Back to All Posts

Red River Mutual is Celebrating 150 Years!

In 1875, early Mennonite newcomers to Manitoba settled on farms in hamlets that didn’t receive financial protection from fires on their operations, leaving them exposed to potential losses. Instead of individually taking on the risks, the community farmers shared funds to provide emergency financial assistance, becoming their own mutual aid…
February 3, 2025

Red River Mutual is Celebrating 150 Years!

February 3, 2025

In 1875, early Mennonite newcomers to Manitoba settled on farms in hamlets that didn’t receive financial protection from fires on their operations, leaving them exposed to potential losses. Instead of individually taking on the risks, the community farmers shared funds to provide emergency financial assistance, becoming their own mutual aid organization.

After nearly 50 years operating as the Mennonite Insurance Organization, it incorporated as a licensed insurance company and rebranded to become The Red River Valley Mutual Insurance company, serving more than local farming operations, and rebranding again to Red River Mutual in 1941. This year marks Red River Mutual’s 150th year of protecting our prairie communities.

“Leading our company through this milestone anniversary is a true privilege,” says Red River Mutual President & CEO, Brenda Gibson. “This achievement is a testament to the dedication, resilience, and collective spirit of our teams over the past 150 years and our ability to remain adaptable and agile through change.”

Since we became Red River Mutual, our company has grown, the insurance industry has evolved, and our communities have welcomed newcomers from all over the world.  Still, we remain connected to our roots, supporting prairie communities and the people in them.

For our 150th anniversary, we are celebrating those well-established roots in the insurance industry and our communities through initiatives that support connection and giving back, and of course, we will also be involving our broker partners in those opportunities.

Celebrating Our Community

In 1943, Red River Mutual established its formal head office in Altona, Manitoba, and over 80 years later, Altona is still our home. To connect with our southern Manitoba communities and back to where it all started, we will be hosting a community celebration in Altona in June. Keep an eye out for more information on how you can join us to celebrate our roots, hear stories of our journey, and help us create new ones this summer!

Celebrating Our Partners

Red River Mutual’s broker partners are great advocates for our company and our communities. They understand the people they serve, helping us identify areas we can make a positive impact with our insurance products and community support. We are creating opportunities for us to work with our partners to continue giving back to our communities. We are also going to be hosting an evening to celebrate both our long-standing partnerships and grow our newer partnerships.

Continuing our Support of Newcomers

Not unlike 150 years ago, there are newcomers joining our established communities, setting down their own roots, and sharing their stories with us. We have initiatives planned to support our newcomer communities throughout the year, including donations, a package on the basics of understanding home insurance, and a sweet partnership with a local, newcomer founded business with a goal to give back to organizations that support newcomers.

Keep an eye out on www.redrivermutual.com and our social media for our celebrations!