Jim and Donna Winner both began life on simple Mercer County, PA dairy farms. From those roots of hard work and commitment came two people driven to succeed in business and give back to their community.

As the man behind “The Club”, the automotive anti-theft device, Jim Winner has aggressively launched a campaign to bring more jobs and better quality of life to the residents of his native Mercer County. Winner International, Winner Steel, Winner Aviation, and the restoration of the old Westinghouse plant have been among Mr. Winner’s contributions to the Shenango Valley industrial economy.

As firm believers in the power of tourism to boost economic development, Jim and Donna Winner were also involved in the funding and development of The Vocal Group Hall of Fame, the Radisson Hotel, Tiffany’s Banquet Center, The Winner Department Store, Tara – A Country Inn and most recently The Buhl Mansion Guesthouse and Spa.

Jim and Donna Winner started in the hospitality business in 1979 when they purchased the Shenango Inn, a 72 room Colonial hotel in the residential section of Sharon, PA. It was then that they began their attraction to country inn and bed & breakfast travelers through Norm Simpson’s book “Country Inns and Back Roads”.

Wanting an inn that allowed more personal interaction with the guests, they sold the 72-room inn and started their search for the “perfect inn”. After extensive traveling through southeastern United States, they realized that their destiny was to remain in Mercer County, PA and give back to their hometown community.

Ever the savvy business people and lovers of antiquity, they made the deal of a lifetime at a public auction when they purchased the abandoned 1854 building in Clark, PA soon to be the home of Tara – A Country Inn. After two years of loving restoration by a very dedicated handful of staff, Tara was opened to the public in June 1986. After two additions to the building and years of evolution, Tara now has 27 beautiful guestrooms and has been granted the AAA 4 Diamond award for 16 years running. Ashley’s Gourmet Dining Room (also ranked by AAA as a 4 Diamond restaurant), Stonewall’s Tavern, the Old South Armory Restaurant, banquet facilities, indoor and outdoor pools, public tours and elegant gardens have made Tara a household word in the tri-state area surrounding Mercer County.

In 1996, once again, the urge to save an abandoned landmark caused Jim and Donna Winner to purchase Mercer County’s Buhl Mansion – sight unseen – while they were on vacation in Florida. The building had been neglected and empty for years. It was an eye-sore and a public liability for the city of Sharon. Under the watchful eye and vision of Donna Winner, yet another architectural treasure was saved from the wrecking ball.

The Buhl Mansion Guesthouse and Spa is now one of America's top-rated bed and breakfasts.

Deborah DeCapua