Safety Spotlight: LaBahn's Landscaping Training Day

Author, Lauren Stumpf, Media Communications & Client Services Specialist, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Rancho Mesa’s Vice President of the Landscape Group Drew Garcia, pictured with LaBahn’s President Chris Gillespie at LaBahn’s Training Day.

LaBahn's Landscaping recently hosted their first annual Training Day for their employees. This was a creative and fun event to promote safety and merit amongst their team.

The day consisted of rotating training stations where employees were educated on proper equipment use, landscaping techniques, driver safety, human resources, and general safety.

“Training Day was an opportunity to educate our crew members on how to provide the best quality landscape maintenance care to our clients. While this day-long training covered the important topics, it’s just one of many training opportunities available to our team throughout the year.” said LaBahn’s Landscaping.

There was also plenty of fun and socializing to be had at this full day of learning, with team building soccer games and a delicious taco bar.

“We were so thrilled to support Chris and his team for this training day event,” says Drew Garcia, Vice President of the Landscape Group at Rancho Mesa. “The event was engaging; everything had a purpose and I think the residual impact will be long lasting. I think this will inspire other companies to try something similar. Great job LaBahn’s, this was OneofOne!”

Watch a short video highlighting the event, below.

About LaBahn's Landscaping
Information provided by LaBahns.com. LaBahn's Landscaping is a family-owned and operated design-build-maintenance firm serving San Diego County since 1984. With over 150 employees working throughout Southern California, LaBahn’s provides pro-active, sustainable landscaping solutions to homeowner and condo associations, apartment complexes, hospitals, corporate campuses, industrial facilities, shopping centers, hotels, resorts, and more. Excellent customer care, long-lasting relationships, and daily follow-through are the hallmarks of their commitment to quality and service. To learn more, visit labahns.com.

Rancho Mesa Welcomes Back In-Person Workshops with Captive Resources

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

Information provided by Captive Resources.

On Thursday, April 28, Rancho Mesa held its Control Your Insurance Costs with a Captive Workshop at the Mission Trails Visitor Center, the first in-person workshop in two years.

Captive Resources’ Doug Hayden explained the benefits of business involvement in a captive to attendees while they enjoyed light refreshments amidst the beautiful hills of Mission Trails Regional Park. 

Captive Resources is an independent consultant insurance firm that represents over 5,500 shareholders and exceeds $3.1 billion in combined premiums for its clients.

In his workshop, Hayden shared how captives work and offered advice on ways businesses can get the most out of them. Captives are a valuable way companies can achieve both professional and fiscal success through controlling their insurance premiums, Hayden explained

Rancho Mesa is excited to reintroduce in-person seminars such as these for its clients, and looks forward to hosting future workshops, this year.

The next live webinar is Fleet Safety: Above and Beyond Compliance on Thursday, May 26. Register today.

About Captive Resources

Our mission is to help companies control their insurance costs through the member-owned group captive model. Our industry-leading insurance professionals support every aspect of the group captives they advise, from claims advocacy to operational oversight, risk management, financial services, investment services and more. For more information, visit www.captiveresources.com.

Summit Club Anticipation Rises as New, Returning Staff Prepare for Trip

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

Rancho Mesa is excited for its upcoming annual Summit Club trip in May. This year our staff heads to Sedona, Arizona to enjoy a luxury resort experience in the Boynton Canyon, filled with mountain biking, hiking, golfing, and relaxing by the pool.

This trip celebrates our employees and their hard work in a unique destination each year. As the trip quickly approaches, we’d like to highlight some of our new and returning attendees.

Media Communications and Client Services Manager Alyssa Burley and Account Manager Yvonne Gallagher are attending their first Summit Club trip this year celebrating five years with Rancho Mesa. 

“I feel appreciative to RMI for providing this to both myself and my husband. We are both really excited to attend. I am looking forward to relaxing and exploring Sedona,” Gallagher said.

While sales staff enjoy these trips when they acquire a certain level of business, other team members also get the opportunity to attend for their years dedicated to the company.

