Client Spotlight: The Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank

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

Rancho Mesa is pleased to highlight the Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank, the largest hunger-relief organization in San Diego County. Jim Floros from the Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank and Anahid Brakke from San Diego Hunger Coalition discuss San Diego's Hunger Awareness Month in September.

^{Video courtesy of Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank}

About Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank
The Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank is the largest hunger-relief organization in San Diego County. Last year, the Food Bank distributed 22 million pounds of food, and the Food Bank serves, on average, 370,000 people per month in San Diego County.  The Food Bank receives food from the USDA, food manufacturers, food retailers, the agricultural sector, food drives, and through financial contributions that enable us to purchase protein-rich foods, fresh produce, and dry staple foods such as beans, oatmeal, and rice. We also benefit from the generosity of more than 28,000 volunteers annually that help to sort and distribute donated and purchased food products.  For more information, visit www.sandiegofoodbank.org.

Client Spotlight: Interfaith Community Services

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

Rancho Mesa is pleased to highlight Interfaith Community Services, an organization that empowers people in need to stabilize and improve their lives through comprehensive programs, in partnership with diverse faith communities and people of compassion.  Here is their story. 

^{Video courtesy of Interfaith Community Services}

About Interfaith Community Services
Interfaith Community Services was founded in 1979 by a handful of diverse faith communities to address the needs of low-income, homeless and under-served people in North San Diego County.  Separately, these congregations were providing relief to people in need, but by creating Interfaith they were able to collaborate to make a bigger impact on the needs of the people in our community.  For more information, visit www.interfaithservices.org.

Rancho Mesa Hosts Workers' Compensation Anti-Fraud Workshop

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

Rancho Mesa clients gathered at the Fraud Within the CA Workers' Compensation System Workshop on Thursday, August 10, 2017 held at the San Diego Christian College campus in Santee.  ICW Group’s, Christopher Dill from the Special Investigations Unit, gave an informative presentation.

ICW Group' Special Investigations Unit has been nationally recognized for its significant contribution towards the prosecution of, what California Department of Insurance deemed to be, one of the largest cases of Workers’ Compensation health care fraud in state history.  

Christopher provided an overview of the elements of the cases which made up “Operation Back Lash,”  the role of advanced analytics in the identification of patterns associated with the criminal schemes,  and what can potentially be learned from those patterns.

To learn more about Fraud within the CA Workers' Compensation System, contact Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc. at (619) (619) 937-0164

Client Spotlight: UCP Annual 35th Golf Classic Raises $57,000

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

For the 35th year, golfers rallied their support at the annual United Cerebral Palsy Golf Classic on Monday, July 10th, 2017 at the El Camino Country Club in Oceanside, CA.  After a challenging day out on the course, participants raised $57,000 for United Cerebral Palsy of San Diego County.

Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc. was honored to be the title sponsor for the event and would like to thank all of the associate sponsors for their support: The Land Stewards, Rose Munns and Chin, Location Edit, Enterprise Truck Rental, and Bob Stall Chevrolet – La Mesa.

Visit the event's facebook album for pictures from the event.

^{Video courtesy of United Cerebral Palsy of San Diego County}

Rancho Mesa Offers Specialized NonProfit Risk Management Center

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

Image courtesy of The Nonprofit Risk Management Center

Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc., specializing in Nonprofit and Human Services since 1989, recently added The Nonprofit Risk Management Center, headquartered in Leesburg, Virginia, to its already strong compliment of Nonprofit and Human Services risk management resources. This unique tool allows Rancho Mesa to identity its clients’ exposures within their individual missions and address potential shortcomings in existing risk management plans.

“The cost of an insurance claim to a nonprofit often extends beyond repairing property or medical bills”, notes Sam Brown, Vice President Human Services Group at Rancho Mesa.  “Exhausted employee capital, damage to decade’s worth of goodwill in the community, and the slowing of private donations can all happen in a matter of days. The Nonprofit Risk Management Center helps Rancho Mesa clients avoid claims and unforeseen costs.”

