Laura Shanklin - Indianapolis

This week's featured employee is Laura Shanklin. Laura is based in the Indianapolis office but works for all of our territories. She handles the logistics and shoe charts that teachers send in, along with being the office manager. This is Laura's 5th year of working at Skatetime and seems to really enjoy it. She says that she loves the people she works with, her co-workers are like family. Working with the teachers, seeing and hearing about kids who don't think they can skate but discover they can, and seeing the kids love skating are some of the reasons she loves working for the company.

Laura was born and raised in Greenwood, Indiana and has never lived outside of a few miles from there. She graduated from Center Grove High School, then went on to attend Indiana University Purdue University of Indianapolis, and Indiana Business College. Prior to starting at Skatetime, Laura worked mostly as an office manager or in various Human Resource jobs. She also worked as a pie baker, a machine operator, and in ukulele and harmonica sales.

Her husband, Wes, and Laura have 6 kids who are all married or engaged, with the last two soon to be married. They also have 4 grandbabies. When Laura is not at the office, she enjoys attending Rock Steady Boxing classes, shooting at the local gun range, spending time with family, reading, and running obstacle courses.

Laura first started skating when she was in grade school. It began with birthday parties and with Camp Fire Girls. But, in middle school she started skating most weekends at the local skating rink. When asked for a fun fact about herself, she responded "I don’t believe in having regrets when it comes to learning and doing.'I wish I would have…' is a terrible feeling. If I’m interested in something, I sign up for a class or take a trip and make it happen right away. My husband is happy to play along with me. Motorcycling, sky diving, buffalo herding, sword fighting, upholstery, swimming with dolphins, painting with rhinos and elephants, baking, welding, square dancing, whatever sounds fun and interesting, we learn it and do it!"