Olympic Gold Medalist Justin Best and Real Estate Executive Patricia Farman-Farmaian Join the USRowing Foundation

USRowing is thrilled to announce the addition of Justin Best OLY and Patricia Farman-Farmaian as Trustees to the USRowing Foundation (USRF).  

Two-time Olympian Justin Best won gold this past summer at the 2024 Paris Olympics in the men’s four. His crew was the first U.S. men’s four to win gold since 1960. Justin began his rowing career thanks to his parents watching the movie “The Social Network”. The rowing scene of the iconic Winklevoss twins -fellow USRowing Foundation Trustees - inspired them to sign Justin up for a rowing camp, and “the rest is history”. In addition to his Olympic gold, Justin won silver at the 2023 World Championships in the men’s four and finished fourth in the men’s eight at the 2020 Olympics. 

Justin is an Analyst at Union Square Advisors. Before joining Union Square, he worked at Splunk as part of the ITS-Enterprise Automation Team. Justin graduated from Drexel University with a B.S. in Business and Engineering and a minor in Finance. He also served as a two-time captain of the varsity crew team.

"Picking up an oar changed the trajectory of my life. I found a purpose and a drive through this sport and have seen the miraculous benefits it provides to the members of the community who choose to give it their all,” said Justin Best. “Knowing what it has done for myself and my teammates and what it can do for others makes me especially excited to join the Foundation Trustees. We will put American athletes on the podium in international competition and bring more visibility to this beautiful sport to people who would otherwise have only heard about it through a movie."

Patricia Farman-Farmaian is a real estate broker in Manhattan for Compass. Prior to joining Compass, she worked with Stribling, developing extensive experience in private banking, where she worked with JP Morgan, and in the luxury goods sector. 

A native New Yorker, she attended The Brearley School, Barnard College, and Columbia Business School, from where she earned an MBA with a concentration in finance. Patricia and her husband live in Manhattan and have been instrumental in the development and support of the Hotchkiss rowing program. Patricia is also a trustee at The Hotchkiss School and with Prep for Prep. Several of her family members row, including son Cyrus, who is currently the captain of the Georgetown University team.

"Rowing has been a big part of our family for many years - first through our connection at The Hotchkiss School, and now through our son who is rowing at the collegiate level," said Patricia Farman-Farmaian. "I've appreciated the discipline and dedication required in this sport and how it has positively impacted my children and their teammates. Watching the USA compete this past summer in Paris was thrilling and I am, along with my family, so pleased to be a part of the support of the U.S. athletes as we look ahead to the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028."

There are currently 36 USRowing Foundation Trustees who represent a wide breadth of professional expertise and rowing connections. A full list of USRF Trustees can be found here.

About USRowing Foundation  

The USRowing Foundation is the official fundraising arm of the United States Rowing Association (USRowing) and the U.S. National Team. Trustees of the USRowing Foundation use their personal and professional contacts to grow the USRowing fundraising pipeline –– providing opportunities for individuals, foundations, and corporations to support USRowing initiatives and priorities through individual philanthropy and corporate partnerships. For additional information about the USRowing Foundation: tracy.brown@usrowing.org