“I know a lot of companies have trips to recognize sales achievements and that’s important, but when Char and I started Rancho Mesa, it felt it was equally important to recognize our amazing support staff for their efforts, so we include them along with their significant other in our trips,” Dave Garcia, President of Rancho Mesa, said. “They attend our Summit Club trips on each five year anniversary with us, so just an amazing trip with truly amazing people.”

Another first-timer is a member of our sales team, Rory Anderson, who will celebrate his sales achievements in Sedona with his wife, Alex.

“Alex and I are both super excited for the trip. We've both never been to Sedona and we've heard it's stunning, so we're thrilled to get an opportunity to relax and check out its natural beauty,” Anderson said. “I think simply getting away from the city with the Rancho Mesa family and spending time together in the mountains is what I'm looking forward to the most.”

The trip will also see some returners. Christina Haake travels with the company for her second Summit Club after ten years with Rancho Mesa. 

“I can’t believe I’ve been at Rancho Mesa for ten years, but I am so excited about going to Summit Club this time. We have a lot of first timers and I can’t wait for them to have this experience,” Haake said. “Also, I am excited that my producer, Kevin Howard, will be going on the trip as well. We work so hard together as a team and I can’t wait to celebrate with him.”

Rancho Mesa values the camaraderie within our team. We are excited for our employees and their families to enjoy this year’s relaxing getaway in the Arizona canyons.

“Sharing these experiences with them is a gift to all of us that continues to be relived regularly with all the shared stories from the trips. I really believe it has brought us closer as a company and is one way to recognize them for their efforts in making Rancho Mesa special,” Garcia said.

Rancho Mesa Honored at NAWIC Anniversary Celebration

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

Rancho Mesa’s Amber Webb and Alyssa Burley pictured holding their NAWIC award plaques.

Information provided by NAWIC.

Rancho Mesa and its employees were honored to be presented three awards at the NAWIC San Diego 64th Annual Anniversary and Executive Night, on Tuesday, April 12.

The National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) San Diego Chapter held its annual anniversary night celebration. Rancho Mesa was named the Company of the Year for “contributions to advancing the education and careers of women in construction.”

“We are so honored to be recognized as the Company of the Year by NAWIC, it’s an outstanding organization that’s dedicated to the career growth and development for women in construction. We are very proud to be a part of their efforts,” Rancho Mesa President, Dave Garcia said.

Account Executive Amber Webb was presented with the President’s Award for her strong leadership and dedication to the organization.

“I feel honored to be given the 1st NAWIC San Diego Chapter President’s Award. When I went to my first NAWIC meeting back in 2015, I knew this group of women was special and that I wanted to be part of it,” Webb said. “I want to thank Madam President, Shelby Ballow, for this recognition, her friendship, and all her hard work getting our chapter back up and running after all that we have been through.”

Media Communications and Client Services Manager Alyssa Burley also took home the 5-year membership award during the award ceremony. Attendees enjoyed dinner, scholarship winner announcements, and a presentation regarding the Terminal 1 redesign of the San Diego Airport by keynote speaker, Robert Bolton.

Rancho Mesa and its employees are passionate about supporting the career opportunities for women in construction, and we are proud that our employees can make a difference through this organization.

“I want to help encourage as many women as possible to see their potential in this male dominated industry,” Webb said. “Over the years, I have learned so much from all the people I have had the pleasure of meeting through NAWIC and feel so fortunate to be able to give back to the community.

About NAWIC
NAWIC has over 115 chapters throughout the United States that provide its members with opportunities for professional development, education, networking, leadership training, public service and more. NAWIC continues the vision of its founding members by advocating for the value and impact of women builders, professionals and tradeswomen in all aspects of the construction industry. To learn more, visit www.nawic.org.

Rancho Mesa President Writes for Construction Business Owner Magazine

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

This month, Rancho Mesa’s President, Dave Garcia was published in Construction Business Owner magazine. His article “4 Steps to Clarity in Construction Insurance,” with John Fischl, Pacific regional executive for Sentry Insurance, highlights key advice for construction businesses to benefit from their next renewal.

“No matter what your policy looks like today, the goal of any renewal is finding coverages that fit your business and keep it protected,” Garcia says in the article.

Read “4 Steps to Clarity in Construction Insurance,” in Construction Business Owner’s April 2022 issue linked below.

