Prihoda Retires, Tumis Promoted at Engle Farmers Mutual Insurance

After 13 years as General Manager of Engle Farmers Mutual Insurance, Raymond Prihoda retired July 1 and Brad Tumis has been promoted to fill the position.

Prihoda will continue his office duties until Dec. 31 and also plans to stay on the board of directors of the organization for another few years.

Prihoda was first appointed to the Engle Farmers Mutual board back in 1999 and became the office manager in 2000 before being promoted to General Manager.

“The organization has been so fortunate to have Raymond for 20 years,” said Engle Farm Mutual board president Gary Antosh. “Everybody knew him and he knew them.”

“I hope Brad will be here 20 years.”

Engle Farmers Mutual, which will turn 125 years old in 2022, provides insurance for home, farm structures and equipment in Fayette County and adjoining counties. It was formed, along with other small farm mutual companies around the state back in 1897 because larger commercial insurance companies didn’t come into the rural areas.

“We’re built on the old philosophy of ‘Farmers Helping Farmers,’” Prihoda said.

Prihoda worked for 20 years at Herder Truck Lines in Weimar and then for 10 years at UTEX Industries in Weimar before coming to Engle Farmers Mutual.

Prihoda’s replacement, Tumis, is a Hallettsville native. He has an accounting degree and came to Engle Farmers Mutual after 12 years as a manager of financial planning and analysis at defense contractor BAE Systems in Sealy.