CHAMPION, Pa. – Tourism leaders from across Fayette, Somerset and Westmoreland counties were honored at the GO Laurel Highlands Annual Dinner at Seven Springs Mountain Resort.

GO Laurel Highlands, the official destination marketing organization for the three counties, presented four Champions of Tourism awards and two $2,500 scholarships to local college students on Wednesday, Sept. 23.

Kathi Rabbitt of the Hilton Garden Inn Uniontown was honored as the Pathfinder of the Year, turnovi won Trailblazer of the Year, Shamrock Whiskey & Cigar Bar took home the Tourism Horizon Award and Karen Oakes of the Meyersdale Visitors Center was named the Tourism Employee of the Year.

Scholarships were awarded to Seton Hill University’s Cassie McVicker and Westmoreland County Community College’s Stefanie Slate.

“Our annual Laurel Highlands Tourism Dinner is an opportunity for hospitality and tourism partners to come together to celebrate our industry,” said Ann Nemanic, executive director of GO Laurel Highlands. “On display at Seven Springs Mountain Resort was a collective of the best in our business. Our partners, stakeholders and supporters joined as a tourism community to honor students, business owners, and employees while also highlighting the work of our team. Since 1958, the Laurel Highlands has been a nationally recognized destination of distinction, and our annual dinner provides a night to showcase our very best.”

GO Laurel Highlands Champions of Tourism

Pathfinder of the Year

  • Kathi Rabbitt, Hilton Garden Inn Uniontown

The Pathfinder of the Year Award was presented to Rabbitt, general manager of the Hilton Garden Inn Uniontown. The award was presented in recognition of the pride, passion and hard work invested into the Hilton Garden Inn Uniontown especially as it related to her work on America’s 250th anniversary.

“Month after month during Fayette250PA planning meetings at the Hilton Garden Inn Uniontown, I saw Kathi Rabbitt in action,” Nemanic said. “She was, to our knowledge, the only hotelier to offer special lodging rates to events tied to America250PA in her county.  She is forward-thinking – offering fun pop-up bars at her property and rolling out the a warm welcome for motorcoach groups, and simply running a top-notch hotel in the Laurel Highlands.”

Trailblazer of the Year

  • turnovi, Donegal

The Trailblazer Award recognizes exemplary efforts and out-of-the-box thinking that help build the tourism assets of the Laurel Highlands and strengthen the region’s brand as a destination. A vacation rental management and hospitality company based in Donegal, turnovi has worked with content creators and influencers to help promote its rental properties and the Laurel Highlands as a tourist destination.

“Receiving this recognition is incredibly meaningful to us because turnovi was built right here in the Laurel Highlands,” turnovi president Tony Chiancone III said. “We live here, we work here and we play here. Our goal has always been bigger than simply managing vacation rentals. We want to help strengthen tourism throughout the region, create exceptional experiences for the people who visit and build something our homeowners, team and community can be proud to be part of.”

Tourism Horizon Award

  • Shamrock Whiskey & Cigar Bar, Rockwood

The Tourism Horizon Award recognizes a new tourism business bringing fresh experiences to the Laurel Highlands. Shamrock Whiskey & Cigar Bar, which is located outside Rockwood, opened in 2025. Earlier this year, the bar, which serves as the clubhouse for Shamrock Sporting Clays, was named the Best New Restaurant in the Pittsburgh Area by the Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Association.

“This award is presented to a new partner – a partner that helps set us apart from other destinations,” Nemanic said. “It’s a celebration of something new and exciting for our visitors to experience.  Shamrock Whiskey & Cigar Bar is that type of partner. Shamrock combines the vision of proprietors Angela Svonavec and husband Jason with the management skills of Taylor Hange, and the culinary talents of Alex Ginter to create an unparalleled experience in the Laurel Highlands.”

Tourism Employee of the Year

  • Karen Oakes, Meyersdale Visitors Center

Karen Oakes of the Meyersdale Visitors Center on the Great Allegheny Passage was named the Tourism Employee of the Year. The center welcomes 7,000 visitors annually from all 50 states, with Oakes serving as an ambassador, manager and guide.

“Meyersdale is the first trail town for riders as they enter Pennsylvania, or the last before they head into Maryland,” Nemanic said. “Either way, first or last impressions are critical for our region, and Karen is a key individual who adds miles of smiles for cyclists on the Great Allegheny Passage.”

 

GO Laurel Highlands scholarship recipients:

  • Cassie McVicker, Seton Hill University – A senior and Hempfield Area High School graduate, McVicker is studying communications at Seton Hill with a focus on mass communications and broadcast media as well as a minor in music performance.

McVicker likes to stay busy as a member of the Seton Hill esports program as well as the Griffins marching band, jazz and woodwind ensembles. Off campus, McVicker works at GameStop and Sheetz.

“I want to thank everyone at GO Laurel Highlands for the scholarship and for giving me the ability to come to school here. You’re helping me not have a financial issue this year,” McVicker said.

  • Stefanie Slate, Westmoreland County Community College – Slate is a member of the culinary arts apprenticeship program and works at Seven Springs Mountain Resort.

“Seven Springs has been a really great opportunity for me,” said Slate, who is from Boswell and graduated from North Star High School. “They like to be flexible with me, move me to all the different departments, all the different restaurants. I’m learning and absorbing all I can there. … It really helps me shine as a chef in the kitchen.”

Slate appreciates how her instructors, fellow students and family have supported her, and she said the scholarship is important to her.

“I would like to thank GO Laurel Highlands for this very special opportunity to help me pursue my education and continue learning,” she said.

About Pennsylvania’s Laurel Highlands

A magnificent mountainous region, the Laurel Highlands offers 3,000 square miles of scenic views and endless recreation in southwestern Pennsylvania. The beautiful four-season destination is located within an hour’s drive of Pittsburgh, attracting outdoor enthusiasts who enjoy outstanding skiing, hiking, biking and golfing opportunities. The Laurel Highlands is also home to remarkable historic sites and attractions and family activities. Notable destinations within the region include four architectural masterpieces by Frank Lloyd Wright – Fallingwater®, Kentuck Knob, Mäntylä and Duncan House – as well as the Flight 93 National Memorial. Visitors flock to our world-class resorts including Nemacolin and Seven Springs Mountain Resort. Families enjoy the award-winning Idlewild and SoakZone, whitewater rafting in Ohiopyle State Park and much more.

Located within 200 miles of the major metropolitan areas of Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Cleveland and Washington, D.C., Pennsylvania’s Laurel Highlands can be easily accessed from exits 67, 75, 91 and 110 of the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

Information about the Laurel Highlands can be found online at GoLaurelHighlands.com or facebook.com/GOLaurelHighlands or by calling 724-238-5661.

Established in 1958, GO Laurel Highlands, formerly known as the Laurel Highlands Visitors Bureau, is the official destination marketing organization for Fayette, Somerset and Westmoreland counties in southwestern Pennsylvania. GO Laurel Highlands is accredited through Destinations International’s Destination Marketing Accreditation Program (DMAP), earning Accreditation with Distinction, the program’s highest level of recognition. Globally recognized as a benchmark for destination marketing and management, DMAP evaluates organizations against standards that emphasize strategic leadership, community-shared value, social inclusion and welcoming environments. The designation reinforces GO Laurel Highlands’ commitment to strong organizational practices and creating value for the communities, businesses and visitors it serves.

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