“The Inbox”
Rachel Shepard is the founder and chief executive officer of LonaRock, a financial services company.
At LonaRock, Shepard’s mission is to empower executives and business owners by focusing on the financials of the business.
Passionate about helping business owners grow their revenue and net income, Shepard specializes in offering solutions related to financing and identifying capital needs. She counsels clients on potential debt structures, terms and conditions.
In 2023, she was a nominee for the Smart Women in Business Awards by Smart Business and was recognized by The Cleveland Women’s Journal as a “Women You Should Know.”
Shepard also is the author of the weekly macroeconomic newsletter “The LonaRock Report.” The newsletter provides independent economic analysis and commentary with an emphasis on United States equity markets, the credit markets, monetary policy, and political considerations.
Prior to LonaRock, Shepard spent 17 years in the banking industry.
She worked in various lines, including commercial banking, investment real estate, private banking, and small business lending. She has held various roles, such as portfolio manager; relationship manager; vice president of loan review; and, most recently, held regional underwriting manager.
Her work focused on relationship management, credit underwriting, risk management, and deal structuring.
Shepard holds a Bachelor of Science in accounting from the University of Akron and an Executive Master of Business Administration from Kent State University.
She resides in Sharon Township with her husband and two children.
Shepard can be reached by email at rshepard@lonarock.com.