Rancho Mesa’s Suite at Aztec Stadium Nears Completion

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

In Ranch Mesa’s recent announcement of the location move to Mission Valley, it was revealed that Rancho Mesa has purchased a suite in the in the new home for Aztec football, the Snapdragon Stadium, steps away from the new office location.

With an expected finish date of September, construction of the Snapdragon Stadium is swiftly progressing. The first game will be September 3, 2022 vs. the University of Arizona, of the Pac-12 Conference.

Rancho Mesa’s President Dave Garcia had the pleasure of getting an inside look of the stadium’s advancements. The box suite will be complete with twelve theater seats, four counter seats, Wi-Fi, a screen with device connection capabilities, and plenty of space making it ideal to hold client meetings and host smaller workshops when events are not taking place.

“As a graduate of San Diego State and longtime supporter of Aztec athletics, I couldn’t be more excited to have the football team not only have their own stadium to call home, but also have the finest, most intimate, and fan friendly college venue on the west coast.” says Garcia. “Go Aztecs!”

Sentry® and Rancho Mesa Build Relationships Through Golf

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

Personal relationships often mean the difference between earning the client’s business or losing out on a deal. That’s why many organizations use golf as a backdrop to develop personal relationships with those in which they choose to do business.

“Personal relationships are the cornerstone of success,” according to Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc. President Dave Garcia in a recent article distributed within the Sentry® insurance company’s intranet.

Sentry’s article outlines reasons why the company uses golf to connect with their prospects, customers and partners.

“We’ve learned that golf—whether playing a round or attending a top-tier event—provides the perfect backdrop for business conversations and helps us get to know our customers in a way we couldn’t in an office,” the article explains.

Greg and Dave Garcia pictured at 2021 U.S. Open.

Rancho Mesa’s father and son duo Dave Garcia and Account Executive Greg Garcia were invited by Sentry to the 2021 U.S. Open at Torrey Pine in San Diego. They spent the day building upon their relationships with the carrier.

“In my view, Sentry not only understands [relationships], but lives [relationships]. We see that day-to-day with our business interactions. Then, at an event like the U.S. Open we get the opportunity to meet the executive team and see that this is a belief not just talked about but held in esteem from the top down,” Dave said.

Events like these provide “the chance to meet with the decision makers of those we serve,” Scott Miller, President of National Accounts with Sentry was quoted in the article.

Both Rancho Mesa and Sentry understand the importance of building long-lasting partnerships that are based on relationships with people.

Whether you’re playing a round or spectating, golf provides a relaxed venue to get to know people, their personalities and the organization.

Rancho Mesa Hosts Heat Illness Prevention Workshop in San Diego’s Mission Valley

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

On Friday, June 10, 2022, Rancho Mesa held its Heat Illness Prevention Workshop at the Mission Valley Library, presented by Zee Reid, Senior Loss Control Specialist from Berkshire Hathaway Homestate Companies. 

Through the engaging presentation, attendees learned the importance of protecting employees from high heat conditions.

“[We go over] the basics of heat illness prevention programs, and what you need as employers and as supervisors when you're out in the field working with heat illness prevention,” Reid said.

Reid also covered the required procedures to follow in order to avoid heat-related violations since Cal/OSHA updated its section 3395 Heat Illness Prevention standards in 2015.

Rancho Mesa values offering workshops such as these in order to better prepare its clients, promote safety, and help businesses be more aware of their risks.

“This workshop is actually part of Rancho Mesa’s RM365 Advantage Safety Star™ Program,” said Alyssa Burley, Media Communications and Client Services Manager from Rancho Mesa. “The majority of attendees participated and received credit towards their Safety Star Certificate for this course, which is really exciting.”

Clients will soon be able to access a recording of the workshop and complete the quiz to get credit for the course through the Risk Management Center.

Rancho Mesa’s next webinar is Cyber Insurance: The Business of Hacking on Thursday, July 28, 2022. Register online, today. 

About Berkshire Hathaway Homestate Companies
The Berkshire Hathaway Homestate Companies (BHHC) are a group of six regional insurance carriers that are part of the Berkshire Hathaway Insurance Group. With more than 40 years in business, BHHC has earned an enviable record of success in the insurance industry that is supported by A.M. Best's highest financial strength rating of A++. Its financial strength provides employees, agency partners, and policyholders the security rarely available in today's marketplace. To learn more, visit www.bhhc.com.

Employee Spotlight: Rancho Mesa Welcomes Amy Johnston as Senior Client Manager

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

Rancho Mesa Insurance Services is proud to announce the newest addition to its flourishing client management team, Amy Johnston.

Amy is originally from Kansas City, MO. Throughout her career, Amy has maintained a large book of business across industries such as hospitality, real estate and construction.  

With her CISR Designation and over 25 years of experience working in the insurance industry, Rancho Mesa feels honored to welcome her to the team.

“I’m excited to be working at Rancho Mesa,” Amy said. “The environment is so relaxed, [and] everyone is so happy.”

Amy has a love of traveling both within the United States and abroad. Her favorite destination so far has been Iceland. In her free time, she also enjoys baking desserts such as pies and cakes, and spending time with her children and grandchildren.

Rancho Mesa Move Becomes Official with Signing of Lease

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

Rancho Mesa President Dave Garcia pictured signing lease with Joe Virgilio and Liza Strom of Strom Commercial.

The upcoming Rancho Mesa move to Mission Valley has become official with the signing of the office floor lease. On Monday, May 23, 2022 Rancho Mesa President Dave Garcia sat down with real estate brokers Liza Strom and Joe Virgilio of Strom Commercial to sign the lease.

With contracts officially underway, Rancho Mesa is excited to move into the design phase of this project. Given the vast space at the new location, there is freedom to configure an in-house studio where podcasts and video projects will continue to come to life, with improved technology. An overall modern industrial design, and ample room is perfect for allowing company growth in the coming years.

Centrally located in San Diego, the office is steps away from the Rancho Mesa suite at Snapdragon Stadium.

“I want to thank my attorney Li-An Leonard of Buchalter and our real estate brokers for all their expertise, support and guidance – as they say it takes a village,” says Dave Garcia. “I can’t wait to have everyone back in one office and feel that team energy every day.”

Watch a video below, outlining the features of the new office.

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.