Employee Spotlight: Rancho Mesa’s Christina Haake Elected President of 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

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. 

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. 

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.

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.

Enhanced Flexibility of SafetyOne™ Observations with New Wildcard Field

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

New changes have recently been made to the Observation Module in the SafetyOne™ platform.

The Observations user interface has been redesigned in both the SafetyOne™ administrator website and the mobile app. Administrators can now create a custom text field, that Rancho Mesa has named the “Wildcard Field”, that will be added to an observation in the mobile app. This new feature is not a requirement for an observation, and can be set as “active” or “inactive”.

The Wildcard Field will increase flexibility for Rancho Mesa clients using the SafetyOne™ platform, and will provide clients a place to document specific information, unique to their company’s process, while they are performing their safety observations.

The new field differs from preexisting SafetyOne™ features because of its more general use. In the past, safety administrators were only able to make notes on the individual questions and general notes on the entire observation. There previously was not a place to indicate specific identifiers that might be useful when analyzing company data across multiple reports.

For example, when conducting a fall protection observation, users can take advantage of the Wildcard Field to highlight key elements of that particular observation. So far, clients are using it to track phases of work, a specific building on a campus, room numbers, or logging permit numbers.

To set up this new field, first go to the administrator website. On the Observations screen, the new “Settings” tab now includes the Observation Report format options, plus the new wildcard field settings. Using this tab, the administrator can tell SafetyOne™ what the label of the wildcard field should be in the SafetyOne™ mobile app.

If an administrator does not need the Wildcard Field, unchecking the “Active” box will hide it on the Observation screen in the mobile app. If a user does choose to use the wildcard field, it can be made required or optional.

For questions about the use of the new Wildcard Field in SafetyOne™, contact your Client Technology Coordinator.

New Employee Spotlight: Rancho Mesa Welcomes Olivia Velasco as Client Manager

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

Rancho Mesa is happy to welcome the newest member of our team, Olivia Velasco as a Client Manager in the Human Service Group.

Olivia brings with her an impressive 23 years of experience in insurance, and has dedicated over a decade of her career specifically to the commercial lines side of the industry. In the past, Olivia has worked for a variety of agencies, supporting client needs and managing their accounts.

Olivia was born in Florida but grew up in San Diego. In her free time, she enjoys cooking and discovering new restaurants, as well as camping, being active, and utilizing her makeup artist skills at all types of events.

Velasco’s extensive experience and professional skills make her a major asset to the team, and we are excited for her future at Rancho Mesa.

New Employee Spotlight: Rancho Mesa Welcomes Joyce Flores as Senior Client Manager

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

Rancho Mesa is proud to announce the newest addition to our growing account management team, Joyce Flores, as Senior Client Manager.

Joyce has 18 years of insurace experience. Throughout her career, Joyce has also earned her AIS, AINS, and CISR Designations, making her a valuable new member of the team.

Though originally from Northern California, Joyce has lived in San Diego since 2010. Outside of work, she enjoys watching her son play basketball, and listening to and watching live music. She also likes training and spending time with her two new rescue dogs.  

With Flores’s years of insurance experience and professionalism, we are excited to welcome her to the team and we look forward to her future at Rancho Mesa. 

Carrier Spotlight: President David Garcia Attends BHHC Producer Council Meeting

Rancho Mesa President, David Garcia, spent the past few days at the Berkshire Hathaway Homestate Companies Producer Council Meeting, at Boulders Resort in Scottsdale, AZ.

Garcia is grateful for the first class accommodations that the BHHC leadership team provided, including welcome gifts, meals, leisure activities, engaging conversations, and breakout sessions with other agency colleagues and their leadership teams.

“I’ve been fortunate to be invited to this event for the past 15 years so I always look forward to seeing old friends and meeting new ones,” Garcia said. “I’m rapidly becoming not only the most tenured attendee, but also the oldest. The former I’m proud of, the latter not so much.”

Rancho Mesa is proud to partner with BHHC and is grateful for the opportunity to connect and voice ways we can best serve the insurance community.

“A special thank you to Rob Darby, CEO and President, Margaret Hartmann, Sr. Vice President and CMO, and Danny Engell, Sr. Vice President of Underwriting, as well as the rest of the BHHC leadership team, for making me feel welcome and important,” Garcia said.

New Employee Spotlight: Rancho Mesa Welcomes Georgina Diaz

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

Rancho Mesa would like to announce our newest addition to the team, Georgina Diaz, as Client Coordinator.

Georgina has 8 years of experience in the construction industry, managing services and small projects. Most recently, she has worked in project management and dispatch roles for mechanical and piping contractors.

A San Diego native, Diaz spends much of her free time exploring the city with her toddler. She enjoys the beach, amusement parks, and spending time with her friends and family.

Georgina’s customer service skills and construction knowledge make her a valuable asset to our team of client coordinators. We are excited for her future at Rancho Mesa.

Employee Spotlight: Rancho Mesa Welcomes Jadyn Brandt to Media Communications Team

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

Rancho Mesa is pleased to introduce a new member to our Media Communications department, Jadyn Brandt, as Client Communications Coordinator.

Jadyn graduated from San Diego State University with a degree in Journalism and Media Studies. Through her education and career experience, Jadyn has gained diverse knowledge in writing, media production, and communications, specifically as a producer for a news media group. She uses these well-developed skills to support the Media Communications team.

“I'm excited to be working with the team at Rancho Mesa, and I look forward to learning and growing in this industry,” Brandt said.

Jadyn is originally from the San Francisco Bay Area and has lived in San Diego since 2018. In her free time, she enjoys biking, playing soccer, and going to the beach.

We are grateful to have Jadyn’s experience, insight, and positivity on our team, and we are excited for her future at Rancho Mesa.