June 3, 2026
Today, COUNTRY Financial announced Jim Jacobs has decided to retire as Chief Executive Officer, effective June 30, 2026, following seven years in the role and a total of 21 with the family of companies.
The COUNTRY Financial Board of Directors has authorized Human Resources to begin a search for the next CEO, which will commence soon. Day-to-day operations will continue uninterrupted, supported by a highly experienced senior leadership team.
“The Board thanks Jim for his years of leadership at COUNTRY Financial. We are grateful for his dedication and wish him all the best,” said the COUNTRY Financial Board of Directors. “We will be initiating a search for COUNTRY’s next CEO, and we look forward to working with the new leader as we continue building on this strong foundation.”
During his tenure, Jacobs guided COUNTRY through a period of sustained revenue growth and strategic transformation, strengthening the company’s financial position while modernizing systems and processes. In 2025 alone, COUNTRY and its affiliated companies’ revenue exceeded $4.5 billion. He navigated pivotal moments such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the transition to new ways of working, major building updates, and COUNTRY Financial’s 100th anniversary celebrations.
“Leading this organization has been the greatest professional honor and experience of my life,” said Jacobs. “The hard work and dedication of the entire COUNTRY Financial team has made a better and stronger company for our clients.”
As the search process moves forward, COUNTRY remains focused on its vision: to enrich lives in the communities we serve. This leadership transition does not change the company’s strategy, commitments, or how it serves clients, reps, and communities.
news@countryfinancial.com
COUNTRY Financial® is a family of affiliated companies (collectively, COUNTRY) located in Bloomington, IL. Learn more about who we are.