Values in Action: Rancho Mesa Kicks Off for 2026

Author, Megan Lockhart, Marketing and Media Communications Specialist, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

On Friday, January 16th, the Rancho Mesa team gathered for our annual Kick-off meeting, this year, at The Remy in Mission Valley.

Led by RMI President David Garcia, we reflected on this past year's achievements and set goals for 2026. The team also enjoyed connecting with each other over a delicious lunch.

Garcia also revealed the theme for the coming year, Values in Action, which speaks to the core values that lead us in our work: integrity, community, collaboration, passion.

Rancho Mesa is grateful for the loyalty and relationships we've cultivated with our clients and carriers partners this year and we look forward to 2026.

View the Rancho Mesa 2026 Video:

Employee Spotlight: Jessee Keirstead Earns Safety Star™ Certification in Construction

Author, Jadyn Brandt, Client Communications Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Rancho Mesa congratulates Risk Control Consultant, Jessee Keirstead, for earning his certification in construction safety as a part of our RM365 Advantage Safety Star™ program.

Jessee joined the team in November 2025. The Safety Star program equips him with a deeper understanding of the safety challenges clients encounter and the strategies required to effectively mitigate those risks. Fall protection, ladder safety, heat illness prevention, and fleet safety are a few of the courses that must be passed in order to earn construction safety certification. This knowledge strengthens Jessee’s capability to identify potential hazards during job‑site visits and to offer clients practical measures that reduce exposure to risk.

The Safety Star program serves as a key initiative in Rancho Mesa’s commitment to providing clients with the resources and insight needed to manage risk with confidence.

New Employee Spotlight: Rancho Mesa Welcomes New Account Executive Kyle Dunlap

Author, Jadyn Brandt, Client Communications Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Rancho Mesa is excited to welcome its new Account Executive, Kyle Dunlap, within the Construction Group.

Kyle’s extensive experience in planning and engineering provides him with unique insight into the challenges of the construction industry. This perspective makes him exceptionally qualified to serve electrical contractors with insurance solutions that align with their real-world needs.

Kyle grew up in East County, San Diego and still lives there today with his wife and 3 daughters. Kyle is very involved in his community, coaching his daughters’ softball and soccer teams, serving on the school board, and holding the position of AYSO VP in his region. Kyle enjoys traveling and has visited over 20 countries. His proudest moments are his children’s accomplishments.

Rancho Mesa Celebrates the 2025 Holidays

Author, Megan Lockhart, Marketing & Media Communications Specialist, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

On Saturday, December 6th, the Rancho Mesa team enjoyed a night of festive fun at its annual Holiday Party, at the Coronado Island Golf Course.

Attendees celebrated the season among family and friends with delicious food, drinks, games, a "cash" tunnel, and raffle prizes.

Rancho Mesa is grateful for the clients and partner relationships we’ve strengthened this year, and we wish you a Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!

Employee Spotlight: Kevin Dwyer Becomes Safety Star™ Certified in Construction

Author, Megan Lockhart, Marketing & Media Communications Specialist, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Rancho Mesa congratulates Client Manager, Kevin Dwyer for earning his certification in construction safety as a part of our RM365 Advantage Safety Star™ program.

Kevin joined the client management team in July 2025.The courses offered through the Safety Star program allow our team to understand the safety challenges that affect our clients, covering essential workplace construction safety topics. Fall protection, ladder safety, heat illness prevention, and fleet safety are a few of the courses that must be completed to earn construction safety certification. A firm grasp of these subjects helps employers reduce job-related injuries.

The Safety Star program is one of the ways Rancho Mesa ensures clients have the tools and knowledge they need to successfully navigate workplace risks.

Rancho Mesa Excited to Welcome Jessee Keirstead as Risk Control Consultant

Rancho Mesa is excited to announce Jessee Keirstead has joined our team as Risk Control Consultant. Jessee brings extensive experience in helping businesses identify, assess, and reduce risk, enhancing the value we deliver to clients through our insurance solutions.

In addition to his 18 years of industry experience, Jessee has an impressive educational background with a Bachelors degree from Champlain College and a Master’s degree from Southern Connecticut State University.

 “Risk control is an area we identified as a key way to impact our clients’ safety, productivity, and profitability. Combining Jessee’s expertise with our proprietary SafetyOne™ app, monthly workshops, and safety KPIs reinforces our commitment to providing unmatched OneofOne® services,” Rancho Mesa President Dave Garcia said.

With the valuable addition of Jessee to the team, we now offer proactive risk management strategies designed to improve workplace safety, minimize losses, and protect clients’ bottom line.

Outside of work, Jessee enjoys hobbies such as traveling, surfing, snowboarding, diving, spearfishing, hiking, playing hockey, and photography. He also likes spending time with his dog at the beach.

