Rancho Mesa News
Growth for Generations: Rancho Mesa Kicks Off for 2025
Author, Megan Lockhart, Client Communications Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
On Friday, January 10, 2025, the Rancho Mesa team gathered at ARLO Restaurant at the Town & Country in San Diego for its annual Kick-Off Meeting and lunch to reflect on the past year, acknowledge achievements, and set goals for 2025.
Author, Megan Lockhart, Marketing and Media Communications Specialist, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
On Friday, January 10, 2025, the Rancho Mesa team gathered at ARLO Restaurant at the Town & Country in San Diego for its annual Kick-Off Meeting and lunch to reflect on the past year, acknowledge achievements, and set goals for 2025.
Employees enjoyed a delicious lunch and dessert while Rancho Mesa President Dave Garcia presented a summary of the 2024 year. Garcia acknowledged successful employee milestones, sales achievements and offered insight into the 2025 outlook.
Garcia also gave means for celebration as he elaborated on the construction of our Mission Valley office expansion, occupying the entire floor.
We appreciate our clients and partners who have supported Rancho Mesa the past year. We look forward to continuing creating growth for generations in 2025!
View the Rancho Mesa 2025 Video:
Employee Spotlight: Kristi Kamenski Promoted to Assistant Client Manager
Author, Megan Lockhart, Marketing & Media Communications Specialist, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
Rancho Mesa congratulates team member Kristi Kamenski on her promotion to Assistant Client Manager.
Author, Jadyn Brandt, Client Communications Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
Rancho Mesa congratulates team member Kristi Kamenski on her promotion to Assistant Client Manager.
Kristi joined Rancho Mesa in 2023 as a Client Coordinator and has been a valuable member of the team, taking on additional responsibilities to train newer members of the Client Coordinator team.
Through her hard work, commitment, and willingness to support others, Kristi has proven herself ready for the next step in her career path.
Rancho Mesa applauds Kristi for her accomplishments, and looks forward to her continued growth within the company.
Employee Spotlight: Brenda Khalil Becomes Safety Star Certified in Construction
Author, Megan Lockhart, Marketing & Media Communications Specialist, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
Rancho Mesa congratulates client technology coordinator, Brenda Khalil, for earning her certification in construction safety as a part of our RM365 Advantage Safety Star program.
Author, Megan Lockhart, Marketing & Media Communications Specialist, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
Rancho Mesa’s Brenda Khalil pictured holding her RM365 Advantage Safety Star certification.
Rancho Mesa congratulates client technology coordinator, Brenda Khalil, for earning her certification in construction safety as a part of our RM365 Advantage Safety Star™ program.
The courses in the Safety Star program teach important topics relating to construction safety in the workplace to help employers mitigate job-related injuries. Fall protection, ladder safety, heat illness prevention, and fleet safety are a few of the courses participants must pass in order to earn their certification in construction safety.
“Participating in the Safety Star program is a key factor in helping our clients mitigate risks. Gaining knowledge from getting certified, plays an essential role in understanding the risks within many industries and better allows me to assist our clients in implementing an effective safety culture throughout their organization,“ Khalil said.
The Safety Star program is just one way Rancho Mesa ensures not only our clients but also our team members understand how to mitigate industry-specific risks
Keeping Compliance Simple by Updating Employee Counts in the RM365 HRAdvantage™ Portal
Author, Jadyn Brandt, Client Communications Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
Businesses are constantly changing and evolving, and that means the staff is too; whether it’s hiring new employees, or transitioning employees into different roles. No matter how the staff of a company fluctuates, Rancho Mesa’s RM365 HRAdvantage Portal™ is an excellent resource to ensure compliance in any state.
Author, Jadyn Brandt, Client Communications Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
Businesses are constantly changing and evolving, and that means the staff is too; whether it’s hiring new employees, or transitioning employees into different roles. No matter how the staff of a company fluctuates, Rancho Mesa’s RM365 HRAdvantage Portal™ is an excellent resource to ensure compliance in any state.
Abiding by all federal and state laws is a necessity. But the laws employers are required to follow can change based on how many employees a company has throughout the year. A reliable way to maintain compliance that may fluctuate based on company size is by keeping the employee count up-to-date.
In the HR portal, employers can update their number of employees at any time to ensure compliance when using tools like the smart handbook builder, compliance dashboard, and other features. The smart employee handbook automatically updates depending on the number of people employed at the company in a specific state.
