I am honored for this opportunity to serve as historic Jeffersontown’s newest State Farm agent. My name is Derek Carlton and I have had the privilege to be a part of the State Farm family for the last two years. I am looking forward to many more years with the nation’s largest insurance company.
I grew up in the small, Central Florida town of Wauchula. After high school, I received a swimming scholarship to Union College in Barbourville, Kentucky, where I also participated in competitive mountain biking. In the summers, I was a lifeguard for the Cape Hatters National Seashore on the Outer Banks, NC. I received a bachelor’s of science with a major in public health administration and a minor in outdoor recreational management.
After college, I moved back to Central Florida to pursue a career in public health, but after nine years with the Florida Department of Health I wanted something more challenging. In 2011, my family and I moved to Louisville to find better opportunities and have been here ever since. I tell my friends that this is the biggest small town you’ll ever experience and the Jeffersontown community has been most welcoming to me.
My past work experiences have shown me that I loved helping people but realized I wanted to run my own business and mentor others. I started this journey with Zachary Hernan State Farm Agency in 2018. Going from helping people at the health department to helping people navigate their insurance needs became my unexpected passion.
Besides my passion for State Farm, I also can’t live without my family, mountain bikes, and hot wings. My wife, Heidi, and our two kids, Sophia and Evie are my whole world. We also have a passion for helping local animal rescues and even own two rescue dogs, Rey and Luna. We are so blessed to be able to give back to our new hometown. I can’t wait to open my agency on October 1st in my favorite city and be an exceptional leader for both my office and my community.