Born and raised on his family’s farm in Peach Orchard, Missouri, Barry Bean pursued degrees in psychology at the University of the South and Memphis State University before returning to the family business in 1992.
Currently the President of Bean & Bean Cotton Company, Bean trades Missouri cotton with buyers from around the world, and consults on a variety of commodity, risk management, and agriculture policy issues.
An accomplished musician, Bean is also an active advocate for the arts and arts education. He has worked with the Missouri Alliance for Arts Education, the Missouri Art Education Association, and local arts organizations to promote arts education and improve access to the arts for rural Missourians.
Bean also serves on the Board of Directors for Missouri Farm Bureau and the advisory board of the Pemiscot County Special School District, and he is a member of the Memphis Cotton Exchange.
Testimonials
JAG has been a life changer.
JAG pushes us out of our comfort zone. It has truly helped me find my voice. I have learned how to voice my opinions the right way – when to speak and when to listen. Without JAG I have no doubt I would still be living my old life. I wish I could have found my voice sooner, but the important thing now is: I have found it, and I will never let it go.
Before I joined JAG, I was lost. JAG provided assistance in pinpointing a career and making steps in order to pursue it. My JAG Specialist motivated me to make connections and to continue my education in the emergency response industry. JAG has changed my life!
I felt hopeless because no matter what I did, I thought the future I wanted was too far out of reach. I wasn’t smart enough or rich enough to live the life I wanted. Because of this, at the age of 15, I exploded. Everything parents pray their child isn’t doing, I was, or I was trying to. In the midst of this self destruction, the greatest opportunity came up and shook my hand. I went from dropping out to picking up my cap and gown. JAG didn’t save my life, it taught me how to save my own.
