Rancho Mesa Throws Summer Luau Party on Mission Bay

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

Rancho Mesa was finally able to bring together the entire family again for their annual summer party on Saturday, July 16, 2022. This year’s luau inspired gathering was bayside in the sand at the Bahia Resort Hotel with great food, lei making, luau dancers, music, and fun games for the youngest members of the Rancho Mesa family.

This is just one of multiple events that Rancho Mesa hosts each year for their employees to enjoy.

A special thanks to Lori Stone for always going above and beyond to make these events for the Rancho Mesa family so special!

Employee Spotlight: Greg Garcia is Guest on Baseball Radio Show 97.3 The Fan

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

Rancho Mesa’s Greg Garcia was recently interviewed on 97.3 The Fan Ben & Woods show. Before joining the Rancho Mesa team, Greg played 10 years of professional baseball, five of which came at the major league level playing for the St. Louis Cardinals and San Diego Padres.

Host Steven Woods, along with producer Paul Reindl, interview Garcia about what life was like during and after professional baseball. Greg specifically speaks about his time with the San Diego Padres, the overwhelming support he felt from the community of fans, and the fortunate opportunity to join Rancho Mesa with his father President Dave Garcia and brother Vice President of the Landscape Group Drew Garcia.

Listen to Greg’s interview below (starting at 30:15). To learn more about the Ben & Woods show on 97.3 The Fan, please visit www.audacy.com/973thefansd/authors/ben-woods

Employee Spotlight: Sam Brown Coaches Team to Incredible Little League Championship Win

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

Sam Brown pictured with son Sammy Brown holding the Poway City Championship Trophy.

Earlier this month, the Poway Little League city baseball championships returned to the field after a three-year hiatus.

Yankees head coach and Vice President of the Human Services Group with Rancho Mesa Sam Brown led the Poway American Little League’s Majors team to the incredible win.

Twelve-year old Yankee’s pitcher Tristan Wolfe threw a perfect game with no runners reaching first base.

“The Yankees recorded nine hits, got six walks and took advantage of five errors by the Braves, who opened the regular season losing their first seven games before fighting their way into the finals,” Terry Monahan recounts the game in a San Diego Union Tribune article.

Evoking the mercy rule, the game was halted after five innings, leaving the 10-0 victory to the Yankees.

“I'm so proud of our players' hard work and strong camaraderie,” Coach Brown said. “Their improvement on the field and in the dugout still astonishes me. A team can achieve really great things when individuals support one another and work hard. Great life lessons learned on the field!"

Rancho Mesa is proud of Sam Brown’s volunteerism within the community and fortunate to have him on its leadership team.

Making a Difference: Rancho Mesa’s Amber Webb and Anne Wright Volunteer at Camp NAWIC

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

On Wednesday, June 22, Rancho Mesa team members, Amber Webb and Anne Wright volunteered at Camp NAWIC, at AGC’s Apprenticeship Training Facility in Lakeside, CA. 

Camp NAWIC is a week-long summer camp for girls in grades 9 through 12 that teaches them basic construction skills while promoting an interest in a career path in the construction industry.

Campers learn construction skills through hands-on activities in disciplines such as electrical, plumbing, sheet metal, surveying, and heavy equipment operation. Returners complete a construction project as a team and mentor first year campers.

“This year, I volunteered with NECA for the electrical trade day and we were able to show the girls how to wire up a circuit with a switch and light bulb, bend pipe, install solar panels, learn about careers in the electrical industry and do some ladder safety,” Webb said.

Camp NAWIC is put on by the Future Construction Leaders Foundation of San Diego, an organization set up by NAWIC San Diego to run its outreach programs. NAWIC Chapters all over the country host these camps which facilitate friendship and teamwork while encouraging construction careers for women.

“I have been volunteering for Camp NAWIC since 2015 and it is such an amazing week,” Webb said. “The girls show up for camp on their first day and are scared and timid, but by the last day of camp, they have new friends and the confidence to take on new projects with the trade skills they learned.”

Many Rancho Mesa clients are also involved in this event, namely Melinda Dicharry, the former President of the foundation and the owner of Paradigm Mechanical Corp. Victoria Friar of Chula Vista Electric Co. and Sunrise Bobcat’s Tiffany Carapella and Tosha Carapella were also involved this year.

Rancho Mesa is a proud contributor to the NAWIC mission and its support of women’s careers in the construction industry, and we value our team aiding this cause through their volunteer work.

“Witnessing the exposure that these young ladies had to the creative process that is construction was so enjoyable,” Wright said. “Not many summer camps can actually lead you to a productive career path. NAWIC does an amazing job with this, year after year.”

About Future Construction Leaders Foundation of San Diego
The Future Construction Leaders Foundation of San Diego is dedicated to the advancement of programs focused on educating youth about career opportunities in the construction industry and encouraging them to pursue careers in this field. We work to influence our educational systems, students, and parents to place more emphasis on, and resources toward, vocational education that connects directly to construction industry jobs.

About NAWIC San Diego
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.

Employee Spotlight: Alyssa Burley Joins NAWIC Board of Directors

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

On Tuesday, June 14, 2022, Alyssa Burley was elected to one of six director positions on the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) San Diego chapter Board of Directors for the 2022-2023 term.

Since joining NAWIC in 2017, Alyssa has been a dedicated member, spending countless hours serving as the Newsletter Editor, Golf Committee Member, WIC Week Committee Member, and Professional Development & Education Committee Chair. Last year, she was proudly presented with the NAWIC Member of the Year Award for her ability to take on multiple leadership roles within the organization, all while being a leader for her department within Rancho Mesa.

"I am so excited to be on the NAWIC San Diego Board of Directors and look forward to supporting the chapter this coming year," says Alyssa.

Alyssa is not the only Rancho Mesa employee that is part of the NAWIC San Diego Chapter. Account Executive Amber Webb is heavily involved in NAWIC, serving on the board of directors for the past four years and chapter President from 2020-2021. Rancho Mesa’s Surety Relationship Executive Anne Wright has also been a long-time NAWIC San Diego Chapter member.

Rancho Mesa is proud to support its leaders within the community and women in construction!

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.