Rancho Mesa's President Dave Garcia interviews Vice President of the Human Services Group Sam Brown on his upbringing, personal life, and professional career.

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Director/Producer: Alyssa Burley

Host: Dave Garcia

Guest: Sam Brown

Editor: Lauren Stumpf

Music: "Home" by JHS Pedals, “News Room News” by Spence, "Elevators Need Rock Too" by Spence

Transcript

[Introduction Music]

Dave Garcia: Hi, this is Dave Garcia, president of Rancho Mesa, and thank you for joining me and listening to this week's "Getting to Know Your Rancho Mesa Family," brought to you by StudioOne™, our safety and risk management network.

Today's guest will be Sam Brown, the Vice President of the Human Services Group at Rancho Mesa. Hi Sam, welcome to the show.

Sam Brown: Hey Dave, happy to be here.

DG: Let's begin Sam, and find out a little bit about yourself. So tell me, where did you grow up?

SB: My family and I spent the first twelve years of my life in Sonoma County, about an hour north of San Francisco. Our family then moved to Poway in North County, San Diego.

DG: So did you attend Poway High School then?

SB: I did. I am a Poway Titan.

DG: All right, and during high school, your high school time, what types of activities were you involved with?

SB: I played both baseball and soccer all four years there and participated in their freshman orientation program each year.

DG: And so then outside of sports, was there anything else that you did during high school that comes to mind?

SB: You know, I just tried to participate in every facet that high school could offer. I was probably the [laughs] number one patron of the like, College and, and Career Center because I felt pretty lost as a young 14 year-old, but wanted to figure out my path. So, Poway High School had a lot of resources and still does. Coincidentally, my wife works in that center today. So, there you go. Maybe we were meant to be, but I found that spending a lot of time in that center provided a lot of guidance that I needed, and I know a lot of my friends did, too.

DG: Yeah, I know Poway High School has a tremendous reputation for academics and getting kids started in the right direction, so it sounds like that they worked well for you in this case.

SB: I would agree.

DG: So outside of work, Sam, what are some of the things that you enjoy doing?

SB: Well, my family and I spend a lot of time camping in our RV. I spend quite a few weekends on the soccer and baseball fields as a coach. I like to surf and play golf as well.

DG: Well, that’s, you sound like you and your wife, and you have children then Sam, how many kids do you have?

SB: So we have an eight-year-old daughter and a nine-year-old son and a three year old dog.

DG: Oh, there you go. So, you're the Griswold. You've got it all. You got the RV and camping and the whole nine yards. Yeah. So we probably should come by your house around Christmas time to see the lights, I'm sure.

SB: Well, I don't go as crazy with the lights as some people in this room might, but I do put forth my best effort.

DG: So outside of being really active, is there any specific hobbies that you have?

SB: Yeah, I enjoy reading and learning about archeology, which is the study of human history through artifacts and sites that you might see. Basically think of Indiana Jones, and maybe it's because I watched those movies as a kid. But when I find that, you know, they found a new village, 25 feet underground in the middle of Rome, something like that. There's just something about it, and I just want to be there. If there were any particular times that where I enjoy studying the most would probably be World War II, the American Revolution and Roman Empire.

DG: Hmm. That's really interesting. So, you, you spent some time on the Discovery Channel then to watch those programs?

SB: Discovery Channel, National Geographic has a lot, and then, you know, having young kids, it's fun to explore those things in ways that they're going to understand and, and think are, are cool.

DG: Yeah.

SB: You know, being in San Diego, there's a lot of history to be found here, too, if you look for it. So, it's fun to discover those as a family, too.

DG: So, in addition to your weekend getaways when you're camping and things like that, do you and your wife or your family have any favorite vacation spots?

SB: I would say one of the spots that we have really grown attached to is the San Clemente State Park, which is a nice camping spot. It's got the beach, it's just, it's wide open, it's flat for the kids to ride their bikes on. It's where my daughter learned to ride her bike for the first time. So, that will always be a special spot for us. And then we were introduced through Rancho Mesa to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, and that's a spot that is just an amazing place to visit a little bit off the beaten path, but once you get there, just everything at your fingertips, from watersports to excellent golf, you know, terrific fishing, biking, weather. It's a great spot.

DG: Yeah, I concur, Coeur d'Alene, it's one of my favorite spots as well. Okay, so let me put you on the spot. Tell me something about yourself that most people don't know.

SB: This is easy. My birth name is Samuel Brown VI, and thus my son is Samuel Brown VII. So we've got a long line of Samuel Browns, none of, none of which have middle names.

DG: Hmm. So, that's really interesting. When, what year was the original Sam Brown born?

SB: I used to know the year, the exact year, but it would be in the mid-1800s and they came over from the East Coast on covered wagon and settled in Northern California.

