Welcoming Academy Season 5
Published March 2nd, 2026
We welcomed our three newest Academy Falcon West Academy members this week, and we're excited to introduce them to the insurance industry! Over the next 12 weeks, we will focus on commercial insurance, with a special emphasis on the energy and marine industries.
Nia Toliver
Nia Toliver is a professional rugby player, coach, and business student dedicated to the intersection of elite performance and long-term community impact. Raised in South Central Los Angeles, Nia’s journey is defined by the resilience and discipline she forged in her hometown—traits that have become the hallmark of her career both on and off the pitch.
While competing at the highest levels of rugby, Nia has remained deeply committed to the next generation, mentoring young athletes and architecting programs that provide genuine pathways to success. She is now translating that same focus into the corporate world, with a specific interest in the mechanics of the insurance industry.
Nia is driven to understand the "day-to-day" of business—from the intricacies of policy structuring and risk management to the art of building lasting client relationships. She is eager to gain exposure to high-level decision-making and strategic communication, with the ultimate goal of building a foundation of confidence in professional settings. For Nia, this transition is about more than a career shift; it is about learning to operate strategically and adding significant value to a team beyond the boundaries of the athletic field.
James Tenney
James is a dynamic student-athlete at Brigham Young University’s Marriott School of Business, where he is completing his degree in Global Supply Chain Management. As the Captain of the BYU Men’s Rugby Team and a three-time Collegiate All-American, James brings a high level of discipline, teamwork, and a "win-win" mentality to every professional environment he enters.
With a diverse professional background ranging from Proposals Associate at Ion Solar to Peer Mentor at BYU’s Career and Experiential Learning Center, James has a proven track record of optimizing processes and helping others succeed. He is particularly skilled in:
- Relationship Building: Leveraging his experience as a Counselor and Mentor to foster trust and long-term partnerships.
- Operational Excellence: Utilizing advanced Excel and SQL skills to drive accuracy and efficiency.
- Leadership: Guiding teams through complex projects and retraining initiatives to achieve 100% success rates.
James is eager to bridge the gap between his academic studies and real-world results. He is especially focused on mastering the day-to-day operations of the sales and service process, with the ultimate goal of translating complex supply chain concepts into tangible value for clients. He firmly believes that when people work together as partners, everyone wins.
John DuPree
Originally from Northern California, John is a high-achieving professional who thrives at the intersection of technical discipline and physical grit. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering Technology from Central Washington University, where he successfully balanced a rigorous academic load while playing Division 1 rugby.
John’s professional journey is defined by a relentless work ethic and the pursuit of excellence:
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Elite Athlete: After being drafted into Major League Rugby, John spent two seasons as a Professional Rugby Player for the Utah Warriors, earning 8 caps and continuing his pursuit of representing the national team.
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Proven Leader: Most recently, John served as a Foreman for Groundworks in Seattle, where he applied his engineering background and leadership skills to oversee complex projects.
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Technical & Operational Expertise: His experience spans CNC machinery and production maintenance, as well as inventory management and physical security.
John credits his success not to an innate gift, but to hard work and grit—values he carries into every new challenge. He is joining the academy to dive into a new industry and determine if this is the long-term career path he wants to pursue, bringing a growth mindset and a commitment to delivering real results.
Questions about this page? Email us at hello@falconwest.com