Welcome to The Association News Network Association News Network, Inc. Communications Bringing Claims Professionals Together Throughout Northern California Maria Martinez-Jones Association News Network Personality Profile: Sacramento Claims - April 2010 Maria Martinez-Jones Loving the Life by Joan Barrett, Market Share   Maria Martinez-Jones is a fixture in the insurance community; no, a dynamo; no, a whirlwind of activity- well, all of those things.   Tall and lean, she is difficult to keep up with as she races from appointment to commitment in her busy day. Maria is in love with her family; Enterprise Rent a Car; bulldog Winston Churchill and life- quite appropriate for someone whose personal motto is “Live, Love, Laugh’. After graduating from California State University Sacramento with a degree in business and marketing, she found Enterprise early on and will be celebrating 20 years with the company in May of this year. “I can’t imagine working for any other company.” Maria stated. “Why would I leave when everything is so wonderful? I love my job and admire how supportive Enterprise is to all of us. I respect their corporate culture of giving to the community as well as their attitude that all Enterprise employees are all family. The company is family-owned and the second largest contributor to the United Way in the country. Perhaps that is why the CEO is known for personally thanking the employees for our efforts and treating us all like part of the family.” Maria has been a force in the claims associations since she started in the Sacramento Valley and has belonged to and been on the boards of Sacramento Claims Association, IBA, Blue Goose and the IPS (formerly the National Association of Insurance Women). She and Enterprise Rent a Car have been visible at the CCNC every year as exhibitors and sponsors and participate in the golf tournaments of associations as well as presenting their own golf tournament that benefits a charity each year. Enterprise also sponsors an annual crab feed with a designated charity that has grown to be a premier event for the vendors in the auto business. “It’s a lot of work to bring it together, but it is a fun event that our clients really look forward to.” Maria states. Currently an Account Manager in the Insurance Replacement Division, Maria is in charge of Special Programs and coordinating the technical training for the products that have put the rental company in the forefront of the automobile insurance business and has climbed the charts to become the largest rental company in the US. Long an innovator of technology that transformed the industry, Enterprise develops the software that allows the body shop, customer and insurance adjuster to see a real-time update on the progress of the vehicle repairs that cuts the expenses of rental time and lifts a veil for the vehicle owner. Maria’s husband, Carl Jones, is a native of England and together Maria and Carl have made innumerable trips to England to visit his family and around the world for vacations. Since their daughter Cristina arrived 5 years ago, Maria estimated that Cristina has been on 39 plane trips so far including trips to Spain, Majorca, Greece, Tahiti, Bali, Hawaii and Fiji. They both love Seychelles as a destination if they have to choose. Their favorite trips however, are closer to home; to their cabin at Tahoe and to visit her mother and grandmother at their Tahoe home where Maria and her brother grew up. The family of immigrants from Cuba is very close-knit and Maria counts her brother among her best friends. She says that they speak every day without fail. “The SCA is stronger than ever” Maria states “I try not to miss any lunch meetings even when the topic is not in my field just to support the organization and the insurance community. After all, everyone needs a rental car now and then.”   About the Author Joan Barrett is responsible for customer relations at Sams & Associates. She is a past president of the Sacramento Claims Association, past president of the Claims Conference of Northern California and a free-lance writer. contact Joan at: joan.barrett@sams-assoc.com or by calling 800-566-7267 Ext.101. Articles Index | ANN Home | Articles by Joan Barrett webmaster: bryan@AssociationNewsNetwork.com copyright ©2010 Association News Network, Inc., all rights reserved