Published in Clifton Park Neighbors Magazine – Spring, 2020
By Jenna Caputo/ Photos by Matt McClosky Photography, Fred Schillinger & Contributed by the Ferlazzo Family
Don Ferlazzo knows how to keep it fun. You may know him as “the insurance guy,” but he and his family have a diverse background that adds to the community in so many ways!
Originally from Schodack, NY, Don grew up playing hockey and listening to music from all genres, although he especially loves ’90s alternative pop rock. He loved going to the Albany River Rats games with his dad and also played guitar, sang in the school choir and participated in the drama and A/V clubs at school. Enjoying the world of movies even from a young age, he often made his own low-budget movies with his friend, Greg, which they, of course, proudly screened for their families and friends.
Entertainment was something he loved, and he continued working in the theater throughout high school and into college. In fact, that’s how he met his wife Jamie, after she was cast in a musical that he co-wrote and produced for a local student theater group in Schodack. Their first date was on her 17th birthday, which was also the day before the show opened. They have been together ever since.
Don went to Ithaca College for Communications. He was hoping to eventually work in television production in Hollywood. In the meantime, he joined Ithaca’s all-male a cappella group, Ithacappella, and is currently the president of their alumni association. The group has been around for almost 25 years now and has won many awards, recorded several albums and has even performed with multiple national acts over the years. After college, Don followed his dream out to Hollywood, working in the production offices for various TV shows, including That 70’s Show (FOX), Commander in Chief (ABC), Dirt (FX), and Justice (FOX). While there, he was also cast as the voice and puppeteer of “Joe the Monkey,” the lead role for the kids’ DVD, The Money Mammals. “I had to take a crash course in puppetry for the role, working with much more experienced puppeteers, but as a big Muppets fan, it was a real blast for me, and I’m proud of my performance and how the project turned out,” he says. He still periodically is hired to reprise the role for their website and app, so it continues to be a fun venture for him!
In the meantime, Jamie was finishing her studies at Pepperdine University in California. They were engaged, and after she graduated, they decided that they should head back to the Capital Region to be near their families. They were ready to start new careers and their new life together. “We’re really happy to be a part of the Clifton Park community,” says Don. “It’s proven to be a great place to raise our family and start a business, and we’re looking forward to being here for a long, long time.”
Upon returning, Don initially took a job as the Director of Advertising and Event Management at the New York News Publishers Association, helping businesses place their ads regionally and statewide in newspapers across New York. He also coordinated the conferences and banquets for the association as well.
With their son on the way, Don reached out to a friend at Allstate to set up their first life insurance policies. It was a great experience, and after Emmett (now 2) was born, Don and Jamie agreed he needed a career change that could better secure their family’s future. He went back to his friend to learn more about the insurance business, and he was quickly hooked!
While still working his full-time job, Don went back to school to study for his license exams as Jamie handled the bulk of the family responsibilities. Once he received his licenses to sell Property & Casualty as well as Life insurance, he then had to go through Allstate’s rigorous training program, which also involved a lot of travel. But in the end, it was all worth it. He is now the proud owner of The Ferlazzo Allstate Agency on Route 9 across from Hoffman Car Wash right here in Clifton Park. “I honestly love helping people protect their families and educating them about the importance of having the correct coverage in place. Becoming licensed to sell insurance was a real eyeopener for me, seeing how exposed people and their families are in their day-to-day lives. So I make it my personal mission to offer my clients the right protection at the best possible price,” says Don.
When someone walks through the door, they can expect full, personalized service from a dedicated team of licensed professionals as they sit down together to look at where they are in life now, so they can find the best protection for their current situation. Don and his team will handle everything from the quote, any questions that arise, claims and all services. Community members can always expect trusted advice and service for all their family’s needs. They offer auto, home and life insurance, as well as motorcycles, boats, ATVs, snowmobiles and commercial insurance as well.
Don is quite active outside of work as well. He’s a part of the Capital Region Chamber and volunteers within the community at the Ronald McDonald House of Albany and the Mohawk Hudson Humane Society. He’s also on the Capital Region Vegan Network board of directors and still plays hockey (goalie) in his spare time, including playing in charity tournaments like the upcoming Capital Cup for Kids on April 25th at the Capital Arena in Clifton Park, which benefits the Ronald McDonald House and Make-A-Wish.
Don still keeps up with his music, too. He is a singer/songwriter and plays guitar and piano. He occasionally performs at local coffee shops or bars, but you can hear some of his songs online as well. Free versions of his self-produced recordings are available at www.reverbnation.com/donferlazzo. You can also hear Don sing the company jingle whenever you call the office! “I love music because it allows me to express myself and send positive vibes to others in a creative way,” says Don. Jamie is no slouch when it comes to music, herself. A classically-trained musician who studied voice in college, she’s been known to steal the show with her beautiful voice while joining Don onstage at a gig or at the odd karaoke night over the years.
Don and Jamie’s family is about to get a little bigger these days, as they expect a new brother in August for Emmett and Butters, their 11-year-old rescue lab mix. Jamie is now the office manager at Girvin & Ferlazzo P.C., Don’s father’s long-time law firm in Albany. She enjoys playing volleyball on the side. They are both animal advocates and have been a vegan family for six years now, in an attempt to not only be healthier, but also to reduce their impact on the environment and show compassion toward animals. They love enjoying the many wonderful restaurants in the Capital Region and especially love the fact that the region has a robust vegan scene, including their favorite restaurant, Berben & Wolff ’s Vegan Delicatessen.
Don’s love for movies is still strong as well. In fact, he is now the proud owner of a DeLorean, the famous stainless-steel car from one of his favorite movies, Back to the Future. It was a lifelong dream to own one, and he couldn’t believe his luck when he found it on eBay. The car arrived at his house from Virginia on a flatbed truck this past Halloween while everyone was out trick-or-treating. “It was quite the scene with my surprised neighbors and trick-or-treaters running up to it to take photos and talk about the car!” laughs Don.
He says he loves movies and television because, “I enjoy being entertained and sharing that experience with others who enjoyed it with me. I have so many friends who grew up loving the same movies and TV shows as I did, and we still reference them whenever we’re together. That shared experience allows us to bond so they are part of our history as friends.”
It’s a bond that Don carries through all his activities and shares with all he meets – in the past and those to come in the future!
UPDATE: As of August 1, 2022, The Ferlazzo Agency is now Foursurance! Previously a single-carrier captive agency, Foursurance now offers coverage from 15+ insurance companies to better serve our clients. Ready to see how much you can save with Foursurance? Click the button below to get started!