Rancho Mesa Hosts Ladder Safety Workshop

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

On Friday, March 22, 2024, attendees gathered at Rancho Mesa’s Mission Valley office for the Ladder Safety workshop, presented by Rick Sanchez and Lito Reyes, Senior Loss Control Consultants with CompWest Insurance.

Sanchez and Reyes highlighted the different types of ladders and their intended uses as well as important ways companies can control their risk for ladder-related accidents.

“Ladder accidents and ladder violations are in the top 10 most common types of violations in [Cal/OSHA’s] book,” Sanchez said. “The three most common things that they see is incorrect use, improper setup, and poor condition.”

The presenters showed photos taken in the field of incorrect ladder use and encouraged the audience to point out what was wrong.

“All of these photos support the fact that [majority] of accidents on the job result from unsafe behavior, not the equipment, not physical hazards but unsafe behavior so it's really important to reinforce proper use and awareness and hold people accountable,” Reyes said.

Rancho Mesa values providing educational workshops in order to assist clients in keeping their employees safe and manage their overall risk.

Highlights from the Artisans Insurance Ltd. Board Meeting

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

Rancho Mesa’s Vice President of the Construction Group Sam Clayton attended Artisans Insurance Ltd. Board of Directors Meeting in Nassau, The Bahamas, during March 10-12, 2024.

Meeting attendees enjoyed a round of golf at the Jack Nicklaus Signature Royal Blue golf course, followed by board meetings and the Presidents Dinner on Tuesday night.

Artisans Insurance Ltd. is a member-owned group captive based in the Cayman Islands, comprising California trade contractors. 

“This is one of my favorite events to attend, seeing a group of like-minded contractors join together to share ideas is amazing,” said Sam Clayton.

Sam was joined by multiple Rancho Mesa clients in the engineering, foundation and shoring, mechanical contracting, painting, landscaping, and flooring industries.

Employee Spotlight: Rancho Mesa Welcomes Brittney Thompson

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

Rancho Mesa is excited to welcome the newest member of our team, Surety Client Coordinator Brittney Thompson.

As a licensed insurance professional with seven years of agency experience, Brittney brings a wealth of knowledge in customer service and claims handling to her new role.

Brittney, born and raised in California, graduated from San Diego State University in 2016 with a degree in sociology. She adores animals and shares her home with two chickens, a tortoise, and two dogs. On weekends, you'll often find her at the San Diego Zoo with her husband and son. She enjoys karaoke and live music, and she plans her travels around concerts she wants to see throughout the year.

Rancho Mesa is fortunate to have Brittney’s extensive insurance expertise as part of our team!

New SafetyOne™ Toolbox Talks Added for the Land Care Industry

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

In Rancho Mesa’s continued efforts to meet the industry-specific needs of our clients, 52 new toolbox talks have been added to the SafetyOne™ platform, specific to landscape and lawn care.

The new library covers a vast range of topics such as poisonous plant awareness, chainsaw safety, mulch and soil handling safety, green waste disposal, and PPE use for landscape contractors.

The 52 new toolbox talks are available in both English and Spanish, and are intended to provide a years-worth of lessons for land care companies.

For instructions about accessing the library of land care-specific toolbox talks, view the steps in the FAQ section of the Rancho Mesa website. For further questions about SafetyOne, clients can reach out to their client technology coordinator.

Rancho Mesa Hosts SafetyOne™ Workshop for Human Services Industry

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

On Friday, March 1, 2024 Rancho Mesa hosted Improve Your Human Services Operations with the SafetyOne™ Mobile App at our Mission Valley office.

The workshop was presented by Alyssa Burley, Partner in the Media Communications and Client Services Group with Rancho Mesa. Burley detailed how application of the SafetyOne platform can bring organization operations to the next level with features such as mobile forms, audits, and a library of toolbox talks.

Burley shared examples of how the platform can be tailored to the human services industry and improve efficiency by digitizing paper-based processes and streamlining communication within the organization. Attendees were also able to participate during the presentation by scanning QR codes and testing out the different features for themselves.

To learn more information about getting started in SafetyOne, clients can reach out to their client technology coordinator, or join the waitlist for a new account.

Rancho Mesa’s Rory Anderson Guest on Tree Industry Podcast

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

Rancho Mesa’s Rory Anderson, Account Executive of the Tree Care Group, was recently a guest on The IndusTREE Podcast.

Host, ArboRisk founder, Eric Petersen was joined by Mick Kelly of ArboRisk Insurance, and Rory to discuss insurance issues that tree care companies face. They did a deep dive into the current state of the industry and the rising costs, during a time when underwriting acceptability is decreasing.

They also discussed professional liability, employment practices liability, pollution coverages, and ways tree care companies can lower their auto premium.

Rory periodically appears on Rancho Mesa’s StudioOne™ Safety and Risk Management Podcast Network where he addresses risk management for the tree care industry. Listen to episodes on RanchoMesa.com or subscribe on your favorite podcast platform.

