East County Posse Gives Military Families Walmart Gift Cards

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

On Thursday, December 13, 2018, the East County Posse, a philanthropic organization comprised of over 80 East County business owners, provided $15,000 to 30 military families in the form of $500 gift cards to Walmart. The 4th Annual Gift Card Giveaway was held at the East County Chamber of Commerce.

“Many of our military families struggle this time of year,” Tim Ney, Executive Director of the San Diego Armed Services YMCA, “We are extremely grateful that the East County Posse has chosen to provide support to our military families during this holiday season.”

Rancho Mesa’s Sam Clayton, Vice President of the Construction Group, has been a long-time member of the East County Posse and was privileged to participate in the event.

“We are pleased to honor our military families and show our appreciation for the sacrifices they make and the service they provide, so that we can all enjoy the freedoms that we have here in the USA,” Tim McDougal, President of the East County Posse.

About the East County Posse

The East County Posse is a philanthropic organization dedicated to helping their fellow East County residents who are in need of support. Our goal is to help those less fortunate improve their quality of life by way of donation of our time, skill or trade, as well as monetary donations. For more information, visit www.eastcountyposse.com.

About Armed Services YMCA San Diego

Armed Services YMCA (San Diego ASY) is the leading non-profit that makes military life easier for active duty service members and their families. The San Diego ASY gives military personnel and their loved ones the support and resources they need to be resilient, confident, connected, and secure. Founded in 1920 as a national affiliate of the YMCA, its mission is to enhance the lives of service members and their families in mind, body, and spirit. Through programs and services that are relevant to the unique challenges of military life, the ASY strengthens the military community. The San Diego ASY is, and always will be, dedicated to strengthening our military family. For more information, visit www.asysd.org.

Client Spotlight: Family Health Centers of San Diego Provides Medication to Displaced Homeless

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

Hundreds of San Diego’s homeless were forced to evacuate a downtown shelter on Thursday, December 6, 2018 after heavy rains caused a flash flood.

City crews worked with local police, fire fighters and lifeguards to safety evacuate the shelter.

A temporary shelter was established at the SDCCU Stadium where Family Health Centers of San Diego stepped in to provide much needed medications. Many of those staying at the shelter feared their medications were washed away in the flood waters. Several people were cited by the San Diego Union Tribune as seeing personal items like backpacks, clothing and medication floating in the flood water.

Additionally, the American Red Cross provided cots and blankets, the Lucky Duck Foundation contributed clothing, the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office donated blankets, Feeding San Diego brought food, and the San Diego Humane Society attended to pets that were also staying at the shelter.

It is unclear when the Alpha Project, the organization who operates the shelter, anticipates the facility to reopen.

About 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, our staff provides care to more than 190,000 unique patients—a third of our region’s low-income patients—through more than 800,000 encounters. For more information, visit www.fhcsd.org.

Client Spotlight: Fuller Electric Sponsors The ARGONAUT Obstacle Course Race

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

Best friends Trinity Restine (daughter of Jeff Restine from Fuller Electric) and Kaia Hoolihan (daughter of Jeremy Hoolihan from Rancho Mesa Insurance) participated in the The ARGONAUT Holiday Obstacle Course Race (O.C.R.) on December 9, 2018 at Grossmont High School in El Cajon, CA.

Children ages 8-13 years old were invited to participate in the physically and mentally challenging O.C.R. In teams of 2 or 4, the young athletes completed 20 obstacles on a 1.5-mile course.

The event required participants to “climb, pull, throw, kick, carry, memorize and run/walk in order to reach the finish line. It may sound easy but navigating your way through these obstacles after crawling across the ‘Mystery Pit’ may change your mind,” states the event’s online description.

Sponsorships from Fuller Electric and others made the event possible.

Rancho Mesa Celebrates the Holidays!

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

December 1, 2018 marked the beginning of the holiday season and Rancho Mesa’s annual Christmas Party at the San Diego Yacht Club on Shelter Island.

Staff and guests enjoyed an evening filled with food, drinks, music, casino games, prizes and holiday cheer.

Merry Christmas and have a Happy New Year!

Employee Spotlight: Lauren Stumpf Joins Rancho Mesa's Media Communications Department

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

Rancho Mesa Insurance Services is pleased to announce the hiring of Lauren Stumpf as a media communications assistant.

Lauren is a recent communications graduate looking to develop her career in media, public relations and corporate communications.

She enjoys the outdoors and likes to spend her time at the beach, hiking, and traveling with friends and family. She grew up in Mendocino, CA and has moved to San Diego to advance her communications career.

Rancho Mesa Insurance Services is excited to welcome Lauren Stumpf to the RMI team!

Employee Spotlight: Ashley Hunter Joins Rancho Mesa's Certificate Department

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

Rancho Mesa Insurance Services is pleased to announce the hiring of Ashley Hunter as a receptionist and certician™ in the certificate department.

With a background in customer service, Ashley’s attention to detail and personality makes her ideal for the certificate department and Rancho Mesa's front desk.

