ASHLAND — Lauren Stalnaker was born and raised in the Crestview school district, and now that she has a Modern Woodmen office in Ashland, it’s like coming home. 

“It’s near and dear to me and near and dear to my heart because Ashland is my home and has been for thirty plus years,” Stalnaker said. 

Stalnaker works as a representative for Modern Woodmen. The organization, according to its website, is based in “member-owned financial services.” 

That can encompass a lot of different services, like retirement planning to Medicare, according to Stalnaker. She said the organization can do either a holistic or individualized approach for people. 

Historically, Modern Woodmen has been based out of Mansfield. Its new Ashland office space is out of Action Insurance, LLC on Claremont Avenue. 

The Ashland Area Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon cutting to celebrate the new space on Wednesday afternoon.

“I still will have the location in Mansfield also,” Stalnaker said. “It’s just now we’re going to have some presence here in Ashland.”

The ribbon cutting

Stalnaker spoke at the ribbon cutting, along with representatives from the Ashland Area Chamber of Commerce.

She thanked those who helped her with expanding, for the people present and also thanked the Lord. 

“He’s the reason why I’m here today. He’s the reason why I’ve had the success I’ve had,” Stalnaker said. “He’s the reason why I keep going every day to try to help people with the things that I do with retirement planning or any other kind of financial planning.”

Amy Daubenspeck, the Chamber’s president, and Angela Ringler, the board chair, both spoke too. Ringler thanked Stalnaker and Modern Woodmen for investing in Ashland. 

Daubenspeck also recognized Action Insurance and its partners, Ted Deter and Blake Chorpening, for partnering with Stalnaker to provide her a space in Ashland. 

Stalnaker was presented with a certificate from the Chamber of Commerce. 

“On behalf of the Ashland Area Chamber of Commerce, our board of directors, our members and our team, we want to welcome you as a Chamber member and also into our community as you realize your dream right here in Ashland, Ohio,” Daubenspeck said.

Homecoming

Stalnaker said with the new location, she hopes she can raise awareness about the organization, especially the ways it gives back to the community. That aspect is her favorite part of the job. 

“All of our extra dollars have to go back to our members in one form or another,” she said. “It might be back to that individual specifically, but we do a lot to give back to the communities that we live, work and die in.”

She said the organization has matched funds, completed service projects and hosted free educational events. Next month, it will also give away tickets to “Home Alone” at The Renaissance Theatre in Mansfield.

Stalnaker added that anyone interested in Modern Woodmen’s services can get in touch with her.