Contact: Allison Matthews

STARKVILLE, Miss.—A retired executive with the Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance Company is the newest Mississippi State inductee in the university’s Insurance Hall of Fame.

Billy Sims of Brandon was honored with the Hall of Fame recognition recently during Insurance Day, an annual continuing education event hosted by MSU’s Risk Management and Insurance Program. He joins a distinguished list of previous honorees.

Sims began his career with Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance Company as an underwriter in 1977 and recently retired as senior vice president, policy administration. In this role, he was responsible for the strategic management of policy services, underwriting/new business administration, claims, and human resources. He previously served as vice president of human resources.

“Mr. Sims has been recognized for his exemplary career with Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance Company and his contributions to the insurance industry,” said Seth Pounds, MSU director of the Risk Management and Insurance Program.

Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance Company Vice President for Human Resources Joyce Plunkett said Sims has been a champion of the MSU program for many years and was instrumental in creating the company’s scholarship for risk management students.

“In 2007, Billy spearheaded our summer risk management internship program, which includes hiring students to work for the summer rotating to many of our departments such as underwriting, policy service and claims,” Plunkett said. “Since 2007, we have hired many of the interns to work full time with our company. We are big believers in this program at MSU and proud to be a part of it.”

MSU’s College of Business and the RMI Program have hosted Insurance Day for more than 30 years. The program annually attracts hundreds of insurance and other professionals from all over the Southeast for sessions focused on current industry issues.

MSU is Mississippi’s leading university, available online at www.msstate.edu.