“We enable nonprofit leaders to identify and manage risks that threaten their missions and operations, while empowering them to leverage opportunities and take bold, mission-advancing risks,” according to NonprofitRisk.org.

Rancho Mesa now offers its clients the following resources:

• My Risk Assessment: Each question and answer module identifies risk, notes gaps, and offers specific advice.
• Risk Help: Unlimited risk management advice by phone or email,
• My Risk Management Policies: Online access to 100+ customizable risk management templates.
• My Risk Management Plan: Online access to customizable modules; includes employment practices, harm to clients, transportation, alcohol service policy, volunteer management and financial management.
• Webinar vault (150+ videos): Sample topics include Legal Risk, Financial Risk, and Children & Family Services

Please contact Sam Brown or Chase Hixson to learn how Rancho Mesa Insurance Services and the Nonprofit Risk Management Center can protect your organization’s interests.

Rancho Mesa Supports Family Health Centers' Mobile Medical Unit

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

Rancho Mesa Insurance is pleased to support the Family Health Centers of San Diego's (FHCSD) Mobile Medical Unit (MMU). Donating nearly $1,000,000 to various community organizations throughout San Diego, Rancho Mesa continues to support local nonprofits like FHCSD.

"For over 20 years, Rancho Mesa Insurance has continually supported the mission of FHCSD, particularly our pediatric exam rooms, homeless healthcare services and multiple capital campaigns for new clinics. Recently, they pledged to support our Mobile Medical Units to keep them operational and providing quality health care to those who lack transportation," wrote the Family Health Centers of San Diego in the June 2017 issue of Adelante. "We thank Rancho Mesa Insurance for their continued support and commitment to helping the patients of FHCSD!"

Family Health Centers of San Diego
For more than four decades, Family Health Centers of San Diego’s (FHCSD) mission has been to provide affordable, high-quality health care and support services to all people, with a special commitment to the uninsured, low-income and medically underserved. Annually, the staff provides care to more than 190,000 unique patients—a third of the region’s low-income patients—through more than 800,000 encounters. For more information about the Family Health Centers of San Diego, visit www.fhcsd.org.

Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc. Named "Best Practices" Agency for 11th Consecutive Year

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

Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc., a leading Southern California-based commercial insurance brokerage firm, for the eleventh consecutive year, has been included in the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America's (IIABA) elite group of “Best Practices” agencies. 

Of the roughly 38,000 independent insurance agencies in the country, only 241 retained their “Best Practices” agency status in 2017. In California, Rancho Mesa is one of only fourteen agencies to earn the distinction.

An agency must first be nominated by the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (Big I); then, it must submit detailed financial and operational information which is analyzed, scored, and ranked objectively based on operational excellence, including: outstanding customer services, growth, stability, and financial management.

Each year, the IIABA publishes its "Best Practices Study" using financial and operational data collected from agencies throughout the United States. The 2017 Best Practices Study will be available later this year. It will include a list of all the Best Practices Agencies by state and the results of the study.

To learn more about what it takes to be a "Best Practices Agency," read the article "Characteristics of a Best Practices Agency Explained" published by the IIABA.

About Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
Rancho Mesa was founded in 1998 and is regarded as a leading Southern California insurance agency with recognized expertise in construction and nonprofit/social services. They provide their clients with risk management services, comprehensive insurance programs, bonding, employee benefits, and industry specific training.

Mobility & Stretch Program Workshop

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

On Thursday, June 22, 2017, Rancho Mesa clients gathered to learn about the Mobility & Stretch Program designed to reduce employee injuries and workers' compensation costs at a workshop held at San Diego Christian College.

Drew Garcia, the NALP Program Director, introduced the crowd to the mobility and stretch program. He provided data to support the idea that prevention of injuries through a mobility and stretch program can reduce workers' compensation costs for employers.

Personal Trainer and developer of the program, Collin Dawson, was on site to demonstrate the program and answer questions from the participants.

