Jessica Sarbacker
Vice President-Crop Insurance Manager
2605 Kennedy Road, Janesville
JSarbacker@lakeridge.bank
(608) 490-2241
Q: What is your role at the bank?
Jessica: I became the first full-time crop insurance associate at Lake Ridge Bank in 2011. As our bank’s VP-Crop Insurance Manager, I work with farm clients using a consultative approach to help them determine the best type and fit of coverage for their farms. Crop insurance is the only thing I do, which means I have been able to develop a thorough specialization and deep understanding of every detail remotely related to this industry. As part of Lake Ridge Bank’s larger Ag Team, I also work very closely with our bank’s ag lenders to help them understand the needs and reduced risk of financing customers who have adequate crop insurance coverage.
Q: How did you get into banking as a career?
Jessica: I kind of fell into crop insurance as a career by accident. I graduated from UW-Madison with an Ag Business degree with hopes of becoming an ag lender. While I was in college, I interviewed for an internship as an Ag Loan Officer, and instead of giving me that role they offered me a crop insurance internship who got to work with the lending group too. I never would have considered this direction for my career if I hadn’t gotten that internship by sheer chance—I didn’t even apply for it! As it turned out, I got to learn a bit about both career paths and was surprised to realize that the insurance route felt like a better fit. I often tell young people to get as many internships as possible to test out different types of jobs within your major. It’s like getting a 3-month sample of a job without the bigger commitment. In truth, it can be just as important to learn what you don’t want as what you do want in a job.
Q: What is something you really enjoy about your work?
Jessica: There are actually so many things I like about this work.I tell people all the time that I love the balance in my job between the office/paperwork side and being out in the field with customers. I love working directly with clients! I get to know the whole family for multiple generations. I also really enjoy the cycle of the crop year and the way it naturally creates new things to focus on all the time to keep my job interesting. From planting time to watching farms thrive through the harvest season, I like knowing I can step in and help if something goes wrong. I get to support them when they need it most.
Q: Do you have any favorite TV shows, books, or podcasts to recommend?
Jessica: I’m on the road a lot, so I like to listen to podcasts when I drive. I am all in on anything true crime! Some of my favorites are Dateline and Crime Junkie. I also just finished a great series on white collar fraud called American Greed. For books, I recommend anything by John Grisham. You really can’t go wrong.
