Vann Celebrates 20 Years as State Farm Agent

Shannon Vann, State Farm Insurance agent in Sallisaw, celebrated 20 years as an agent Wednesday with a reception at his office.

Vann said he became a State Farm agent in Sallisaw on March 1, 1997, joining the business owned by his dad, Ken.

Shannon Vann began with State Farm Insurance in 1991 as a claims representative in Lawton.

But Ken Vann was thinking about retirement, and Shannon Vann came home to join the Vann agency on March 1, 1997, after completing the agent training program.

“I wanted to stay in Oklahoma,” Vann said, “and dad had made the decision to retire.”

Along the way home, Shannon met and married his wife, Cheryl. The couple has been married 28 years. They have three children, Nathan, 27, of New York City, Riley, 22, of Boise, Idaho, and Marissa, 21, who is in her final year at Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, Ga.

During the reception Wednesday, Vann visited, quipped and laughed with family, friends and customers he has met along the way. Being a constructive part of the community is important to Vann. He served as Sallisaw mayor from 2002 to 2014 and just finished another stint as president of the Sallisaw Chamber of Commerce.

Being involved helps the community to grow, Vann said. “From a business prospective, that helps your business grow.”

Being involved is more that than, Vann said.

“Dad always set a good example for us, like being a Little League Baseball coach and being in Jaycees. We were always raised to give back to the community,” Vann said.

Vann said he intends to just continue on and be involved in the community. And he has one good reason for that.

“It’s home,” he said.

Vann concluded by thanking all his friends and customers for visiting the reception and for their business.

Sally Maxwell, Senior News Director

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