For example, in California there are a number of employment laws that apply to employers based on the company’s number of employees. California employers with five or more employees must provide at least five days of bereavement leave. Another example would be employers with 25 or more employees must provide school involvement leave.
There are many laws that apply to employers based on employee count. The HR portal’s Compliance Dashboards help employers quickly see what laws apply at each employee count threshold. And, since each state may have different requirements, it’s a best practice to use the HR portal to ensure you are in compliance with your state’s laws.
If a business’s employee count is not updated to reflect the accurate number of workers, the handbook generated by the HR Portal could include information that is not applicable to the employer. Or, it may exclude information that is applicable. As a result, the employer could be out of compliance even though they believed they were adhering to what was in their handbook.
If you do need to update your employee count in the HR portal, follow these steps:
Log into the Rancho Mesa RM365 HRAdvantage™ Portal.
Hover over the icon shaped like a person on the far right of your screen. This allows you to access your company settings.
Under “Company Settings” select “Company.”
At the bottom of the “Primary Location Information” section, enter the “Number of employees at this location.” This doesn’t need to always be the exact number, but try to be as accurate as possible, especially when your employee count is close to a threshold that may trigger a law to apply.
Be sure to save your changes by clicking the “Save Settings” button on the right side of your screen.
Once you’ve updated your employee count in the HR portal, it’s a best practices to review the employee handbook for any policy changes that require approval. At the beginning of the year it’s also best to review the handbook and address any policies that have changed based on laws that go into effect January 1st.
Note, there will be an orange number next to each section that requires your attention. Click on the policy alert to review the change and select “Accept Policy Change.” Once the changes to your policy have been accepted, your employee handbook will be updated and compliant. Please make sure to review each update carefully, in order to ensure you are adhering to the changes within your organization.
Now that your employee handbook has been updated, make sure to distribute it to all employees to ensure they have the latest version.
Remember, it is important to update employee counts regularly to ensure HR compliance at every stage. A number of other HR resources are available for businesses of all sizes through the RM365 HRAdvantage™ Portal.
Employee Spotlight: Ashley Hunter Promoted to Client Manager
Author, Megan Lockhart, Marketing & Media Communications Specialist, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
We are proud to announce Ashley Hunter’s recent promotion from Assistant Client Manager to Client Manager. Since her start in 2018 as a receptionist and Certician©, Ashley has been committed to her career. Through her hard work and dedication to her team, Ashley was promoted from Client Coordinator to Assistant Client Manager in 2022 within the Landcare Group where she furthered her client management skills and insurance knowledge.
Author, Megan Lockhart, Marketing & Media Communications Specialist, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
We are proud to announce Ashley Hunter’s recent promotion from Assistant Client Manager to Client Manager.
Since her start in 2018 as a receptionist and Certician®, Ashley has been committed to her career. Through her hard work and dedication to her team, Ashley was promoted from Client Coordinator to Assistant Client Manager in 2022 within the Landscape and Tree Care Group where she furthered her client management skills and insurance knowledge.
Throughout her career here, Ashley has remained a reliable and valuable member of her team. Her hard work and experience, including training many other team members, has prepared her for the client manager role.
We are proud of Ashley’s career achievements and look forward to her continued success.
Employee Spotlight: Rancho Mesa’s Christina Haake Elected President of PWI
On Friday, December, 13, 2024 Senior Client Manager Christina Haake was appointed President of the Board of Directors for Professionals within Insurance (PWI).
Author, Megan Lockhart, Marketing & Media Communications Specialist, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
On Friday, December, 13, 2024 Senior Client Manager Christina Haake was elected President of Professionals within Insurance (PWI) San Diego.
PWI is an organization that brings together local insurance professionals in San Diego County and provides opportunities for networking, career development, education and connection through events that give back to the community.
The inauguration took place at PWI’s Winter Wonderland Holiday Breakfast at the Admiral Baker Golf Course. Haake was joined by her Rancho Mesa team members who attended to support and celebrate her achievement.
“My first year at RMI I went to a PWI event to meet others in the insurance industry. It was exactly what I was looking for in a group,” Haake said. “I got to talk with members that were in different stages in their careers and roles in the industry, and also be social and do fun things around San Diego, all while raising money for some amazing charities.”
Haake has over a decade of experience in the insurance industry. She previously held the position of Secretary on the PWI board, and has personally coordinated many events for the organization.
