There really is something special about a community filled with members that step up and out to help those around them.
Jean Vanier said it himself, “One of the marvelous things about community is that it enables us to welcome and help people in a way we couldn’t as individuals.”
In knowing Ashland Insurance, you know the team we have that is committed so deeply to serving our community as a whole– and though we serve 26 states, the one we’re talking about is the one right here at home.
Over the years, we have seen our community grow and change, and we’ve grown with it.
This is one of those moments to see (and celebrate!) one of our own growth spurts.
Meet Shashi Penn!
Who is Shashi Penn?
Born in Hawaii, Shashi moved to Ashland at the age of 8 and quickly became a part of our Southern Oregon community.
Attending Walker Elementary through to Ashland High School, he spent his younger years learning about the place he continues to call home, growing to love the neighborhoods and the people that fill the houses in each one.
Though he may have dipped south into California, attending Golden West College, he made his way back, continuing school at our very own Southern Oregon University.
It’s these roots that run so deep that grew into the very motivation of Shashi’s commitment to serving the local community.
Playing on Teams from the Beginning
His time in school was hallmarked by his time spent in playing on teams. It was this time that he returns back to when thinking of some of the fundamental lessons that he still lives by to this day.
During his time in sports, he learned about the power of witnessing what is shown by those running right beside him– even if at times on the opposing team.
What stood out to him then– and what you’ll find in him now- is the potency of having a team around you.
There truly is something about the comradery and connection that comes with having those around you, committed to the same goal. The impact of this can especially double down when those on the team with you have the accountability of knowing that the actions they take help drive you closer to the shared goal in mind.
He comments on the encouragement of experiencing the power of persevering through adversity and finding that common goal– it’s a way he continues to live his life to this day.
If growing up in a town as welcoming and connected as Ashland didn’t cement these beliefs in him enough, his time playing sports alongside his classmates and teammates definitely did.
What Does Shashi Do Nowadays?
Hearing of Shashi’s upbringing shines a bit of light on how he chooses to spend his free time now.
His time on teams did not come to a sudden halt after leaving his school years. Shashi still enjoys the pursuit of health in action. Sports imprinted the importance of physical fitness. Shashi seeks to continue his cultivation of highly functioning with his mind.
But what does that mean?
If you know Ashland, or have spent time in this little town, then you have most likely heard about the intertwining of mind, body, and soul. This community belief was not lost on Shashi.
In another expression of the importance of connection, he pursues the empowerment found in bettering movement, developing thought, and deepening his beliefs.
To know what you wish to see continued in the world around you and implement the steps needed to stride towards it, comes through action– and Shashi puts his experience and forward thinking into action.
It’s no surprise then that Shashi enjoys being at the gym as one pursuit in his mindful development of connecting mind, body, and spirit. It may sound simple, but even his love for the gym comes from a place devoted to his community.
He spends his time at the local YMCA and appreciates what he sees around him.
To him, the Y implements support for the community and provides it, building a stronger community in the process.
Sounds a bit familiar at this point, right?
And he’s not far off in seeing this. The vision of the YMCA is to be “committed to creating stronger communities and a more equitable society for all. Our vision is a future where all people get support they need.”
Even when he’s not in the gym, though, Shashi finds a deeper level of development in the challenge of running. Though its been hard to start, he still finds enjoyment in the challenge of doing something he knows is hard (which, considering there’s 50 million people who have picked up running in 2021 alone, I think quite a few of us can relate to that).
The connection he seeks of mind, body, and spirit go beyond the gym, and putting in the miles, pounding pavement.
Shashi reads the kinds of books that stimulate the mind and sustain the continued mental development that drives the very person that isn’t afraid to take on the new challenges he faces.
And though we may have all cringed in high school getting our nonfiction reading assignments, Shashi isn’t alone in his continued curiosity of nonfiction or developmental literature. By statistics, there are 46% of Americans who actually note they prefer nonfiction to fiction.
Shashi Penn’s Work with Ashland Insurance
Knowing where Shashi comes from– the very experiences that have shaped his positive and enduring outlook on life– brings perspective to how he provides for his community through his work with Ashland Insurance.
Joining the team in July, he set out to put his commitment to serving the community into motion.
He shares his gratitude in learning the insights the agents and partners have acquired over the 42 years Ashland Insurance has been providing to the local community; the community that is more than just clients, but also friends, neighbors, and those that make up the very place they all call home.
Shashi enters the industry with eyes wide open, ready and eager to learn how he can best continue to show up alongside this new team.
He holds licenses in health and life insurance, as well as accident and casualty insurance.
Beyond the lines of service he provides, Shashi actively builds a network of adjacent industry specialists to recommend and reference, ensuring that in knowing the home you dream up will be covered fully with a personalized policy that fits just right, but that there are also local real estate agents and mortgage brokers that you can trust to make that dream come true.
Even in looking to expand into commercial lines, Shashi knows there is always the personal touch to speaking with the faces behind our local businesses. It’s the personal side that brings him joy and he knows it translates across to commercial lines as well.
Our local community is made up of amazing individuals, and some (quite a few actually) have businesses. All in all, the service is founded in the same desire to serve the community as a whole.
Your Next Insurance Agent, Committed to Community
In the office or out, Shashi Penn brings to the office a commitment anyone would wish to find in their own insurance agent.
This is the kind of insurance agent you’ll find not just writing up policies, but also coaching a flag football team of 5th and 6th graders.
He coaches as a means to give back to the younger generations, asking himself, “If I was a kid, what kind of role models would I wanna be?” To him, it’s all about making those little changes in the lives of the players he coaches.
You could say he takes what he learned in his years playing sports and provides the same opportunities to the youth of our community.
And if not there, you can find him attending local services at the Ashland Christian Fellowship. It’s in this space he gives respect to seeing the same impact of outreach, community service, and overall support.
Shashi holds gratitude for the general expression of love and acceptance for persons of all walks.
From this agent spotlight, and from working with Shashi, you’ll learn of his passion for communication– in hearing your stories and knowing he can provide the right services to help you feel protected.
He continues to expand his knowledge of the industry to ensure what he offers is well rounded, and with a team like those at Ashland Insurance, that’s more than just an idea– it’s an expanding reality of his.
In all, the more he learns, and the more he can give back, he can achieve what he has set out to do: to be able to do more and help more people.
“The more people I can help, the better it all becomes”