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.