“I'm super excited and honored to be the President of PWI in 2025. PWI has and always will have a special place in my heart,” Haake said. “These members have not only become my friends but my mentors and have always been there to support me throughout my career and other milestones in my life.”
Rancho Mesa commends Haake on her leadership accomplishment, making a positive impact within the insurance industry.
Rancho Mesa Celebrates the 2024 Holidays
Rancho Mesa’s high rollers were in even higher spirits, on Saturday, December 7, 2024, as the team celebrated the holiday season with a night at the casino! Our staff, alongside loved ones and friends, placed their bets at the Brigantine at Portside Pier, and enjoyed a night of festive food, drinks and raffle prizes.
Author, Jadyn Brandt, Client Communications Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
Rancho Mesa’s high rollers were in even higher spirits, on Saturday, December 7, 2024, as the team celebrated the holiday season with a night at the casino!
Our staff, alongside loved ones and friends, placed their bets at the Brigantine at Portside Pier, and enjoyed a night of festive food, drinks and raffle prizes.
Rancho Mesa wishes you a Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!
New Employee Spotlight: Rancho Mesa Welcomes Natalie Aguayo as Assistant Client Manager
Author, Megan Lockhart, Marketing & Media Communications Specialist, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
Rancho Mesa Insurance Services is proud to announce the newest addition to its growing team, Natalie Aguayo as Assistant Client Manager. Natalie has nearly 10 years of experience in the insurance industry, particularly working in account management roles. She has also earned a Bachelor of Science in Child and Adolescent Development.
Author, Megan Lockhart, Marketing & Media Communications Specialist, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
Rancho Mesa Insurance Services is proud to announce the newest addition to its growing team, Natalie Aguayo as Assistant Client Manager.
Natalie has nearly 10 years of experience in the insurance industry, particularly working in account management roles. She has also earned a Bachelor of Science in Child and Adolescent Development.
Originally from Diamond Bar, Natalie recently moved to San Diego and has enjoyed every minute. Outside of work, she likes visiting the beach, attending live shows, and finding new brunch restaurants with her friends.
Natalie’s years of insurance experience and professional skills make her a valuable addition to our team. We look forward to her future at Rancho Mesa.
NALP's ELEVATE Conference Brings Landscape Industry Insights
Author, Megan Lockhart, Marketing & Media Communications Specialist, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
On November 3-6, our Rancho Mesa team had spent time learning and networking at the National Association of Landscape Professionals 2024 ELEVATE Conference in Charlotte, NC. RMI President David Garcia, Landscape Group Vice President Drew Garcia, and Account Executive Greg Garcia also enjoyed hosting clients and partners at our OneofOne© Reception prior to the conference.
Author, Megan Lockhart, Marketing & Media Communications Specialist, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
On November 3-6, our Rancho Mesa team had spent time learning and networking at the National Association of Landscape Professionals 2024 ELEVATE Conference in Charlotte, NC.
RMI President David Garcia, Landscape Group Vice President Drew Garcia, and Account Executive Greg Garcia also enjoyed hosting clients and partners at our OneofOne© Reception prior to the conference.
Following the event, Rancho Mesa's Alyssa Burley sat down with Greg Garcia to recap NALP’s ELEVATE Conference and share important takeaways for the landscape industry.
Rancho Mesa and Sentry Insurance Enjoy Night at Aztecs Football Game
On Friday, November 8, 2024, Rancho Mesa employees were joined by the Sentry Insurance Leadership team to watch the SDSU Aztecs football game at the Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, CA. We were honored to host our Sentry guests, John & Lynne Fischl, Nic Hernandez, Joanne Rodriquez and Gabe Mendez. Attendees enjoyed a top-notch experience within Rancho Mesa’s suite box, including complementary snacks, dinner, and drinks.
On Friday, November 8, 2024, Rancho Mesa employees were joined by the Sentry Insurance leadership team to watch the SDSU Aztecs football game at the Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, CA.
Rancho Mesa was honored to host our Sentry guests, John & Lynne Fischl, Nic Hernandez, Joanne Rodriquez and Gabe Mendez in Rancho Mesa’s suite box.
“It was fun to have many of our talented service team members, including two of our newest members Joyce Flores and Olivia Velasco. Thank you to everyone for taking time, on a Friday night no less, to help make the night so fun,” Rancho Mesa President David Garcia said.
Although the outcome of the game was not in the Aztec’s favor, our team had a fantastic time building upon an already strong partnership and friendship with Sentry Insurance.