2023-November-06
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Following in Family History, One Wedding at a Time
BY KESINEE YIP · COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER · UNITED STATES
4 MINUTE READ · 7 MINUTE LISTEN
Customer Delivery Leader Jerry Farantatos grew up in a traditional Greek household and learned that he came from a long line of farmers and priests.
This included a bearded Papa Haralabos Maneas, the family’s oldest known relative from the early- to mid-1800s. Jerry describes him as “a strong and genuine man who was known for his trustworthiness.”
Over time, Jerry too would grow a beard, and true to the family bloodline, marry people just as Papa Maneas did.
Jerry wasn’t convinced.
But one day, he was asked to marry someone at Cisco. “My daughter, Kelsey, approached Jerry,” said Senior Leader, Help@Cisco Tyson Swanger. “She has known him for such a long time. Both my children refer to him as ‘Uncle Jerry’.”
Tyson, Kelsey, and her fiancé Zack Furney — a High Touch Operations Manager, who got his start as an intern in the Expert Care National Team at Cisco — were all delighted. Jerry had known Kelsey and her family for 25 years.
Jerry couldn’t say no.
“Even though there were [other] priests who could marry her, they wouldn’t have the perspective [I did] or the connection that I will have with Kelsey and her family the rest of her life,” explains Jerry.
This was nearly five years ago.
Through word of mouth, another Cisconian approached Jerry. Security Technical Assistance Center Manager Seann Ritzman asked Jerry to officiate his wedding to Consulting Engineer Michelle Ritzman.
Then Jerry married another Cisco employee, Special Operations Lead Ken Slusser and his wife Heather, in a small, private ceremony in May 2023, and then a larger, more formal one in October 2023.
“Now I have another friend asking to be married in St. Augustine, Florida, and I’ve done two in October 2023,” says Jerry.
After speaking with his wife, Jerry has decided that if he’s asked to marry another couple this year, he will “take that as a sign to take all of this to the next level” to further his training and become even more versed in the philosophical side of these ceremonies.
Jerry’s online certification with Universal Life Church lets him perform marriage ceremonies, and he welcomes everyone.
He is also adamant about not receiving payment for his services. “I refuse to be an officiant for money,” he shares. “I am a servant to the folks asking me to be part of their special day, and my payment is the honor in doing so.”
Jerry is a Christian and a member of the Greek Orthodox Church and has historically attended services with family members in other Christian communities. His parents supported and nurtured his spiritual growth. That, along with his deep interest in religion, has offered him the opportunity to learn and attend services from other faiths including Catholicism, Mormonism, and Buddhism.
His parents felt that exposure would help raise Jerry’s awareness of the various traditions and that people from all walks of faith come together in peace. He began to see common themes across the different churches and cultures he was immersed within.
A big fan of continuous improvement, Jerry has sought to gain a perspective from ordained ministers of different traditions such as Methodist, Greek Orthodox, and non-denominational traditions.
Jerry believes that patience is his superpower that helps him personally and professionally.
“I know the power of being patient,” says Jerry.
One of his favorite quotes is from leadership expert John C. Maxwell: “The pessimist complains about the wind. The optimist expects it to change. The leader adjusts the sails.”
Jerry believes this quote is not just about leadership but also about patience, because we all can feel emotions in changing times.
According to Tyson, “You can learn jobs but not character and Jerry is successful because of his character. He has a calming personality. He’s a magnet for a good moral compass and he has always worked hard. He knows his job very well and at the end of the day, this benefits his team and the customer.”
Jerry credits people's trust in him to his active listening skills.
Born on Christmas Day, perhaps it’s not surprising that Jerry is also interested in attending Santa school as his retirement gig so he can one day bring joy to those around him during the holidays.
He’d also like to learn more languages, starting with sign language, so he can communicate with even more people.
Jerry’s passion and commitment to his career, Cisco, and his fellow Cisconians has led him down a path that has fostered new relationships and positively impacted those around him.
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