About The IndusTREE Podcast
The IndusTREE Podcast is a podcast for tree care companies looking to grow their business by learning from industry professionals! Episodes include discussions on topics ranging from hiring & recruiting, business planning, sales & marketing, safety, driver, fleet, injury management, and much more.

Rancho Mesa Hosts PWI San Diego Kick-Off Night

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

On Thursday, February 15, 2024 PWI San Diego hosted their Membership Kick-Off Social and Game Night at the Rancho Mesa office. Rancho Mesa Senior Client Manager and PWI San Diego Secretary Christina Haake planned the event which yielded an exciting turnout with over 60 attendees.

The fun filled night consisted of a selection of sushi and Thai food cuisines, drinks, games, prizes, and the opportunity to foster relationships with insurance professionals.

Julie Brown, one of the founding members of PWI San Diego, shared the heartwarming story of the group's origins. Since its start in 1981, the organization has expanded to include 33 active members and attracts many more insurance professionals to their monthly networking events.

"It was exciting to see so many new faces and a lot of returning PWI attendees. Hopefully this will inspire people to get a membership with PWI and/or attend other events this year,” said Christina Haake, Client Manager, Rancho Mesa. “We raised $1,000 for OPT of Grossmont College Students and were able to get 12 brand new rolling backpacks for them as well." 

Rancho Mesa is very excited to have contributed to bringing together insurance professionals for an event aimed at nurturing connections.

About PWI San Diego
PWI provides people in the insurance industry (and those who support the insurance industry) opportunities for networking, business development, idea exchange, career enhancement, education and giving back to our community. They do so through general membership meetings and through special events like golfing, shopping events, happy hours, and more. To learn more, please visit pwisd.org.

Cal/OSHA Consultation Services: Workshop Recap

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

On Friday, January 26, attendees met at the Mission Valley Library for the Cal/OSHA’s Consultation Services: A Proactive Approach to Workplace Safety Workshop.

Business owners, safety directors, managers, and supervisors listened as Cal/OSHA Consultation Branch Manager, Carmen Cisneros, presented valuable information about how their companies can effectively utilize Cal/OSHA’s Consultation Services.

Cisneros explained the benefits of Cal/OSHA Consultation, a free service separate from the enforcement branch that’s designed to help employers learn what is needed for compliance while issuing no citations or penalties for what they may find. She also shared personal anecdotes to highlight the importance of following construction safety guidelines.

Rancho Mesa appreciates Carmen and Cal/OSHA for presenting this valuable information for businesses and we are pleased to be able to offer workshops on important topics such as these to our clients.

For more information about utilizing Cal/OSHA’s Consultation Branch, clients can visit the Cal/OSHA website.

Supporting Landscape Professionals: Rancho Mesa Sponsors NALP’s Leaders Forum 2024

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

Rancho Mesa President Dave Garcia, Vice President of the Landscape Group Drew Garcia, and Account Executive Greg Garcia attended the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP) Leaders Forum in Litibu, Nayarit, Mexico last week, January 17 to 20.

Rancho Mesa continued its support of Leaders Forum 2024 as a Gold Sponsor this year. Our executives enjoyed networking with other landscape professionals and gaining more knowledge about their industry.

“Leaders Forum is a great opportunity to connect, build relationships and spend time with some of the industry’s best.  NALP does a great job hosting and cultivating plenty of opportunities for businesses and industry partners to network.” Drew said.

The team cultivated business relationships with the many green industry leaders who attended, as well as built more personal bonds while enjoying the destination’s offerings, such as surfing, cornhole, and live music.

“NALP and those who attend Leaders Forum all understand how to make everyone feel welcome,” Drew said. “We are very intentional at this event to listen, this helps our business better develop current and future needs of the green industry.”

Dave, Drew, and Greg were joined by Rancho Mesa clients, partners, and friends, including President of Stay Green, Chris Angelo, CFO of LandCare, Dan Krems, and Allen Sweeney, CEO of Aphix.

About NALP

The National Association of Landscape Professionals is the national trade association representing nearly 100,000 landscape industry professionals in the United States, with additional members in Canada and overseas. Member companies specialize in lawn care, landscape design and installation, landscape maintenance, tree care, irrigation and water management, and interior plantscaping. Members also include students, consultants, industry suppliers, state associations and affiliate members.  For more information, visit www.landscapeprofessionals.org.

Together We Blaze the Trail: Rancho Mesa Kicks Off for 2024

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

On Friday, January 12, 2024, the Rancho Mesa team gathered at Stone Brewery in Liberty Station for its annual Kick-Off Meeting and lunch to reflect on the past year, acknowledge achievements, and set goals for 2024.

Employees enjoyed a catered lunch and dessert while Rancho Mesa President Dave Garcia, presented a summary of the 2023 year. Garcia commended successful milestones in sales and offered insight into the state of the market.

To celebrate members of the team for their dedication to the company, Garcia revealed personalized Rancho Mesa baseball jerseys for employees who have been with the company for at least 5 years.

We look forward to the year ahead with our clients and partners, as we blaze the trail together!

View the Rancho Mesa 2024 Video: