Olympic glory for members of the Farmers family

The Summer Olympics are now officially in the books, and what a couple of weeks it’s been for a number of Olympians with Farmers connections. Well done to all these incredible athletes!

Kerri Walsh struck gold with partner Misty May in a 21-17, 21-11 victory over Brazilians Adriana Behar and Shela Bede in the women’s beach volleyball final. It concluded a spectacular tournament for Walsh and May, who went 7-0 and won every match in straight sets. Kerri has many Farmers connections. Her father Tim Walsh is a Farmers agent in Los Gatos, Calif. Her uncle Marte Formico is a Farmers district manager in Northern California. And there’s more . . . aunt Mary Formico-Barnard is an agent in San Jose, Calif., as is uncle Dominik Caloiaro.

Wrestler Jamill Kelly (son of Modesto, Calif., claims representative Ruby Kelly-Fagan) won the silver medal in the men’s freestyle 66 kg/145.5 lbs. division. Sports anyalists are writing that Kelly could be the most overachieving U.S. wrestling silver medalist ever! Interestingly he never won a California high school title or made All-American at Oklahoma State, but won three straight Olympic matches before losing to two-time world champion Elbrus Tedeyev of Ukraine.

Swimmer Scott Usher (son of Grand Island, Neb., claims employee Tom Usher) finished sixth in the final of the 200-meter breaststroke

Table tennis player Khoa Nguyen (brother of San Jose agent Roger Nguyen) bowed out in the first round after a tough game. Khoa’s father John Nguyen was a Farmers agent until he retired two years ago.

Kyle Prandi (son of Strongsville, Ohio agent Jim Prandi) and partner Mark Ruiz took 6th in the men’s synchronized diving platform event. What makes Kyle’s success all the more inspiring is that he didn’t start diving until he was 11 — much later than most of his competitors. And just two years ago he tore a muscle in his shoulder, forcing him to take a year off from diving to recuperate.

Divers Justin and Troy Dumais (nephews of Thousand Oaks, Calif., agent Dennis Aten) finished sixth in the synchronized springboard final. Troy Dumais also finished 6th in the men's 3 meter springboard event.

Maya Arusi (niece of Home Office corporate real estate manager Jay Davis) representing Israel in taekwondo (49 kg. weight class), made it through to the Round of 16. Maya first discovered Taekwondo five years ago on a visit to Los Angeles and has been training for the past three years while serving in the Israeli army.

Finally, Farmers will be represented at the Paralympics in Athens too. Modesto, Calif., agent Jim Hershey's cousin — Lawrence "Trooper" Johnson - is a member of the U.S. wheelchair basketball team. Trooper was paralyzed from the waist down in a car accident when he was a teenager and this is his second go around as an Olympian. He was also on the U.S. wheelchair basketball team in Sydney, Australia, four years ago.


Farmers customer wins gold and bronze!

Our congratulations go to Farmers customer Derrick Brew. Derrick won a bronze medal on the track in the men’s 400 meters, and followed that with a gold medal in the 4 x 400 meter relay. He is a customer of Houston, Texas, Farmers agent Glenn Jones.

Are you a Farmers customer who participated in the Athens Olympics? Send us an e-mail, let us know your story! corpcommunications@farmersinsurance.com

Farmers Insurance Group of Companies® is the nation's third-largest Personal Lines Property & Casualty insurance group. Headquartered in Los Angeles and doing business in 41 states, the insurers comprising the Farmers Insurance Group of Companies provide Homeowners, Auto, Business, Life insurance and financial services to more than 10 million households through 17,000 exclusive and independent agents and district managers.