Employee Spotlight: Rancho Mesa Welcomes Erin Thomas

Author, Alyssa Burley, Client Services Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Rancho Mesa Insurance Services is pleased to announce the hiring of Erin Thomas, an Employee Benefits Account Coordinator.

With a background in employee benefits, Erin brings the knowledge needed to assist Debbie Milburn with the day to day paperwork involved with administering employee benefits. 

Erin was born and raised in San Diego. She graduated from San Diego State University in 2015. And, she currently lives in La Mesa with her husband Kyle, son Jaxon, and their dog Stella. She enjoys camping, traveling, and anything that takes her outdoors.  Her favorite destinations to visit are Big Bear,  Cabo San Lucas, and San Francisco.

Rancho Mesa Insurance Services sincerely welcomes Erin Thomas to the RMI team!

Employee Spotlight: Rancho Mesa Welcomes Account Executive, Casey Craig

Author, Alyssa Burley, Client Services Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Rancho Mesa Insurance Services is pleased to announce the hiring of Casey Craig, an Account Executive in the construction group.

Casey played seven years of professional baseball.  After his baseball career was over, he gave back to the baseball community by running numerous baseball camps, coaches’ clinics, and private lessons.  His enthusiasm towards helping others has translated seamlessly into the Rancho Mesa culture, which thrives on doing the right thing. 

Casey’s focus at Rancho Mesa is on construction insurance and risk profile enhancement for artisan contractors.  His background in baseball has led him to a greater understanding of how important team work is to accomplishing a common goal.

Employee Spotlight: Rancho Mesa Welcomes Workers' Compensation Claims Advocate, Jim Malone

Author, Alyssa Burley, Client Services Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Rancho Mesa Insurance Services is pleased to announce the hiring of Jim Malone, a Workers' Compensation Claims Advocate.

Jim began his workers’ compensation career as an injured worker in the late 1980s. He was unable to return to his construction career after his work injury and, through vocational rehabilitation, was hired by a workers’ compensation insurance company and trained to be a workers' compensation claims adjuster.

Jim then became certified with the California Office of Self-Insurance Plans through the Department of Industrial Relations and became the workers’ compensation claims administrator for the San Diego Transit.  Jim subsequently started Workers' Compensation Consulting, providing services and guidance to employers, physicians, attorneys and injured workers.

Employee Spotlight: Debbie Milburn Returns to Rancho Mesa

Author, Alyssa Burley, Client Services Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Rancho Mesa is excited to announce Debbie Milburn’s return to the Rancho Mesa Team as Senior Account Manager for Employee Benefits.

“She’ll be working for us primarily from Austin, TX, although she’ll be visiting us regularly, and as needed, to support the agency and to continue to take care of our clients,” said Brian Armstrong, Director of Employee Benefits.

Beginning her career in the health insurance industry in 1990, Debbie brings more than 25 years of experience to our health benefits department.  She has joined Rancho Mesa to team up with Brian Armstrong, to focus on enhanced service and expertise we deliver to our clients.

Employee Spotlight: John Parker Promoted to Account Manager

Author, Alyssa Burley, Client Services Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Rancho Mesa is pleased to announce and congratulate John Parker on his promotion to Account Manager.

"Through his determination to succeed and hard work, he has demonstrated to us the expertise and understanding necessary to take the next step," said Kim Vasquez, Vice President of Account Services.

In college, John worked summers at his mom's insurance agency.  In 2014, he started his official insurance career at Willis in Irvine, CA.  John then moved back home to San Diego and began working at Rancho Mesa in 2015.

John will be supporting Jeremy Hoolihan's book of business.

Employee Spotlight: Yvonne Gallagher

Author, Alyssa Burley, Client Services Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Photo courtesy of Family Health Centers of San Diego

Rancho Mesa Account Manager, Yvonne Gallagher, recently attended the Spirit of the Barrio luncheon, a bi-monthly fund-raising event benefiting the Family Health Centers of San Diego, on July 21, 2017 at the Logan Heights Family Health Center.  Yvonne won a gift card at the raffle drawing and her photo was featured in the event's September invitation. 

The Spirit of the Barrio event serves to bring awareness about the organization's mission to the community and raises funding to support its programs.  

About Family Health Centers of San Diego
Family Health Centers of San Diego (FHCSD) is a nonprofit organization rich in history and tradition. In 1911, the San Diego Industrial School was built on the site where our first clinic now stands. This school was originally a settlement house that provided Barrio Logan’s immigrant residents with social services. The community grew around this location, and by 1940, Barrio Logan had become one of the largest Mexican-American communities on the West Coast.