Ashley was born and raised in San Diego, CA. She lives in Lakeside with her son, Jacob. In her free time she enjoys reading, writing, and spending time with her family.

Rancho Mesa Insurance Services sincerely welcomes Ashley Hunter to the RMI team!

Client Spotlight: Pacific Western Painting Requests Nominations for Paint-It-Forward Campaign

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

Pacific Western Painting, an Escondido-based painting contractor, truly appreciates the brave men and women who have dedicated their lives to serve as police officers, firefighters, EMTs and retired military personnel throughout the San Diego community.

“As a way to honor these heroes and Pay It Forward in Color, we are now accepting Paint-It-Forward nominations for first-responder heroes whose homes or meeting spaces are in need of a fresh coat of paint,” requests the company.

The local painting contractor invites the public to nominate police officers, firefighters, EMTs and retired military personnel living in San Diego County. The nominations can be submitted on the company’s Paint-It-Forward webpage.

Nomination must be submitted by December 14, 2018. The winner will be announced on December 19, 2018.

About Paint-It-Forward.

Across America, painting contractors are joining together to give back to their local communities. The Paint-it-Forward campaign began 10 years ago after ALLBRiGHT Painting participated in ABC’s Extreme Home Makeover. It was so inspirational that they decided to start Paint-It-Forward. Since that time, Paint-It-Forward and similar paint charity programs have been adopted by other painting contractors across the United States and Canada – it has truly grown into a movement!

Community Spotlight: NAWIC Donates 500 lbs of Food to San Diego Food Bank

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

In November 2018, the NAWIC San Diego Chapter donated at total of 500 pounds of nonperishable food items to the Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank.

Members of the local NAWIC chapter collected food and monetary donations from their employers, coworkers and themselves to amass the large donation.

On November 16, 2018, a substantial donation was presented to John and Tammy from KSON’s morning show at their Food Fund event hosted at Perry’s Café in El Cajon.

“It’s really special to see the local construction industry come together to support such a vital nonprofit organization in San Diego,” said Chase Hixson, Account Executive in the Human Services Group at Rancho Mesa Insurance Services.

Later that day, another 310 pounds of food, along with a monetary donation from Tri State General Contractors, was made at the Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank facility in San Diego.

About Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank

The Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank and our North County Food Bank chapter comprise the largest hunger-relief organization in San Diego County. Last year, the Food Bank distributed 28 million pounds of food, and the Food Bank serves, on average, 370,000 people per month in San Diego County. For more information, visit www.sandiegofoodbank.org.

About NAWIC San Diego Chapter

The San Diego Chapter, chartered on April 30, 1959, is very active and involved in the construction industry and the community. Each year the chapter participates in a variety of events including educational seminars and conferences, Women in Construction Week (WIC Week), Block Kids (construction awareness program for children in grades 1 thru 6), CAD/Design/Drafting Contest (High School student activity), Camp NAWIC (a week long program designed to mentor high school girls planning to enter the construction industry), college scholarships, joint meetings with other San Diego professional organizations and various activities with local charities. For more information, visit www.nawicsd.org.

2019 Legal Update Workshop Video Now Available

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

Rancho Mesa has released the video presentation from the 2019 Legal Update Workshop that took place on November 1, 2018 at the San Diego Bar Association. The legal update workshop is designed to inform human resources personal and business owners about the most important changes happening in 2019.

The workshop covers common employer and human resources pitfalls and solutions. Attorney Alexis S. Gutierrez from Higgs, Fletcher and Mack discussed:

• Federal Immigration Law (AB 450)

• Equal Pay Act (AB 2282)

• Classifying Independent Contractors

• Data Protections in California - GDPR by 2020

• Overtime for Non-Exempt Employees

• Adult Use of Marijuana Act (Proposition 64)

• Minimum Wage Increases

The presentation is now available in the Risk Management Center for clients to review on-demand.

For questions about viewing the 2019 Legal Updated Workshop video on-demand, contact Alyssa Burley at (619) 438-6869.

Client Spotlight: Ickler Electric Corporation Honored with ABC Awards

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

At the recent 2018 Associated Builders and Contractors San Diego Chapter (ABC San Diego) Excellence in Construction Awards, Ickler Electric Corporation was honored with the Subcontractor Excellence in Construction (Under $2 million) award for the Illumina Building 6 Fire Turtle Labs project and a Merit award for the Lilly Biotechnology Center.

“Projects were judged by an independent panel of judges based on a set criteria of safety, innovation, quality of construction, and owner satisfaction,” according to ABC San Diego.

A long-term relationship between Ickler Electric and lllumina has developed into “years of continuous on-site work in nine buildings throughout San Diego,” according to Ickler Electric Corporation’s website.

Congratulations, Ickler Electic Corporation for your continued excellence.

About Ickler Electric Corporation

Ickler Electric Corporation is entering our 31st year of service. We are large enough to have financial stability and vast experience, but still small enough to have a very personal interest in every project. For more information, visit www.icklerelectric.com.