Rancho Mesa’s StudioOne™ Podcast Publishes 100th Episode

Author, Lauren Stumpf, Media Communications and Client Services Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

StudioOne™, Rancho Mesa’s media productions team, is very excited to announce the publishing of the Safety and Risk Management podcast network’s 100th episode!

In January 2020, the podcast originally launched as a way for industry professionals to share safety and risk management knowledge with their peers. What started out as the release of one to two episodes a month, soon became two episodes a week. StudioOne broadened their audience and began recording weekly industry news insights, law updates, and episodes to get to know the Rancho Mesa team and industry partners.

The 100th episode is close to Rancho Mesa’s hearts because it discusses how the podcast came to life, the motivation to start interviewing guests, how we are able to record, edit, and release content, and even includes some fun behind the scenes content.

Rancho Mesa could not do this podcast without our team, carrier partners, and listeners like you. We want to thank our sponsors Berkshire Hathaway Homestate Companies, CNA, CompWest, ICW Group, Nationwide, Sentry, and Zenith for believing in Rancho Mesa and supporting our efforts to educate our clients and community.

Subscribe to the StudioOne™ Safety and Risk Management Network podcast on your favorite platform to never miss an episode. Episodes can also be listened to from your computer by visiting the StudioOne webpage.

Employee Spotlight: Rancho Mesa’s Megan Smidt Promoted to Account Manager

Author, Emily Marasso, Media Communications & Client Services Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurances Services, Inc.

A little over a year ago, Rancho Mesa welcomed Megan Smidt to our team. Her seven-plus years of commercial insurance industry knowledge, upbeat attitude, and drive to learn has led to her promotion to Account Manager in our Human Services group.

“Megan has worked diligently over the last year, proving that she has the experience and knowledge required to manage a book of business.  We are excited to see her step into this new role with RMI,” writes Kim Vasquez, Vice President of Account Services with Rancho Mesa.

Please help us congratulate Megan on her promotion and we look forward to her bright future.

Rancho Mesa’s Alyssa Burley Named NAWIC Member of the Year

Author, Lauren Stumpf, Media Communications and Client Services Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Alyssa Burley, Media Communications & Client Services Manager, has been with Rancho Mesa for nearly 5 years; stepping above and beyond not only in her role at Rancho Mesa, but as an active member of the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC).

Recently, the NAWIC San Diego Chapter presented Alyssa with the Member of the Year Award!

Having been a NAWIC member since 2017, Alyssa has held titles of numerous leadership roles. Currently, Alyssa serves as Professional Development & Education Committee Chairperson; organizing speakers for monthly meetings, creating slide presentations, and running virtual chapter meetings. Burley is also the Newsletter Committee Chairperson. For monthly newsletters, she curates industry and chapter articles, event information, birthdays and anniversaries, and anything else that might be of interest to members. On top of this, she is also a member of the Teller Committee which manages the Officer and Board of Directors election process. Alyssa has also participated on the committee for the yearly Women in Construction Week (WIC Week).

“Alyssa has a natural gift to bring out the best in everyone around her, and always finds a way to make the projects she takes on exceed all expectations. She is truly OneofOne,” says Dave Garcia, President of Rancho Mesa.

Rancho Mesa is proud to have OneofOne® employee, Alyssa Burley, a part of our team!

About NAWIC San Diego Chapter
The National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) San Diego Chapter, chartered on April 30, 1959, is very active and involved in the construction industry and the community. For over 65 years they have been providing education, professional development, networking and more to their members. Learn more at www.nawicsd.org.

Business Owners Take Control of their Insurance Costs at Captive Webinar

Author, Emily Marasso, Media Communications & Client Services Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurances Services, Inc.

Have you ever wondered if captive insurance is right for your company? Thanks to Doug Hayden, Senior Vice President of Captive Resources, LLC., a group of savvy business owners and CFOs got an extensive breakdown of how performance-based insurance can be beneficial for their business’s bottom line at an April 22nd virtual seminar hosted by Rancho Mesa.

A captive is designed for companies that are not only interested in controlling insurance costs and retaining investment income, but obtaining high quality coverage and insurance-related services. 

Attendees were walked through the mechanics and structure of a captive that makes them successful. Following the introduction of a captive concept, Mike Regan, CEO of Pacific Green Landscape, joined Doug to answer questions and provide insight from first-hand experience as a captive member.

This seminar produced a lots of great questions. If you are interested in a captive for your business or have questions about this option, contact Rancho Mesa at (619) 937-0164.

Rancho Mesa Named CompWest Southern California Agency of the Year

Author, Lauren Stumpf, Media Communications and Client Services Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Rancho Mesa Insurance is thrilled to announce that we have been named the CompWest Southern California Regional Agency of the Year!

“We are excited and honored to be recognized with this prestigious award by CompWest,” commented Dave Garcia, President of Rancho Mesa. “I know CompWest works with many other agencies, so to be singled out and given this award really means a lot to me and speaks to our outstanding business partnership with them.”

Gene Simpson, Regional President of CompWest, agrees with Dave, “you’ve built an amazing agency and truly set the bar for partnership.”

Thanks to all of CompWest Insurance Company. Here's to a great 2021!

About CompWest Insurance Company
CompWest Insurance Company is a dynamic provider of workers’ compensation insurance in California and select Western states, targeting customers in health care, hospitality, manufacturing, professional services, retail and wholesale services and construction. To learn more, visit compwestinsurance.com.