Daniel Frazee and Paul Zamora Team up for the Win

Author, Alyssa Burley, Media Communications & Client Services Manager, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Rancho Mesa’s Executive Vice President Daniel Frazee and ICW Group’s Senior Vice President of Workers’ Compensation Paul Zamora pose together with the coveted trophy signifying their win at last year’s golf retreat.

In preparation for this year’s trip, Zamora brought the perpetual trophy into the Rancho Mesa office which allowed for a quick photo op and friendly banter about the games to be played in a few weeks.

Annually, the pair team up to play a few rounds against Standard Drywall’s President Bob Caya and Rancho Mesa’s President Dave Garcia, while in Lake Tahoe.

Outings like these allow for carriers and insureds to get to know each other on a more personal level.

In a few weeks, the 2022 winning team will be added to the trophy.

Garcia's Share Expert Opinions on Rising Workers' Comp Costs

Author, Lauren Stumpf, Media Communications & Client Services Specialist, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Rancho Mesa's President Dave Garcia and Vice President of the Landscape Group Drew Garcia discuss preparing for rising workers’ compensation costs, in a recent article published by the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP) The Edge.

The Garcia’s shared their professional opinions and forecasting for where the workers’ compensation marketplace is headed and what is causing this shift.

Drew includes beneficial recommendations business owners can take to offset rising costs.

“Some landscapers may say, ‘Oh, I haven’t had a claim in five years. So it doesn’t affect me,’” says Dave Garcia. “But that won’t be the case as all companies will experience a hardening marketplace. All companies will be impacted regardless of individual losses since insurance, by definition, is a spread of risk among all businesses.”

To learn how you can be proactive in preparing for rising workers’ compensation costs, please contact Drew Garcia at (619) 937-0200 or drewgarcia@ranchomesa.com.

Uniting the Team: Rancho Mesa Announces Move to New Office

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

On Thursday, March 10th, the Rancho Mesa team gathered at the La Mesa Brigantine Seafood Restaurant to hear President Dave Garcia announce the company’s plan to move to a new office, located in Mission Valley.

Excitement flooded the room amid the appetizers and cocktails as Garcia outlined the long-awaited reuniting of the two offices into one space in April 2023.

“When I made the announcement I was blown away with the excitement I saw and felt from the group,” Garcia said. “They all have missed being together and can’t wait for next February when this becomes a reality.”

The presentation showed a video created by Media Communications and Client Services Manager, Alyssa Burley, which outlined the new features of the larger floor plan, one being the expansion of our safety and risk management network, StudioOne™. 

“I’m excited for the new office. We’re completely reimagining our StudioOne™ by incorporating new technology and improving its functionality. I can’t wait to see what the Media Communications and Client Services Group will accomplish in this new space,” Burley said.

The building includes a gym, outdoor seating area, and a rustic industrial interior. The location is also within walking distance of the Snapdragon Stadium, aka Aztec’s Stadium, where Rancho Mesa plans to hold meetings with clients in its box suit. 

The move marks an important goal achieved since 2019 when the team was divided into two offices. Garcia has worked hard since then to make the transition back into one office a reality.  

“I couldn’t be more excited to have everyone back together. This will not only enhance our abilities to serve our clients and their needs but allows our team to interact and grow on a daily basis,” Garcia said.

The presentation also featured words from Vice President Sam Clayton, and Account Manager Christina Haake who praised the work environment and employee opportunities Rancho Mesa offers.

“I was honored that he picked me to speak about the career opportunities that are offered here.  It's really incredible to see how much we’ve grown over the years, especially up to this point now that we're moving to such a bigger space,” Haake said. 

Rancho Mesa is thrilled to make this long anticipated announcement and looks forward to how it will benefit the company’s success as well as the clients we serve.

“Probably a little contrary to the current business climate as to the need for office space, we’ve taken the opposite position and are adding several thousand square feet to what we have now in two offices,” Garcia said.  “Everyone here believes very strongly that we will continue to grow at 15% a year and I for one am not about to doubt this amazing team and their abilities to make this happen.”

Garcia Brothers Head to Nashville for GROW! 2022

Author, Lauren Stumpf, Media Communications & Client Services Specialist, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Pictured from left, Greg Garcia, Marty Grunder, and Drew Gracia in front of Milosi Landscape.