DG: So, do you think your son has, feeling the pressure already to perpetuate to Sam Brown VIII at some point in his life?

SB: I took the road that my dad took, which was to tell me it didn't matter to him whether I named my son Sam or not. And I've, you know, shared that sentiment with my son and said, you know, the 8th, that's pushing it a little.

DG: [Laughs] That's great. Okay, let's shift gears a little bit and kind of talk about your role within Rancho Mesa. So, as the Vice President of the Human Services Group at Rancho Mesa, what are some of your responsibilities?

SB: Yeah, good question. Well, first and foremost, I advise my clients when they need us most, which is commonly when they are contemplating a new service or when they have a claim. I also educate clients on insurance market conditions and of course, the buying process. But I'm also responsible for making sure our team is informed of important industry changes to the nonprofit and human services sector, which is always changing. So those changes could be new legislation, funding concerns, or new insurance trends.

DG: Okay. So, what are one or two areas of your role that you really enjoy?

SB: So, I really enjoy solving real world challenges for our clients. So, we know insurance is cut and dry, but our team spends a lot of time trying to learn and understand client problems and challenges. We, of course, then innovate our own solution or find an existing resource and introduce the solution. I can honestly say that I drive home that day knowing I delivered on Rancho Mesa's promise, and, and that feels really good.

DG: Yeah, that's great. What – is there any areas you're looking to expand or grow within your group for this 2021 year?

SB: So, the area that we've been trying to pay close attention to is affordable housing, and we know that California is in a housing crisis, but hundreds of millions of dollars are, are going towards affordable housing, so Apple just pledged $400 million towards affordable housing. Facebook, just this, this month pledged $150 million towards affordable housing, and we know that developers and their partners need not just good but great insurance advisors. Affordable housing allows us to offer our expertise in both human services as well as construction. So, it seems like an area that we ought to grow in.

DG: Yeah, it sounds like a perfect fit for us. So, if you ran into somebody on the beach that was unfamiliar with Rancho Mesa, how would you describe Rancho Mesa to a stranger?

SB: Yeah, that, that's a good question. There's a lot that would go into it, but I would say that Rancho Mesa is first an independent insurance agency that's made up of people who are interested in two things. Number one, offer the best client experience by solving problems and acting in the client's best interest. And number two, care for one another like family.

DG: Hmm. Those are great attributes to have. As the president of the agency, I'm really pleased to hear you say that. I hope we can live up to those standards, you know, each and every day. Is there anything in particular that you think is unique to Rancho Mesa or about Rancho Mesa?

SB: We have a passion for innovation, and you probably, that's probably not a word you hear too much in the financial lines, including insurance, but there's really no such thing as treading water here. We know that business doesn't stand still, and employer challenges don't remain the same. So, shouldn't an insurance agency answer the call by developing new solutions? I think so, and we have and we’ll continue to do so.

DG: So, I was going to ask you a little bit about taking a peek into the future of Rancho Mesa, and you kind of indicated some of those things. Now, is there anything you see going forward that you'd like to share with people that you think Rancho Mesa will look like in the future?

SB: Yeah, two points. I think we will grow our impact both in, and well outside of Southern California as we grow our industry expertise. And two, as client’s needs change due to whether, the economic conditions, the more prevalent use of a virtual workforce, or any other unforeseen challenges. I see Rancho Mesa adapting to meet customer’s needs. We've certainly seen that in 2020, and I always go back to the well-known Wayne Gretzky quote once that, where he once said “skate to where the puck is going, not to where it has been.” So, I, I can't say where we will be in the future or tomorrow, but I know it will not look like today.

DG: Well, Sammy, before we wrap up, is there anything else you'd like to share with the audience today?

SB: Yeah, I would just say that whoever's listening to this, your success has contributed to Rancho Mesa's success. We will never forget that, and we really value the trust that our clients have in us to help them continue to meet the needs of Southern Californians, and social needs, financial needs. You know, having expertise in Human Services is something that we take very seriously and are so glad to join the team in 2010 and grow that impact and really I’m looking forward to doing it for another 10, 20 or 30 more years.

DG: Well, you know, I can say I've known you 10 years and each and every day you've grown in your experiences here. But it's through your leadership and your insights and your visions that have really helped Rancho Mesa become what we are today. So Sam, I want to thank you for joining me and for letting us get to know a little bit more about you, the person, and your role within Rancho Mesa.

SB: Thanks. This was fun.

DG: That'll do it for today. So, thank you for joining me and getting to know your Rancho Mesa family and for tuning in to StudioOne™, our safety and risk management network.

[Closing Music]

Until next time, stay well.

Alyssa Burley: This is Alyssa Burley with Rancho Mesa. Thanks for tuning in to our latest episode produced by StudioOne™. For more information, visit us at ranchomesa.com and subscribe to our weekly newsletter.