After earning MBA and law degrees at Southern Methodist University, Ed Rust has risen to the top of the insurance world. He is chairman of the board, president and CEO of State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, and heads ten related State Farm entities.

Rust is president, CEO and director of eight State Farm affiliates and chairman and CEO of two more, covering the full gamut of insurance, investment management and international services.

Rust wrestled four years at Bloomington, Illinois, High School and four more at Illinois Wesleyan. His interest in the sport is continued by his son, Barry, also a successful high school wrestler.

He joined State Farm in 1975 at its regional office in Dallas and returned to the home office in Bloomington a year later as an attorney in the corporate law department. He quickly advanced to senior attorney, assistant vice president, then vice president. He became executive vice president and chief operating officer in 1982, president and CEO in 1985 and chairman in 1992.

Rust serves as a trustee for Illinois Wesleyan University, for the American Enterprise Institute, and for the American Institute for Property and Liability Underwriters. He is a member of the Illinois, Texas and American Bar Associations and the board of governors of the Institute for Civil Justice.

He also serves on the advisory councils of the Stanford University School of Business, the University of Illinois College of Commerce and Business Administration, and The Business Roundtable.