Meet Dan DeLamater! Dan is the President of Southern Mutual Insurance Company in Athens, is an avid runner, a mentor and volunteer, husband and proud father. Dan grew up in Marietta, graduated from Georgia State University and has lived in Athens since 2000 when he moved here with his wife Cory, who is a Clarke Central and UGA graduate. He is a lifelong lover of sports, and has coached baseball for many years for East Athens Little League, Athens Little League, and several travel baseball teams. He runs marathons and ultra marathons, is a board member of the Clarke County Mentor Program, the UGA Touchdown Club, and Mercy Health Center. He lives in Five Points with his wife Cory, son Braden, a rising junior at Clarke Central, and daughter Amelia, a rising sophomore at UGA.
What inspired you or led to your current career?
I was a risk management and insurance major when I was at Georgia State. As I was graduating and looking at insurance careers, I started with a company based out of Seattle that had a regional office in Atlanta. I worked there for several years and got really good experience. In the late 90s, Cory was helping with several companies who were going through Y2k conversions back when that was the big deal. Southern Mutual was one of the places she was working with, and when the manager at the time was leaving to go to another insurance company, Cory connected me with the president here and here I am. I have stayed long enough now to work my way up into a couple of different titles.
What’s your favorite restaurant in Athens, and what do you love there?
That is a hard one because we have so many great restaurants in Athens. I would probably say my favorite if I had to pick one is Five & Ten and any steak they cook. The one we visit most often, though, is Trapeze Pub for their Sunday burger and beer special.
Who would you love to see at The Georgia Theatre, dead or alive? It could be anybody.
I would have to say that I would love to see R.E.M. just one more time. That is probably cliche, but that is who I would love to see.
If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would it be and why?
Cory has visited Italy, and I have not. I would love to travel to Italy.
What advice do you often give to your children?
I would say be kind, because we talk a lot about being kind, but they are kind people so, that is not really advice that I am giving them so much. I guess most common is, put your phone down and talk to people face-to-face.
Do you have a bucket list?
I have things I would like to do. I do not know if it is technically a “bucket list” per se and it changes as time goes by. The Boston Marathon was definitely a bucket list thing, and I have accomplished that. One time skydiving was, but I do not think it is anymore. I would love to travel to all of the continents.
What is your favorite thing to do in Athens?
I love running in Athens. It is a great running town. Now with the new Greenway and the way the Firefly is developing, it’s especially great. I love running in Athens.
What is your favorite race that you have run?
The Boston Marathon. It took me so long to qualify and it took me so much effort to get there.
What year did you do it?
2014. It was the year after the bombing, and it was really poignant, really special.
What three words or phrases come to mind when you think of the word home?
Comfort, warmth and family.
