SCJ Insurance Services, Inc. a Pleasanton based company specializing in insuring "nonstandard" motorists, recently moved to Hacienda Business Park, occupying 30,000 square feet. The rapidly growing insurance firm formerly occupied 18,000 square feet at 4125 Mohr Ave. before its half-mile move to Hacienda's Saratoga Center, a two-story building complex at the corner of Gibraltar Drive North and Willow Road.

According to Shirley Lapp, executive vice president of SCJ, the move to Hacienda Business Park was prompted by a critical need for space. "We were just about stacked on top of each other at our previous facility,” she said.

Mangement at SCJ also felt that Hacienda Business Park would help to mirror the company's professional, first-class image. "Image is very important in this business” said Lapp. "We became convinced that the high quality of Hacienda could only reflect positively for SCJ.”

Founded in 1974 by Jay Johansen, a long-time Tri-Valley resident, SCJ began by selling motorcycle insurance with a two person staff. Since then, the company has expanded to a total of 192 employees (185 at the Pleasanton headquarters, seven employees at an office opened last year in Irvine, Calif.) and has significantly increased its gross sales every year for the past five years.

Insiders at SCJ have attributed much of the company's success to its family-like atmosphere. "We try to make a file clerk feel as important as a vice president.” said Lapp. SCJ holds regular summer picnics, periodic company-wide luncheons and allows employees to dress casually every Friday. "Our communication is excellent throughout the company” adds Lapp, "everyone feels involved and is an important part of the company's success!”

President of Sales and Marketing, Mike Dorrance, who has been with SCJ since 1976, has been a part of many of its changes. "When a company grows so dramatically, and in such a short time, there are bound to be changes," said Dorrance. "However, the company has always maintained a strong commitment toward trying to provide the absolute best service in the insurance industry.”

Dorrance also stressed that SCJ's management staff shares many of the same goals.

For pictures of SCJ's grand opening, see page 7.

To see a reproduction of the original article and edition of Pleasanton Pathways, visit: July 22, 1985.