The reach of Ruoff Mortgage, a mortgage lending company operating in the Midwest, has expanded into Portage County. Ruoff Mortgage’s first branch in Portage County celebrated its grand opening on Sept. 30 at 125 East Main Street in Ravenna.
“It is a huge benefit to this community,” Senior Loan Officer Tara Jenior told The Weekly Villager on Oct. 8. “Ruoff offers amazing services as far as mortgages go. We always put the customers first and I think it is going to significantly help the community grow with homeowners.”
Although Ruoff hosted a grand opening on Sept. 30, the business had been open since the beginning of September when the office officially opened. Jenior, a resident of Atwater Township, will manage the day-to-day operations of the Ravenna branch.
“I think there is a lot of growth that will be coming to Portage County,” she added.
“I think the people who live in Portage County will welcome us; we have the people that were born here and want to keep their deep roots established.”
Jenior started her career with Ruoff Mortgage but worked for another mortgage company briefly before returning to Ruoff in June. She said that upon her arrival, the Company was considering opening a new branch in Portage County.
Being a Portage County resident herself, Jenior said that she was more than ready to assist with opening a Portage County location, allowing her to work closer to home.
Although originally hailing from Portage Lakes, Jenior found a new home in Atwater Township in 2013 with her husband, who is from Randolph.
Accustomed to the city life, Jenior said that living in a smaller community like Atwater Township has been the ideal location for starting a family.
“I knew I wanted to raise my kids in a small town,” she noted. “Once we moved there, I realized how much this community rallies around each other. Everybody knows each other and it is such a great feeling to raise my kids in such a small town.”
It was that same small-town feeling that Ruoff searched for when exploring the appropriate site to launch its newest branch. Jenior said that the City of Ravenna was a perfect location for Ruoff because of its small-town feel.
“My Dad passed away in 2023 and before he passed away, he told me that I would be opening my own branch. I laughed when he said it, so seeing it become a reality is more than just business for me,” Jenior added. “This is personal, I care so deeply about my business. I want everyone to know that when they work with me, they are going to be treated like family, they are not just a loan number.”
For Jenior, the Ruoff Mortgage Ravenna Branch has arrived at the perfect time, as the potential for growth in Portage County is strong. She said that she is excited to serve the community which has become her second home.
Jenior said that another benefit of working close to home is that she can share her personal experience about what living in Portage County has done for her as she deals with current Portage County residents seeking to change locations and newcomers who are interested in relocating to Portage County.
“If someone is asking me if I could live here or I if I could live anywhere in the world, I would say that I would live here,” she added.
Jenior said that the Ravenna Branch expects to deal with clients interested in buying new houses in Portage County but will also serve clients interested in building new houses on vacant property that exists throughout the County.
Jenior added that Ruoff has attracted several clients since the doors officially opened at the beginning of September, but Jenior said that she is confident that business has only just begun.
“I have open arms to everybody who wants to buy a home,” she said. “I get to hear their stories whether they are relocating here or if they grew up here and want to stay close to families. There is such a wide array of stories when you are helping people buy homes and every single one of them is beautiful.”
