New Sales Head Appointed at Farmers New World Life

The start of 2012 brings another new face to the executive team at with the appointment of Roy Smith as new Head of Distribution/Sales-Life.  

California-based Farmers Insurance Group of Companies announced the promotion on Monday. Smith previously worked as a divisional director for Farmers Insurance in Los Angeles. Farmers New World Life CEO Jerry Carnahan, who also relocated from L.A. in 2011, welcomed the move.

"Roy brings a wealth of insurance knowledge to his new position," said Carnahan. "He has served in many capacities within Farmers and I welcome him to his new position at Farmers New World Life."

He and his wife Carrie, have one daughter Caitlin, and will relocate to Mercer Island, Washington.

Mr. Smith joined Farmers Insurance in July 1985 as a Personal Lines underwriter in the Mission, Kan. Regional Office.

In October 1990, Mr. Smith transferred to the Portland, OR Regional Office as regional education Marketing manager, and in 1992, he became Marketing Administration manager. Over the next 16 years, he held a number of executive positions in Colorado and Ohio. In 2009, he was named head of the Southwestern Zone.

A native of Missouri, Mr. Smith holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in administration of justice and criminology from the University of Missouri, Kansas City.

A division of Farmers Insurance Group, Farmers New World Life Insurance Company is headquartered on Mercer Island and established offices here 57 years ago. With over 600 staff, the company is the largest employer in the city and its headquarters are located in the Island's Town Center business district.

Farmers Insurance Group of Companies, wholly-owned by Swiss insurance giant Zurich Financial Services AG, is the country's 3rd largest insurer of both personal lines passenger automobile and homeowners insurance, and also provides a wide range of other insurance and financial services products. Farmers Insurance is proud to serve more than 10 million households with more than 20 million individual policies across all 50 states through the efforts of over 50,000 exclusive and independent agents and nearly 24,000 employees.

— Written from information provided by Farmers Insurance