New Employee Spotlight: Rancho Mesa Welcomes Dillen Watson

Author, Megan Lockhart, Marketing & Media Communications Specialist, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Rancho Mesa is proud to welcome its newest Client Coordinator, Dillen Watson, to the team.

Dillen joins Rancho Mesa with an array of experience in customer service roles, equipping him with the skills and professionalism to serve in the coordinator position. In preparation to entering the insurance industry, Dillen also earned his California P&C license.

Dillen is from Alpine, CA, and enjoys walking along the beach, playing his guitar and learning new instruments. Outside of work he is also interested in traveling to different countries.

We are excited to have Dillen join the Rancho Mesa team and look forward to his future at the company.

New Employee Spotlight: Rancho Mesa Welcomes Sean Linn

Author, Megan Lockhart, Marketing & Media Communications Specialist, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Rancho Mesa is proud to welcome its newest Client Manager, Sean Linn, to the Construction Group.

Sean is an valuable addition to the team, bringing a well-rounded background in the insurance industry. His diverse experience in business development, production, and client management makes him well-equipped to serve the needs of construction clients.

Sean earned his bachelor's degree in Economics and Business from Westmont College. Outside of work, Sean enjoys spending time with his wife and their two beagles.

We are excited to have Sean join the Rancho Mesa team and look forward to his future at the company.

New Employee Spotlight: Rancho Mesa Welcomes Cate Priest

Author, Jadyn Brandt, Client Communications Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Rancho Mesa is excited to welcome its new Client Manager, Cate Priest to the team.

With more than 30 years of experience as a client manager across multiple industries, Cate is an excellent fit to support our clients.

Cate was born in Ewa on the Hawaiian island of Oahu, but grew up in San Diego before moving to Georgia and then Ohio.  After a brief retirement she decided to return to work which led her to Rancho Mesa.

She enjoys travelling and her cruise count has reached double-digits, visiting places like the Caribbean, Ireland, Scotland, England, Jamaica, Cabo, Puerto Vallarta and of course all the Hawaiian Islands.  She has a mini dachshund named "Penny Lane” who she says is her joy.

We are proud to have Cate on the team, and we’re excited for her future at Rancho Mesa.

Rancho Mesa Gives Back: Supporting San Diego Animal Welfare

Author, Megan Lockhart, Client Communications Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

On Saturday, July 11, 2026, Rancho Mesa hosted a successful community service event for its team members in support of animal welfare within San Diego, which brought employees together for an afternoon of service and connection.

Team members and their families spent time creating handmade pet toys that were donated to the San Diego Humane Society, helping provide enrichment and comfort to animals awaiting adoption.

We are grateful for the employees who offered their time to support this cause. Their enthusiasm and willingness to give back reflects the values Rancho Mesa upholds. We are proud to create opportunities for our team to support our San Diego community.

“My daughter and I truly enjoyed participating in making toys for homeless cats and dogs. It gave me an opportunity to teach my daughter about giving back, and showing her that small acts of kindness can have a big impact.” Client Technology Specialist Brenda Colby said. “Events like this, really make working for Rancho Mesa even more special.” 

Drew Garcia Featured in NALP’s The Edge: Shares Insight for Landscape Businesses

Recently, Drew Garcia, Vice President and Landscape Group Leader, was featured in The Edge, the National Association of Landscape Professionals’ online magazine. Drew discusses how Rancho Mesa helps landscape businesses strengthen their safety programs, improve claims management, and navigate insurance challenges with industry-specific expertise.

Drew represented Rancho Mesa, sharing valuable insight with the landscape industry in his interview, “How Rancho Mesa Helps Landscape Businesses Strengthen Safety and Claims Management.”

Employee Spotlight: Chad Winder Becomes Safety Star™ Certified in Construction

Author, Megan Lockhart, Marketing & Media Communications Specialist, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Rancho Mesa congratulates Client Technology Coordinator Chad Winder, for earning his certification in construction safety as a part of our RM365 Advantage Safety Star™ program.

