ASHLAND – Jennifer Marquette is eager to bring everything she’s learned through decades in corporate life to a community organization where she can work to better her hometown.
A lifelong resident of Ashland, Marquette began a her new role as director of operations at the Ashland County Historical Society March 18.
She expects the new job to be an exciting and refreshing change.
“I’ve spent the last 37 years of my life in the world of human resources,” Marquette said. “I’ve been everything from a human resources administrative assistant to a vice president of human resources for an $800 million company and kind of everything in between.”
Over the years, Marquette has worked for The Garber Company, Archway Cookies, Snyder’s-Lance, MTD Products and Akro-Mils. She’s worked for large, publicly traded companies as well as private equity companies and family-owned companies. But this will be her first experience as a leader in a non-profit organization.
“I guess I’d gotten to a point in my life where I was looking for a change, and I was looking for something where I could use my creativity a bit more,” Marquette said of her decision to apply for and accept the job at the historical society. “Having the ‘corporate America’ experience helped me and guide me in all the things I learned there, but I want to bring some of that back to the community and be able to give back to the community I was born in, I grew up in and I love.”
Marquette expects to spend her early days on the job getting acquainted with the historical society’s operations and working with the board and staff to set goals.
“In the first few months I look forward to meeting our members, getting to know the board, working with my staff and then going forward from that point,” she said. “I look forward to a growth in membership, to maybe a growth in opportunities and programs that we’re able to offer the community. I’d like us to be more visible in the community, and I’d like us to be part of the revitalization of downtown.”
In a time of exciting changes and growth in Ashland, Marquette is pleased to be in a position to help the community remember its past as it builds its future.
Marquette also sees endless possibilities to build on what previous director Chris Box started, like the project to preserve the former Children’s Home at Freer Field.
Box left the historical society to accept a new job as executive director at Associated Charities, where she replaces retiring director Rosemarie Donley.
A self-described big-picture thinker, Marquette admits she is not good at handling minute details. What she is good, however, at is working with people, problem solving and seeing projects through to fruition.
“I think that’s what this role needs is someone to really see the big picture, to figure out where we need to go and to find the people around you who can help support you in getting there,” Marquette said. “I just have a knack for being able to get people together, build a project, figure out where we’re going, set goals and make sure we follow through on goals.”
Marquette lives in Ashland with her husband, Tom, a retired Ashland High School principal. The couple has two adult sons, Scott and Ryan.
A graduate of Ashland High School and Ashland University, Marquette holds a degree in psychology and is certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources Management and a Certified Employee Benefit Specialist.
