The Bill Hanson, CIPA, Memorial Scholarship Fund
The Bill Hanson, Crop Insurance Professionals Association, Memorial Scholarship Fund at Kansas State University;
established to honor the career and service of Bill Hanson in furthering the integrity and reach of Federal Crop Insurance,
and to promote future advancements through investment in the next generation of leaders.
If you would like to contribute to the Memorial Scholarship fund, please:
- Make checks payable to: “KSU Foundation”
- Write in memo line: “Bill Hanson Memorial Fund”
- Mail to: KSU Foundation
Attn: Kim Schirer
2323 Anderson Ave.
Manhattan, KS 66502
William V. Hanson
July 22, 1940 - August 23, 2013
Bill Hanson,73, of Manhattan, KS, died Friday, August 23, 2013, at Stormont-Vail Healthcare in Topeka. Bill was born July 22, 1940, on the family farm near Olsburg, KS to Wendell and Ebba (Johnson) Hanson. He was a 1958 graduate of Westmoreland High School, a 1962 graduate of Bethany College, and received his master’s degree from Wichita State University in 1968. Bill and Carol Hart were married on June 24, 1962, in Westmoreland, KS. Bill’s professional career was interesting and varied. He started teaching business courses at McLouth High School after college graduation, and quickly moved into school administration. After teaching in McLouth and Sedgwick, he finished his teaching career as principal of Westmoreland High School. Always a farmer at heart – owning and operating the family farm in the early 1970’s - Bill’s interest in agriculture led him to employment with USDA/ASCS, where he spent six years in both the Riley County and State of Kansas offices. He then transferred to Federal Crop Insurance Corporation, where he worked in various positions in Manhattan and Kansas City. In Washington, DC he served as Director of the Reinsurance Contract Division. Bill returned to Manhattan from Washington in 1990 to work for a private crop insurance company, but eventually purchased several agencies in Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas and formed KanOk Insurance Services, Inc. After selling his own company, he continued employment with American AgCredit and retired in 2011. Bill’s proudest achievement in his career in agriculture was co-founding and serving as chairman of the Crop Insurance Professionals Association, LLC (CIPA). No job was ever above or beneath Bill. He worked successfully with politicians on Capitol Hill as easily as he did managing teen-age cashiers at McDonald’s. In addition to camping and gardening, Bill’s main interest was Barbershop singing. He was a charter member of the Manhattan Chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society, the Little Apple Chorus. Bill served the Society in many capacities, including holding several offices on both the local and district levels. In 1994, he was chosen as the Central States District Barbershopper of the Year. Bill is survived by his wife, Carol, of the home, his daughter Lauri (Steve) Hopper of Oklahoma City, and his son Tom Hanson of St. Louis. Also surviving are grandchildren Megan and Ben Hopper of Wichita, and his sister Carol Ahlstedt of Salina, along with a large extended family. He loved spending time with all of them!
The Max Claybaker, CIPA, Memorial Scholarship Fund
The Max Claybaker, Crop Insurance Professionals Association, Memorial Scholarship Fund at Oklahoma State University
is established to honor the career and service of Max Claybaker in furthering the integrity and reach of Federal Crop Insurance,
and to promote future advancements through investment in the next generation of leaders.
If you would like to contribute to the Memorial Scholarship fund, please:
- Make checks payable to: “OSU Foundation”
- Write in memo line: “Max Claybaker, CIPA Endowed Scholarship”
- Mail to: OSU Foundation
Attn: Megan Smith
400 S. Monroe
Stillwater, OK 74074
To make a contribution over the phone or online:
(800) 622-4678 or visit www.OSUgiving.com/max-claybaker
Max J. Claybaker
February 5, 1932 - November 24, 2021
Max Claybaker, co-founder of Crop Insurance Professionals Association, LLC (CIPA) passed away at his home northwest of Blackwell, OK at the age of 89. Max was born on February 5, 1932, on a farm northeast of Blackwell. He moved west of Blackwell to a farm at the age of four years where he resided until his death. Max graduated from Blackwell High School in 1950. He continued his education at Oklahoma A&M, where he also married his high school sweetheart, Dorothy Nell Miller, in 1951. Max graduated from A&M in 1954 with a degree in agronomy. Upon graduation, Max also received a commission of second lieutenant and served two years with the Corps of Engineers in the United States Army. Upon returning to the farm in 1956, he began an active career in farming. He was a certified seed producer and in 1962 became a sales representative for Pioneer Hi-Bred. He continued with additional activities in the agri-business field operating an aerial spraying business and retailing grain storage facilities. In 1985, Max opened Claybaker Crop Insurance. The more he dealt with the issues facing farmers, he realized that the crop insurance industry needed to be made stronger to maintain its footprint at the federal level. Max made several trips to Washington, D.C. where he had many meetings with Oklahoma senators and congressmen and personally spoke in front of Congress on the behalf of the American farmer and the crop insurance industry. Following several of these trips and a collaboration with his friend and fellow agent, Bill Hanson, the idea of CIPA was born. Since its inception, CIPA has grown to over 200 members/agents which now support lobbyists to protect and maintain funding for crop insurance at the national level. Max lived a full, wonderful life. In addition to farming, he was a licensed, instrument rated pilot. He was a member of several civic organizations. He was retired as President of Professional Insurance Agents of Oklahoma. He was a member and officer of many Oklahoma State University associations and was honored by being named OSU Master Agronomist in 1982. He was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church where he held numerous offices and taught adult Bible classes for over fifty years. Max and Dorothy were married for 69 years. Out of this marriage they were blessed with five children: Neal, Lynn, Janet, Kendall, and Stanley, and grandchildren Steven, Lauren, Bryan, Trenton, Dylan, Kameron, Katie, and John. Max was preceded in death by his wife Dorothy, son Neal, and daughter Janet. He adored them all.