To learn more about the Spirit of the Barrio luncheon and Family Health Centers of San Diego, visit: www.fhcsd.org.

Employee Spotlight: Drew Garcia Addresses Reducing Workers' Compensation Costs in NALP Magazine

Author, Alyssa Burley, Client Services Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

"NALP’s Safe Company Program is relevant and critical to improving your risk profile and helping you control your insurance costs."

Rancho Mesa's Drew Garcia, NALP Program Director, was recently published in The Landscape Professional May/June 2017 issue. The magazine is a bi-monthly publication produced by the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP).

In the article, "Ways to Keep Workers' Compensation Costs Low," Drew discusses specific ways employers can actively work to reduce their costs. Some of the ideas he provides include:

• Winning safety awards
• Offering health benefits
• Offering employees the ability to grow within the company
• Timely claim reporting
• Thorough accident investigation techniques
• Establishing a return-to-work program
• Having Landscape Industry Certified employees on staff
• Instituting good hiring practices, including: pre-employment physicals and drug testing, reference checks and review referrals.

He also describes how an underwriter may award credits to companies who have implemented safety programs like the Safe Company Program offered by the NALP.

To read "Ways to Keep Workers' Compensation Costs Low," download the digital copy, today.

^{Reproduced with permission from the National Association of Landscape Professionals.}

Contact Drew Garcia if you have questions about lowering your Workers' Compensation cost or the NALP Program.

If you liked the "Ways to Keep Workers' Compensation Costs Low" article and would like to receive the full bi-monthly news magazine, The Landscape Professional, consider signing up for NALP membership.

Rancho Mesa’s Dede Pyle’s Cousin, Griffin Canning, is semifinalist for USA Baseball’s Golden Spikes Award

Photos courtesy of the Canning Family.

UCLA’s junior right-hander, Griffin Canning, is having another dominate season as is a semifinalist for the prestigious USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award. Since 1978, USA Baseball has honored the top amateur baseball player in the country with the Golden Spikes Award. The award is presented in partnership with the Rod Dedeaux Foundation. It is presented each year to the player who best exhibits exceptional on-field ability and exemplary sportsmanship.

UCLA’s Canning has become one of the country’s top starting pitchers, as he has compiled a 7-3 record with a 2.34 ERA and 134 strikeouts in 111.3 innings. He also ranks in the top-10 on the NCAA’s active career list for shutouts, complete games and strikeouts.

We all at Rancho Mesa want to wish Griffin the best of luck in winning the award and hopefully starting his professional career.  

Congratulations and good luck to both Griffin and Dede’s family. 

The Rancho Mesa Family

Employee Spotlight: Sam Brown Named 2017 Emerging Leader of the Year by IIAB San Diego

Author, Alyssa Burley, Client Services Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Rancho Mesa Insurance Services' Sam Brown was awarded the 2017 Emerging Leader of the Year award by the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers (IIAB) San Diego Chapter at the organization's annual Greater San Diego Insurance Day (I-Day) trade fair and seminar. The event was held at the Town & Country Resort and Convention Center in Mission Valley on Wednesday, May 24, 2017.  

Sam Brown served as the organization's 2015 President and continues to be involved in the association.

Other highlights from the event included the keynote speaker, Chief Deputy District Attorney Summer Stephan and a continuing education course.

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About IIAB

The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of San Diego (IIAB San Diego) has served the interests of local Independent Insurance Agents since 1934. As the industry has changed, so have the projects, involvement and goals of this association. IIAB San Diego actively participates in and conducts regular continuing education sessions. Greater San Diego Insurance Day (I-DAY) is the largest one-day trade fair and seminar in the State of California. IIAB San Diego have supported local organizations such as the San Diego Safety Council’s Stamp Out Crime Committee, the San Diego Fire Department’s S.A.F.E. Program, the San Diego Child Care Coalition, a junior high school level essay contest, and the Insurance Vocational Education Student Training program (InVEST) at both the high school and college level, the San Diego Burn Institute, and San Diego Brain Tumor Society.

Employee Spotlight: Rancho Mesa's Jeremy Hoolihan Joins IFMA

Author, Alyssa Burley, Client Services Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Rancho Mesa is proud to announce that Jeremy Hoolihan, Rancho Mesa’s Janitorial Group Leader, has joined the International Facility Management Association (IFMA).  

IFMA is a volunteer organization dedicated to enhancing the performance and professional growth of their members through networking, education and promoting the practice of facilities management. Jeremy is eager to get involved with IFMA’s San Diego chapter to share his expertise in risk management and insurance within the maintenance and construction Industries.