The Mobility & Stretch Program is offered in both English and Spanish.

Watch the Mobility & Stretch Program Instructional Video.

Client Spotlight: United Cerebral Palsy of San Diego County Hosts 35th Annual Golf Classic

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

Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc. is honored to support United Cerebral Palsy of San Diego County (UCP) at its 35th UCP Annual Golf Classic. The tournament will be held on Monday, July 10, 2017 at El Camino Country Club in Oceanside, CA. The event raises funds for the organization's programs.

UCP is one of the top ten largest nonprofit organizations in the United States. It has nearly 100 affiliates across the country that provide programs and services to children and adults with cerebral palsy and other disabilities. Some of the programs include:

• Adult Day Programs
• Assistive Technology
• Children's Services
• Equipment Recycling
• Family Support

• Grants & Funding
• Information & Referral
• Project College
• Respitality
• Self-Advocacy Conference

Be a part of the 35th Annual "UCP Golf Classic" to benefit United Cerebral Palsy of San Diego County.  

Learn more about the 35th UCP Annual Golf Classic

Watch highlights from the 34th UCP Annual Golf Classic (2016)

“For many years now, Dave Garcia and his staff has been a great partner with UCP.  The firm has helped us control our insurance costs with innovative programs and meticulous follow-up, and that means more dollars go into our program services through reduced premiums.  The company continues to maintain a high level of professional standards with us and is also very supportive of the mission of our agency.  We’re pleased and proud to be working with Rancho Mesa,” wrote Dave Carucci, Executive Director, UCP of San Diego County.

United Cerebral Palsy of San Diego County

Founded in 1958, the local United Cerebral Palsy of San Diego's mission is to advance the independence, productivity and full citizenship of people affected by cerebral palsy and other disabilities. By making solid steps, UCP can build a better community for all in the process. For more information, visit www.ucpsd.org.

Rancho Mesa Hosts Heat Illness Prevention Workshop

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

In an effort to improve their companies' safety programs, nearly 20 different companies sent representatives to learn how to protect their employees at Rancho Mesa's Heat Illness Prevention Workshop on Thursday, May 25, 2017 at San Diego Christian College in Santee, CA.

Berkshire Hathaway Homestate Companies' Zadock "Zee" Reid, Senior Loss Control Specialist, conducted the interactive and engaging workshop.  His presentation incorporated PowerPoint slides, a demonstration of an OSHA mobile device application, and a conversational style that allowed the participants to discuss real-world issues. 

The audience appreciated Zee's professional yet easy-to-follow style. The "speaker from BHHC was very polished and professional," wrote John Coker from The Land Stewards. "Very well done, great presentation," wrote Steve Boyce from Accel Framing, Inc.

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

Following the workshop, Rancho Mesa clients were sent various resources to assist them with their Heat Illness Prevention strategies.  They included:

• Heat Illness Presentation - OSHA - English/Spanish (PDF)
• Trainers Guide - English (PDF)
• Trainers Guide - Spanish (PDF)
• Worker Fact Sheet - English (PDF)
• Worker Fact Sheet - Spanish (PDF)
• Poster - English (PDF)
• Poster - Spanish (PDF)
• CalOSHA Indoor Heat Illness Prevention (PDF)
• OSHA's Heat Safety Tool (App for Android and iPhone)

• Employer Sample Procedures for Heat Illness Prevention - English (PDF)
• Employer Sample Procedures for Heat Illness Prevention - Spanish (PDF)
• Heat Illness Prevention Training Materials 2015 - English (PowerPoint Presentation)
• Heat Illness Prevention Training Materials 2015 - Spanish (PowerPoint Presentation)
• Protect Yourself from Heat Illness English/Spanish (PDF)
• CalOSHA's Heat Illness Prevention (Webpage)

Rancho Mesa strives to provide relevant workshops and trainings for its clients.  Visit the Workshops page for a current list of upcoming workshops.