Meet the Innkeepers at Buhl Mansion: Your Hosts Donna Winner and Laura Ackley
Get acquainted with our bed and breakfast’s dedicated innkeepers, Owner Donna Winner and General Manager Laura Ackley, who ensure a memorable stay for every guest who visits Mercer County
Your Innkeepers
Meet Our Owner – Donna Winner
Donna Winner and her late husband, Jim Winner, began life on modest dairy farms in Mercer County, Pennsylvania. From those humble roots grew an extraordinary legacy of entrepreneurship, vision, and community commitment. Jim became known worldwide as the creator of “The Club” anti-theft device, while Donna broke barriers as the first female stockbroker in Western Pennsylvania.
In 1979, driven by a passion for preserving historic landmarks, the Winners entered the hospitality industry with the purchase of the Shenango Inn. That vision continued with the restoration of an abandoned 1854 mansion that became Tara – A Country Inn, and later with the remarkable transformation of Buhl Mansion — a once-neglected 1890s stone castle — into one of America’s most romantic inns.
Though Jim passed away in 2010, his entrepreneurial spirit endures. Through their business ventures and the enduring work of the Winner Foundation, Donna and the Winner family have remained deeply committed to preserving local landmarks and giving back to the Shenango Valley community they proudly call home.
Meet Our General Manager – Laura Ackley
Laura is a second-generation innkeeper whose career in hospitality began in high school working for her aunt and uncle, Donna and Jim Winner, at the Shenango Inn. After college, she assisted with the renovation and opening of Tara – A Country Inn and later gained experience in hotel and corporate travel sales while living in Michigan.
She returned to Sharon in 2003 to continue her family’s legacy and now serves as General Manager of Buhl Mansion Guesthouse & Spa and Marketing Director for Tara – A Country Inn. Laura’s leadership reflects a lifelong commitment to gracious hospitality, operational excellence, and creating memorable guest experiences.
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