Contact Rancho Mesa to learn more about our expanded services. We’d love to help your business thrive.

Gaining Landscape Industry Insight: Drew Garcia and Greg Garcia Attend NALP’s ELEVATE Conference

Author, Megan Lockhart, Marketing & Media Communications Specialist, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

From left: Landscape Group Partner Greg Garcia and Landscape Group VP Drew Garcia at RMI’s ELEVATE booth.

On November 2-5, 2025, Vice President of the Landscape and Tree Care Group, Drew Garcia, and Partner, Greg Garcia represented Rancho Mesa at the National Association of Landscape Professionals’ (NALP) ELEVATE Conference and Expo in Phoenix, Arizona.

Now in its fourth year as a standalone event, ELEVATE brought together professionals from across the country to share insights, explore new technologies, and discuss trends shaping the landscape industry.

This event served as a valuable opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges and innovations that impact Rancho Mesa clients.

“We get a lot of our industry knowledge from the event and we bring that back to our team

and try to make it make sense for how we deliver our product to our customers,” Drew said. “So [attending ELEVATE] is huge for us in terms of just overall knowledge of the industry.”

In addition to attending educational sessions and networking with peers, Rancho Mesa hosted its third annual client cocktail hour, a relaxed evening that allowed industry professionals to connect beyond the conference floor.

“It's something I look forward to every year,” Drew said. “It's such a great time for us to relax, catch up with people … and then allow our clients to meet each other, too. So, another opportunity for networking.”

Through participation in events like ELEVATE, Rancho Mesa continues to further its commitment to supporting the landscape industry with tailored insurance and risk management solutions.

Rancho Mesa’s Rory Anderson Attends TCI EXPO 2025

Author, Megan Lockhart, Marketing & Media Communications Specialist, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

From left: Tree Care Group Partner Rory Anderson and Newbury Park Tree Services, Inc. owner Dean Lappinga.

Tree Care Group Partner, Rory Anderson, recently represented Rancho Mesa at the 2025 TCI EXPO, which took place November 6-8 at the America’s Center Convention Complex in St. Louis, MO.

Hosted by the Tree Care Industry Association, the event brought together thousands of professionals and over 200 exhibitors for three days of networking, education, and innovation in the tree care industry.

At our sponsored booth, Rory connected with tree care professionals and gained deeper knowledge about their unique business needs.

“TCI Expo once again proved why it’s the premier event for our industry [with] education, innovation, and connection all in one place,” Anderson said.

Attending TCI EXPO 2025 emphasizes Rancho Mesa’s commitment to the tree-care industry. We’re proud to support our team staying involved and up-to-date on the industries we insure.

Rancho Mesa Earns Insurance Journal’s Best Agencies to Work For List

Author, Megan Lockhart, Marketing & Media Communications Specialist, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc

This month, Rancho Mesa Insurance is proud to be featured on Insurance Journal’s 2025 Best Insurance Agencies to Work For. The October issue of the magazine ranked agencies across the country based on nominations from their employees. Rancho Mesa was among the top three agencies in the West who made the list.

The article highlighted agencies for competitive pay and benefits, as well as strong culture, supportive leadership, high job satisfaction, and a genuine sense of community.

Rancho Mesa is honored to be nominated by its employees. This recognition reflects the dedication and spirit of its entire team, and also reaffirms the survey conducted last year through MarshBerry, in which 93.5% of our employees said they have a high level of overall job satisfaction, and 97.4% of employees say their careers are being advanced by working at Rancho Mesa.

“I’m truly honored by this recognition, but what makes it meaningful is it’s a reflection of the amazing people who make up our company,” Rancho Mesa President and CEO, David Garcia, said. “Their passion, teamwork, and commitment to excellence create the culture that makes this recognition possible.”

About the Insurance Journal

The Insurance Journal is considered the most read national property and casualty publication for independent insurance agents and brokers, which kicked off its legacy in the 1920s. It is one of the most respected insurance trade publications in the country with a bi-weekly circulation of more than 40,000 readers in every state. Over 250,000 insurance professionals read more than 1.5 million pages of Insurance Journal Online every month.

Rancho Mesa Shows Support for Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Throughout the week of October 13-17, our team donned the color pink to recognize Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This year in particular, our Rancho Mesa family stood together to honor our friend and fellow co-worker, Kim McCoy, who lost her battle with breast cancer after a courageous five-year fight.

We hold Kim and the entire McCoy family in our hearts, celebrating her amazing life and the lasting impact she made on all of us.

The month of October is important to our team as we show our continued support for those affected by breast cancer, and participate in furthering awareness.