By Emily Hamann
The Bellingham Business Journal

For Amelia Mendenhall, “good enough” is never good enough.

“I never knew any other way than just working hard and trying to do the right thing for people,” she said.

That’s how she found her way to Rice Insurance.

“I feel like there’s a total disconnect between the consumer and their insurance agency,” she said.

At Rice, she tries to fix that, taking the time to walk customers through the policies and their options.

She’s become such a valuable member of the team, she has been asked to expand the company’s employee benefits department.

The new role means that’s less time she’ll have to develop new business of her own, but it’s a sacrifice she’s more than willing to make for the good of the company

While bringing on a new employee in anticipation for her new role, she noticed a lack of training materials at the company — so she decided to step up and develop some.

That included putting together a 20-page training manual to help new hires be successful. Her program was so popular, now other departments want one, she said.

Mendenhall’s leadership and dedication has gotten her noticed outside of work, too.

Last year, she was named Affiliate of the Year for the Whatcom County Association of Realtors — despite the fact that she’s not a real estate agent. She was asked to create a new communications committee within the association.

So far her work on that committee has helped increase membership at the WCAR and raised its profile among younger real estate professionals.

She’s also on the board of the Whatcom Young Professionals. She looks at every new venture as an opportunity to help people.

“The more individuals we come into contact with, the more opportunity we have to positively impact their life,” she said.

Click here to read about the rest of our Top 7 Under 40 winners.