Chad joined the team in May 2026. The courses in the Safety Star program allows him to learn about important safety issues that impact clients, teaching topics relating to construction safety in the workplace. Fall protection, ladder safety, heat illness prevention, and fleet safety are a few of the courses that must be passed in order to earn construction safety certification. Knowledge of these topics help employers mitigate job-related injuries.

The Safety Star program is one of the ways Rancho Mesa ensures clients are equipped with the tools and knowledge to navigate workplace risks effectively.

Rancho Mesa Hosts Heat Illness Prevention Workshop

Author, Jadyn Brandt, Client Communications Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

On Friday, June 12, Rancho Mesa hosted its annual Heat Illness Prevention Workshop, presented by Rancho Mesa Risk Consultant Jessee Keirstead and Zee Reid from Berkshire Hathaway Homestate Companies. 

As temperatures start to rise nationwide, this workshop was a reminder to employers of the dangers that come with working in high heat and ways to prevent heat illness. 

The presentation focused on the important elements of a heat illness prevention plan as well as common causes of OSHA citations. 

The Heat Illness Prevention workshop is part the RM365 Advantage Safety Star Program™. Following the presentation, attendees participated in a quiz to receive credit towards the program. 

New Employee Spotlight: Rancho Mesa Welcomes Chad Winder

Author, Megan Lockhart, Marketing & Media Communications Specialist, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Rancho Mesa is excited to welcome the newest member of its Client Services team, Chad Winder, as a Client Technology Coordinator. 

In his role, Chad will work directly with clients, helping them navigate the SafetyOne™ Platform and the RM365 HRAdvantage™ Portal, and access their resources.

Chad brings over 15 years of experience working in the insurance industry. His career background in assisting clients out in the field, as well as his bachelors degree in Business Administration and Management, makes him a valuable addition to the client services team.

Chad was born and raised in San Diego. Outside of work he enjoys golfing, and sports, especially Padres baseball, as well as spending time with friends and family.

Rancho Mesa is excited for Chad’s future at the company.

Rancho Mesa Celebrates Partners and Clients with Fiesta Friday 2026

Author, Megan Lockhart, Client Communications Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

On Friday, May 8, Rancho Mesa hosted its annual Fiesta Friday event on the lawn and recreational space of its Mission Valley office. Fueled by fresh tacos, live music, and cold beverages, attendees enjoyed the sunshine with a Cinco de Mayo-inspired party.

The festivities included a live band, street tacos, a churro stand, and tequila tasting. Guests socialized, enjoyed delicious food and sipped Asombroso Extra Añejo and Komos Añejo Cristalino at the tequila tasting table, and voted on their favorite.

Rancho Mesa President Dave Garcia thanked guests for attending and drew names for the raffle. Winners took home one bottle of tequila.

Rancho Mesa is grateful for the clients and partners who attended this year’s Fiesta Friday, and for making it such a success. We enjoyed spending the afternoon connecting with our guests and are thankful for their dedicated relationship to the brokerage.  

Employee Spotlight: Jessee Keirstead Earns Construction and Treecare Safety Designations

Author, Megan Lockhart, Marketing & Media Communications Specialist, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Rancho Mesa’s Risk Control Consultant, Jessee Keirstead, took impressive professional strides recently, earning both Construction Health and Safety Technician (CHST) and Certified Treecare Safety Professional (CTSP) designations.

The Construction Health and Safety Technician is certified through the Board of Certified Safety Professionals, and focuses on occupational safety and health practices specific to construction environments, including hazard identification, risk assessment, and regulatory compliance.

The Certified Treecare Safety Professional credential is earned through the Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA). This certifies professionals in safety leadership, incident prevention, and the implementation of comprehensive safety programs tailored to arboricultural and tree care operations.

“Obtaining the CHST and CTSP certifications help expand Rancho Mesa’s expertise in the construction and treecare industries, allowing us to offer more informed, credible, and practical risk control advice. This directly benefits our agency and our clients by helping prevent injuries, reduce claims, and support safer operations,” Keirstead said.

Rancho Mesa is proud of Jessee’s drive to equip himself with knowledge and skills that best serves our clients’ industry.