Employee Spotlight: Cal Hurlebaus

Job Title: Credit Analyst
Location: Verona Operations Center
Tenure: 3 Years

Briefly describe your involvement in agriculture. My grandfather ran a part-time commercial cow/calf operation and my great uncle and uncle were dairymen, all in Smyth County, Virginia. Spending time on my grandfather's farm growing up sparked my interest in agriculture which I then pursued at Virginia Tech. I now own a small number of my own beef heifers and hope to continue expanding in the future.
Are you involved in any other clubs or organizations? I am a member of Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church in Mt. Sidney, the Staunton Elks Lodge and the Verona Moose Lodge.
Has anyone in particular in your family had a significant impact on you? My grandfather, he is the most intelligent person I have ever met, a hard worker and has a very unique perspective on the world. He has given me lots of advice throughout my life and supported me in many ways. He has also been very active in his community, positively impacting the lives of many others and I hope to do the same.
Where did you grow up? I grew up in Northern Virginia, specifically Fairfax County. I was primarily involved in sports and Boy Scouts, among other things, in school as clubs like 4H and FFA were not common in the area. Obviously, career opportunities in agriculture were limited where I grew up, so I moved to the Shenandoah Valley after graduating from Virginia Tech and have enjoyed the area so far.
What is your favorite song or artist? My favorite artist changes frequently, but lately it has been Ricky Skaggs. He has a great range of music from traditional country to bluegrass and gospel.
What is your favorite podcast? My favorite podcast is Josh Pate's college football show. I am a huge college football fan, specifically the Virginia Tech Hokies, and fall is definitely my favorite time of year.
Tell us about your hobbies. I participate in activities through my church, am active in the Staunton Elks lodge as an officer, play in the Elks cornhole league, coached a 10-year old
baseball team for New Hope Little League as well as the Northeast Augusta County All-Star Team, play pickleball and golf when time allows, and spend lots of time working around the house.
What was your dream job as a child? I wanted to be a professional baseball player growing up, but my backup dream job was a credit analyst which is just as cool.
What is your favorite thing about Farm Credit? I would say my favorite thing about Farm Credit is the culture and the people. That is what drew me to the organization out of college. This is the only professional job I've had, so I can't compare it to other experiences, but it seems to me that we have a very strong and unique culture here at FCV. I enjoy interacting with everyone at Farm Credit and feel that we are all very committed to our mission.