Rancho Mesa Congratulates Christina Haake in Becoming a Star in Safety!

Author, Emily Marasso, Media Communications & Client Services Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurances Services, Inc.

March 2021, Rancho Mesa’s own Christina Haake, Account Manager for the construction industry, earned her RM365 Advantage Safety Star™ in Construction Safety Certificate.

The RM365 Advantage Safety Star certificate program requires it’s participants to study incident investigation, along with at least two additional safety topics based on their industry-specific risks. Christina chose courses that directly reflect the risks her clients face in the field.

Christina has been a member of the Rancho Mesa family for 10 years and continues to excel in her career in the commercial insurance industry.

If you or a member of your team are interested in becoming a RM365 Advantage Safety Star reach out to us or visit our Safety Star webpage.

Give New Life to a Stale Employee Handbook

Author, Alyssa Burley, Media Communications Manager and Client Services Manager

The employee handbook may seem like a stale document; created years ago that rarely is read. However, that is a misconception. An employee handbook is meant to be  a living document that communicates an employer’s expectations to employees. It can illustrate the company culture. Whether it spells out a dress code or a telecommuting policy, the employee handbook also includes information that is required by state and federal law. So, it’s imperative for employers to make sure their employee handbooks are up to date and compliant.

The employee handbook is an essential tool, used not only to outline policies, but as a way to solidify company culture. According to a 2019 TalentLMS study, 61 percent of new hires are not trained on company culture. So, if your company is obsessed with safety, the employee handbook should reflect an emphasis on safety policies. If your company values a work/life balance for its employees, make sure to include the policies that support your philosophy.  Glassdoor found that 87 percent of employees want their employer to support a healthy balance between work responsibilities and personal commitments. 

So, in order to assist employers in developing and maintaining state and federal-compliant employee handbooks, in 2019, Rancho Mesa launched its RM365 HRAdvantage™ Portal (HR portal). It’s designed to be a one-stop shop for human resources advice and guidance to assist businesses in effectively managing their HR responsibilities.

The Living Employee Handbook builder in the HR portal allows employers to quickly develop state and federally-compliant employee handbooks while allowing for customized policies that are specific to individual companies.

In a recent usage report, Rancho Mesa found that over forty clients had already created at least one new employee handbook in the HR portal. These employers decided to generate a new employee handbook, to take advantage of the automated federal and state law update notifications; thus, their employee handbooks are now living documents that continue to evolve as regulations change. With a click of the “Approve” button, their employee handbook verbiage updates to stay in compliance.   

Before incurring the cost of hiring an attorney or HR firm, try using the Living Employee Handbook builder to generate your state-specific federally-compliant employee handbook. If your old employee handbook hasn’t been updated within the last twelve months, it’s time to generate a new Living Employee Handbook. 

To learn how to generate a living employee handbook through Rancho Mesa’s RM365 HRAdvantage™ Portal, register for our webinar.

COVID-19 Update and Q&A - San Diego County's Current COVID-19 Status

Author, Emily Marasso, Media Communications & Client Services Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurances Services, Inc.

The rules, regulations and guidelines, in regard to COVID-19, are changing every day.  So, we thought it would be great to provide businesses with current COVID-19 updates, and give them an opportunity to ask specific questions.

On March 4th, 2021, Gary Johnston, Chief Resilience Officer for the County of San Diego, Office of Emergency Services (OES), joined Rancho Mesa to host a live COVID-19 Update and Q&A Session webinar.  Gary works closely with County and external partners to engage key stakeholders, build consensus, and implement recommendations to build the County’s overall resilience, making him a great source for information.

Following Gary’s presentation on the County’s current status, vaccinations and reopening, attendees asked a variety of questions specific to their needs and overall curiosity.   For COVID-19 resources, posters and materials specific to San Diego County, visit the County’s online COVID-19 resource center.

Rancho Mesa Welcomes Kristina Hauser to the Team

Author, Emily Marasso, Media Communications & Client Services Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurances Services, Inc.

Spring has sprung at Rancho Mesa and we are in full bloom with our newest Account Coordinator Kristina Hauser. 

Kristina came to us after several years in the childcare industry. She has past experience in customer service and retail, as well, and is attending Grossmont College where she will graduate in June with an Associates Degree in Social and Behavioral Sciences. She is a dedicated dog mom and animal lover who spends most of her time with family and friends.

Kristina is new to insurance and is eager to jump in with both feet and progress her career in the industry.  Please help us welcome her to the Rancho family. We can’t wait to see what she will accomplish.

Employee Spotlight: Whitney Chiriboga Earns P&C License

Author, Lauren Stumpf, Media Communications and Client Services Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Whitney Chiriboga, an Account Coordinator at Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, earned her Property & Casualty Broker-Agent License through the California Department of Insurance's (CDI) Producer Licensing Bureau.

As an Account Coordinator, Whintey’s commitment to advancing her career by earning her license, embodies Rancho Mesa’s OneofOne® attitude.

Due to COVID-19, the Property & Casualty Exam Prep Courses looked a little different than usual, as everything was online-based versus in-class sessions. After Whitney completed 52 hours of online courses, she passed the exam in December 2020 and received her license on February 17, 2021.

Congratulations, Whitney!