Leadership In Action Paulding County, Ohio

05/13/2026

Pistols and Purses Drawing!! congratulations to our winners!

05/12/2026

We are incredibly excited to share that Leadership in Action has officially met and exceeded our goal of raising $26,500 for the Senior Center!
Thank you to every sponsor who donated through United Way, everyone who attended the Community Lunch Drive, grabbed dinner at the Beer Barrel fundraiser, sold tickets for the raffle on our behalf, purchased raffle tickets, or contributed in any other way. This accomplishment would not have been possible without the incredible support of our Community.
A more official post will follow soon recognizing and thanking the appropriate organizations and partners individually, we were just too excited not to share the news now!

05/09/2026

05/02/2026

You’re probably not supposed to have favorites… but sometimes people make it hard not to. Maybe after reading this, you’ll understand.

Meet Jessica Stechschulte.

Born in Toledo and raised in Grover Hill, Jessica is a Wayne Trace graduate who spent 13 years as a professional hairdresser before returning to school to pursue a degree in Business Administration.

She now serves as the Director’s Assistant for Paulding County Economic Development and stays actively involved through the Paulding Entrepreneur Network (PEN), Kiwanis Club of Paulding, the Paulding Area Chamber of Commerce, and this year’s Leadership in Action cohort.

Outside of work, Jessica is a wife, mom of three, and owner of JessRae Designs. She enjoys kayaking, crafting, and spending time with her family.

She took Leadership in Action seriously from the beginning, understanding that like most things in life… you get out of it what you put into it.

Honestly, if it weren’t for Jessica, this group would not have come together the way it did. She was that influential and we're so grateful she helped bring it together.

One moment that really stood out... Jessica missed a session and reached out asking if she could make up the impromptu speech she missed.

Not because she had to… because she wanted to.

She wanted to grow through this program, and that says a lot about her heart and who she is.

She brought thoughtfulness, and a real desire to make a difference... and she did just that!

This year’s class is working to help bring a wheelchair-accessible van to the Paulding County Senior Center.

If you’d like to support Jessica and her LIA team, check out the link below to learn how you can help:
https://pauldingchamber.com/News/13621135

📸 Credit: Memories by Tawnya Photography

05/02/2026

Tomorrow’s Community Lunch is the last big push to raise funds for the Paulding county senior center. Please come out and support this great cause!

PAULDING COUNTY SENIOR CENTER
401 E Jackson St, Paulding
MAY 2, 2026 • 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM (or until sold out)
DRIVE THRU ONLY

Delicious meal includes:
• Pulled Pork Sandwich
• Mac and Cheese
• Cole Slaw
• Cookie
• Bottled Water

FREE WILL DONATION

Every bite makes a difference! All proceeds benefit a wheelchair-accessible van for our Senior Center.

This class has worked so hard and we can’t wait to reveal the final amount raised. We’ll be delivering the giant check to the senior center on May 13th. Stay tuned to see what this class and the community have accomplished!

Don’t miss it – it’s Drive Thru only, so it’s quick and easy!

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05/02/2026

If your leadership style is more one-on-one than center stage… you’ll probably relate to Corey.

Meet Corey Laukhuf.

Corey joined BRSW’s Paulding branch in August 2025, bringing with him 21 years of experience in research, development, and manufacturing engineering across the orthopedic medical device and aerospace industries.

With a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering Technology from Purdue University and an MBA from Indiana University, Corey brought experience and perspective to this year’s Leadership in Action cohort.

As the leader of the group, I didn’t always get to see the real Corey in the big group setting. He was more of a quiet presence.

But it became clear that in one-on-one conversations, people got to see a different side of him—supportive, encouraging, and genuinely invested in others.

Some people lead from the center of the room. Others lead in the smaller moments, and Corey often showed up there.

He’s a member of Latty Apostolic Christian Church, volunteers with Habitat for Humanity, and genuinely enjoys helping small businesses and individuals with their financial needs.

Outside of work, he enjoys reading, value investing, financial statement analysis, options trading, and spending time with family.

Corey’s class is wrapping up their Leadership in Action experience on May 13, where they’ll proudly present a giant check to the Paulding County Senior Center to help purchase a wheelchair-accessible van.

It’s been the service project for this year’s cohort—and a chance for them to put leadership into action in a way that creates real impact for local seniors who rely on safe, reliable transportation.

If you’d like to support the cause and help them reach the finish line, please check out the link below to learn more:
https://pauldingchamber.com/News/13621135

04/29/2026

Today’s the day!! Mention Paulding county senior center with your order and 15% goes toward their wheelchair-accessible van. Thank you for supporting this project, Paulding County!!

04/29/2026

If there was an award for keeping impromptu speeches entertaining… Luke would’ve been in the running.

Meet Luke Hanenkratt.

A Human Resources professional with Herbert E. Orr and proud Ohio Northern University Polar Bear, Luke is part of this year’s Leadership in Action cohort and one of the younger professionals in the group.

Outside of work, Luke lives with his girlfriend, Sierra Halter, and their two dogs, Ben and Doug. He also enjoys spending time with his nephews and playing basketball whenever he gets the chance.

Luke brought confidence, humor, and plenty of jokes to the group… especially during impromptu speeches, where he always found a way to keep things light and make people laugh.

Programs like LIA are a great opportunity for young professionals to step outside their usual routine, work with different personalities, and grow through experiences they might not choose on their own.

And that’s really what LIA is all about… learning how to work with different people, take on challenges, and be part of something bigger than yourself.

This year, that means helping raise funds to bring a wheelchair-accessible van to the Paulding County Senior Center—a project that will make a real impact for local seniors who rely on safe, reliable transportation.

If you’d like to support Luke and his LIA team, check out the link below to learn how you can help:
https://pauldingchamber.com/News/13621135

📸 credit Memories by Tawnya Photography

04/29/2026

The people who listen first often lead the strongest.

Meet Erin Laukhuf.

Erin holds bachelor’s degrees in both Finance and Marketing from Manchester University. With over 15 years as a licensed financial advisor, she recently became a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® practitioner and currently works for Strategence Capital.

In this year’s Leadership in Action cohort, Erin’s leadership style wasn’t loud… it was thoughtful, engaged, and steady. She listened closely, processed before speaking, and when she shared, it was always with purpose.

Her calm professionalism made her approachable, and that warmth, combined with her insight, earned respect naturally.

Outside of LIA, Erin enjoys gardening, watching her kids in their activities, and helping with the family farm. And when she’s not doing that, you’ll likely catch her cheering on the Cincinnati Bengals or Reds.

In every session, Erin brought a quiet consistency that helped keep the group grounded… and that’s exactly the kind of leadership that makes a lasting impact.

This year’s class is working to help bring a wheelchair-accessible van to the Paulding County Senior Center.

If you’d like to support Erin and her LIA team, check out the link below to learn how you can help:
https://pauldingchamber.com/News/13621135

📸 cred: Memories by Tawnya Photography