Nestled along Kabekona Creek in northern Minnesota, the Clark Store was a community cornerstone for all sorts of outdoorsmen during Al Clark’s childhood. Patrons came in dreaming of the big buck, the big fish or the big adventure in the wild.

The family store was also where Clark’s dream of a college education began.

“That was a goal for our parents, that we went and got a college degree,” Clark said. “So we all went and started in Bemidji.”

Clark graduated in 1964 with a degree in business education.

But what his dreams couldn’t envision were the six decades of successes and satisfactions that he later found in the Lone Star State.

After a stint in education, Clark longed for independence and entrepreneurship. Inspired by his upbringing at the family’s Clark Store, he decided to carve his own path. Clark identified a promising future with State Farm Insurance, so in 1979 he made the bold decision to relocate to Texas and start an agency from scratch.

“Back then, Minnesota was not hiring agents. So I researched and saw what dynamic growth was happening for the future in Texas,” Clark said. “I made that move 47 years ago. I came here and started from zero — no business, no accounts — and built this agency.”

Through meticulous research, networking with top agents and “hiring good people,” Clark built what became the country’s No. 1-ranked State Farm agency for 19 years. Over time, his dedication to excellence earned him membership in State Farm’s prestigious President’s Club, the highest achievement an agent can receive.

Clark’s love for Bemidji State has never wavered. In honor of his roots, he established the Al Clark Scholarship, which has now provided scholarships to dozens of BSU students over the past 17 years.

“I just thought about what I could do and be proud to do,” Clark said. “It’s kind of like a gift from the family. None of us had scholarships, you know.”

Fittingly, everything comes full circle. Clark’s success in education, business and mentorship traces back to the values he learned growing up in Kabekona Creek and his foundational experiences at Bemidji State. That learned passion for helping others continues to drive his “do-good” work with State Farm today.

“That’s the insurance industry,” Clark said. “What I do is help people.”

To read the full story, visit www.bsualumni.org/clark.

By Stella Dolan