Drew Garcia (left) and Greg Garcia pictured tabling at GROW! 2022.

Drew Garcia (left) with President of Rancho Mesa Dave Garcia at GROW 2022! conference.

On February 23 - 25, 2022, Rancho Mesa’s Vice President of the Landscape Group Drew Garcia and Account Executive Greg Garcia attended GROW! 2022 annual conference in Nashville, TN to help landscapers with their risk management needs.

GROW! is led by Marty Grunder, President and CEO of The Grow Group.

“Marty Grunder and his team put on an incredible event,” said Drew Garcia. “I would highly encourage any landscape business, no matter your revenue size to check out the event. From the professional development, business operations insight, and networking, it’d be impossible not to come away with a sizeable amount of new knowledge.”

Landscape professionals throughout the country enjoyed three days packed-full of energizing speakers, stimulating group sessions and networking, and gained an inside look at the operations of a longtime successful landscape company, Milosi Landscape.

 “Just from getting to know Marty and his team, I knew [GROW! 2022] was going to be a great event. I was blown away with how well this event was set up, as well as the amount of knowledge being passed along, and the ability to network with others in the green industry,” said Greg Garcia. “I’m excited to bring back some of the things that I was able to learn to Rancho Mesa to help continue our growth!”

About The Grow Group
Led by Marty Grunder, The Grow Group is a premier consulting firm for landscape professionals, providing innovative programming, peer-groups, and real-world resources to help business owners and their teams succeed. Everything our professionals teach is based on what we know works: We test it ourselves at our “living laboratory,” the business Marty began as a teenager and still leads today, Grunder Landscaping Company. To learn more, please visit GrowGroupInc.com.

Hands-On in Her Industry: Account Executive Amber Webb Takes on the AHR Expo

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

Beginning January 31 through­ February 2, 2022, Rancho Mesa’s Account Executive Amber Webb attended the 2022 AHR Expo, in Las Vegas, an event for those who work in the heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVACR) industry to showcase new technology and share ideas.

Webb specializes in risk management for mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) contractors, so the AHR Expo was a great opportunity for her to network with the HVACR community and learn more about the industry she insures.

“My goals for attending the Expo included learning about all the new technology being presented to the HVACR industry, networking and getting to know people from all facets of this community, and learning from the educational sessions that I attended to gain a better understanding of what my clients are curious about or having issues with,” Webb said.

The event was held at the Las Vegas Convention Center and consisted of two expo areas filled with booths of contractors, manufacturers, and industry vendors.

In addition to the expo vendor floor, several separate areas held presentations on specific topics. Notable sessions included “How to be Human in a Technical World” presented by Karine Leblanc from US Air Conditioning Distributors, and “Hire + Fire + Retention = Culture”, presented by Women in HVACR.

“I really enjoyed the entire event, but if I have to pick a favorite part, I would say exploring the two different show floors where all the exhibitor booths were set up. It was extremely impressive to see all of the massive equipment they were able to bring in and actually show demonstrations to the attendees,” said Webb. “I was also able to do some hands-on demonstrations of my own for a couple of the tool vendors, which was great.”

Rancho Mesa encourages its team to immerse themselves in their clients’ industries in order to best support them in their insurance needs.

“I think it’s important for insurance companies such as Rancho Mesa to play a role at events like these because we focus on specialization for our brokers. For me personally, I specialize in MEP Contractors and being able to attend an event that is specifically designed for the HVACR community, allows me to grasp a better understanding of what these companies are going through,” said Webb. “Attending the educational sessions not only gives me an opportunity for professional and personal development, but it allows me to learn about the topics that are of highest concern to my clients.”

About AHR Expo
The AHR Expo provides a unique forum where manufacturers of all sizes and specialties come together to share ideas and showcase the future of HVACR technology. Since 1930, the AHR Expo has remained the industry’s best place for OEMs, engineers, contractors, technicians, facility operators, architects, educators and other industry professionals to explore the latest trends and applications and to cultivate mutually beneficial business relationships. The event is co-sponsored by ASHRAE and AHRI, endorsed by many industry leading organizations, and is held concurrently with ASHRAE’s Winter Conference.