step into my new role as Chief Agency, Sales and Marketing Officer.”