SERVING THROUGH FAITH

On a farm 90 miles southwest of Chicago, Kirk Farney (Illinois 79), was taught to have extraordinary work ethic, to be responsible, read voraciously and always strive for excellence. At the time, he may not have known his parents were preparing him for a successful academic career, leadership in FarmHouse, and a profession in banking at the highest levels.

Kirk was one of 52 in his senior class from Forrest-Strawn-Wing High School in Forrest, Illinois. As president of his FFA chapter, and later sectional president for Illinois FFA during his freshman year at the University of Illinois, he learned as much as he could about leadership.

“Developing leadership skills, especially public speaking, was integral to my upbringing,” Kirk said. “When I was a high school freshman, none of the upperclassmen wanted to participate in the FFA parliamentary procedure contest. I was asked to join the team and loved it.”

Kirk’s first exposure to leadership began on a cattle and grain farm when he was in elementary and middle school. He recalls a day in the fourth grade when his dad was due at a livestock auction and noticed the electric fence was not working. He was concerned the cattle might discover it and get out.

“Dad left instructions with my mother for me to walk the fence around that 80-acre pasture when I got home from school. Eventually, I found where it was shorted-out and I fixed it,” Kirk said. “When dad got home that evening and – perhaps surprisingly – learned I had successfully repaired the fence, he praised me and told me how proud he was. That really stuck with me and made me want to continue to succeed.”

The Farney farm operated a feedlot where they fed cattle in the winter and spring, but it was vacant in the summer. Kirk, as a seventh grader, decided he would like to purchase some feeder pigs to put in the feedlot for the summer. When he asked his dad if he could borrow the money from him to buy pigs, his dad told him he should go to the local bank and take out a loan.

“My dad drove me to the bank and joined me for the meeting with the banker,” Kirk said. “The banker asked me how much money I needed to buy the pigs and supplies. When I told him $350, he told me I hadn’t planned for enough cushion and I should borrow $500, so I did. I am certain my dad co-signed the loan after I left the banker’s office. A day or two later, I bought nine feeder pigs, two of them later died, and I net earned $300 at the end of that summer.”

Although he raised feeder pigs in subsequent summers and took out loans for each purchase, Farney eventually decided he wanted to be on the other side of the banker’s desk.

In the fall of 1979, Kirk pledged FarmHouse while majoring in finance and agricultural economics. Why FarmHouse? “There was a local agricultural lender who was a graduate of the University of Illinois; and a FarmHouse alumnus, and my dad thought very highly of him,” Farney said. “The two of them encouraged me to visit Illinois FarmHouse in high school and I moved into the house as a college freshman.”

Being a member of FarmHouse benefited Farney in several ways.

“I had just graduated from a small high school and found myself on a campus with 36,000 other students,” Farney said. “Because so many FarmHouse members were involved in campus organizations, my brothers helped acclimate me to university life. They helped me to get involved, to find my place on campus and that changed and shaped my life.”

After serving as FarmHouse chapter president, Farney graduated in 1982 and went into banking in Chicago. Now married and with two young children, Farney earned a MBA in marketing from Northwestern University. In 1998, he earned a master’s degree in theological studies from Wheaton College. Eventually, Kirk went into international banking, running a global team of 125 and managing a structured finance portfolio of more than $100 billion.

After 26 years in banking, and during the recession in 2008, Farney was asked to shrink his workforce and creditexposure by a significant amount.

“This seemed like the time to transition to a new path,” Farney said. “Committed Christian faith was a big part of our family as I was growing up; my mother read a lot of Bible stories to me, and interest in theology and the church only grew as I got older.”

Growing up a fan of the Fighting Illini, Farney was no fan of the Fighting Irish or the University of Notre Dame. However, in 2008, he decided to leave the banking industry and enroll as a Ph.D. student at Notre Dame, studying under renowned church historian, Mark Noll.

Kirk and his mother, Janet Farney, at Illinois FarmHouse 1982 Mom’s Day celebration.

Kirk and his father, Roger Farney, at Illinois FarmHouse 1981 Dad’s Day celebration.

“I’m glad I didn’t know what I was getting into because the program at Notre Dame was very challenging and the volume of reading, research and writing was daunting— but the experience was truly gratifying,” Farney said. “My dissertation research began as an outgrowth of my interests in church history, theology and economic history as I surveyed preaching content during the Great Depression. My focus eventually narrowed on the lives and impact of two highly successful, and largely forgotten, network radio preachers of the 1930s and 1940s.”

Last year, Kirk’s dissertation was published as a book under the title, “Ministers of a New Medium: Broadcasting Theology in the Radio Ministries” of Fulton J. Sheen and Walter A. Maier, and can be purchased on Amazon.

While completing his doctorate, Farney felt a call to Christian higher education and in 2014 was hired as vice president for advancement, vocation and alumni engagement and become a faculty member at his alma mater, Wheaton College.

“I had been on the donor side of advancement, but had never previously held an advancement position, so it was all new to me,” Farney said. “My work at Wheaton College requires creative strategic leadership, effective communication skills, trust building, and an unwavering, yet inviting, commitment to excellence.”

Kirk also has served on the Thrivent Board of Directors for 12 years. He said, “My service on the Thrivent board is very important to me, as the company is a key component within my own financial planning and stewardship. It is a faith-based Fortune 500 company that provides high quality financial service products and advise to Christians. We endeavor to assist our customers/members to fulfill their financial goals and live generous lives, while realizing that financial resources are a gift from God.”

Kirk has served on the board since 2011. He previously chaired the strategy committee, and currently serves as vice chair of the board of directors. His 12-year term limit will expire at the end of 2023.

Married for 36 years with two grown and married children and a new granddaughter, Farney looks forward to what the future holds.

“My parents taught me to be inquisitive, to be a life-long learner, and to get out of my comfort zone.” Farney said. “I’m truly grateful for that.”

Kirk and his mother, Janet Farney, at Illinois FarmHouse 1980 Mom’s Day celebration.