Office address:  310 East Grandview Avenue, Zelienople, PA 16063

Meet the Butler County Tourism & Convention Bureau's Staff
If you need any specific information please feel free to contact our staff members directly:

Jack Cohen
Executive Director
Butler County Tourism & Convention Bureau

Jack@visitbutlercounty.com

1-866-856-8444 x102

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Sandy Gadzia
Sales Director
Butler County Tourism & Convention Bureau

Sandy@visitbutlercounty.com

1-866-856-8444 x103
 

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Paula@visitbutlercounty.com

1-866-856-8444 x 104

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Joey@visitbutlercounty.com

1-866-856-8444 x 105

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Lynise Massella
Administrative Assistant
Butler County Tourism & Convention Bureau

Lynise@visitbutlercounty.com

1-866-856-8444 x 101

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Butler County Tourism & Convention Bureau's Board of Directors

Wayne Conley, Chairman
Owner, Conley Resort
Wayne is President of Conley Resort and has held this position since 1996. He’s been involved with the tourism industry for 30 years. His resort has been instrumental in bringing tourism to the Butler area with bus tours and golf packages. 

He is an active member in the community, belonging to several organizations: Butler AM Rotary, Butler County Chamber of Commerce, Cranberry Area Chamber of Commerce and the Northern Allegheny Chamber of Commerce. 

Wayne has served on the board of directors for the Tourism Bureau since 2003, serving as both treasurer and chair.

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Bob McCafferty - Vice Chairman
Owner, North Country Brewery
Born and raised in Butler, I started working for my Dad's small business in fifth grade.  As I walked from school to work on Main Street, I always loved each family business along the way.  This is probably when I started to love small town America.  As I traveled and stayed in each area while doing archeology, I started to observe what areas I liked the best, which I liked the least, and why.  I decided to settle down and grow a root somewhere, with a small business of my own, I always knew the potential of Slippery Rock, Pa. 

Since moving to Slippery Rock, I initiated the first meeting of The Slippery Rock Business Association, opened North Country Brewing Co. and started a shuttle service for hikers who are day hiking from the Old Stone House to Moraine. I also organized mail drops at the Post Office for thru hikers of the North Country Trail and resurrected the Rock Chapter of the North Country Trail Association.  I’m a member of Slippery Rock Development, a group that spearheaded redevelopment of Main Street and Franklin Street.  Furthermore, I started "Polish the Rock", a monthly cleaning, mulching, or drain clearing of downtown Slippery Rock.

We at North Country Brewery buy local!  Our salads, pulled pork, buffalo burgers, vegetable sides, etc... are all local produce and meats given the season and availabilities.  We also give local!  All of our spent grains from the brewing process are given to local farmers whose cattle moo at the site of our container.

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Kathy Allen- Secretary
Co-owner, Armstrong Farms Bed & Breakfast
Kathy Allen, her husband John and their sons own and operate Armstrong Farms Cattle Co., a bed and breakfast and wedding venue.  Over the past 10 years, the bed and breakfast has grown from a two-room operation to three farms including guesthouses, various barn events, riding and walking trails and a hunting and fishing club.  Kathy’s experience as a health care administrator, social worker, mother, homemaker and elected member of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Board Operating Committee qualifies her to do fiscal management, organize systems, assess personal needs, plan and establish goals for growth and organizational development. Kathy is also a graduate of Leadership Butler County.

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Ed Tanski- Treasurer
Co-owner, Buttercup Woodlands Campground
For the past nine years, Ed has been owner and operator of Buttercup Woodlands Campground with his wife Barbara.

An Allegheny County native, Ed took up residence in Butler County in 1971.  This was after a six-year tour of duty in the United States Navy. Two years of this tour were in South Viet Nam with a river boat division. 

Ed has owned and operated three successful engineering businesses, one in Butler County that is doing well under new ownership.

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Jackie Gillespie
Area Sales Director, Pittsburgh Marriott North

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Larry Berg
Maridon Museum, Butler, PA 
- Board of Directors:  Maridon Museum, Butler, Pa.
- Past President:  Butler County Chamber of Commerce
- Past President:  Rotary Club of Butler
- President, General Manager:  WBUT and WLER-FM, Butler 1964-1978
- Radio Talk Show Host:  WBUT and WISR, Butler 36 years
- Radio personality:  KDKA radio, Pittsburgh, Pa. 11years
- Currently active in freelance voiceover radio and television commercials and narrations.

Have been a member of dozens of Boards of Directors of community organizations in Butler County over the years.

As an active member of the Maridon Museum for the past three years, I appreciate the strengths that Butler County Tourism and Convention Bureau offers to the tourism industry.  I have learned it is impractical for us to “go it alone” with advertising and promotion. I believe the Bureau is a vital link that increases the visibility of all of our interests. 

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Obie Derr
Manager of Moraine State Park
Obie Derr is Park Manager of Moraine and McConnell’s Mill State Parks. He has held this position since September 1993. He has also worked at the State Park Central Office in Harrisburg in the Environmental Management Section.  

Obie graduated from Penn State University and has taken courses at Slippery Rock University, working on a Masters Degree. He has served as a board member for Butler County Tourism, the Butler County Chamber of Commerce and helped to create the Butler County Tourism and Convention Bureau. He also serves on the Lake Arthur Regatta Committee and the Butler County Parks board.

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Bill McKinney
Slippery Rock University
 

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Nicolette Tolomeo Germain
Owner, Nicolette’s Tailor Shop & Specialty Gifts
I am the owner of Nicolette's Tailor Shop & Specialty Gifts in Portersville, Pa. I am a tailor by family trade. As an added attraction, I combined it with a Gift Shop and make an honest effort to carry items made in U.S.A. or made by local artists that are unique and useful.  New to my collection is Heritage Lace window treatments and tabletops.  All this is featured in under 400 sq. ft. of space! 

Born in Ellwood City, Pa., I am the last in a long Italian family history. I was a tailor for Joseph Horne Co. from 1976-1996, where I gained a knowledge of retail operations.  I have been sailing, biking and hiking at Moraine since the 1980s and the area Parks mean a great deal to me. Photography is also a hobby of mine. I am one of the very first members of BCTCB and have watched this organization grow. 

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Ed Wethli
Owner, Kiva Han Coffee, Cranberry Twp., PA
Ed Wethli was born in Oil City, Pa.  He attended college at Clarion University, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree.  Ed received his MBA at Penn State and accepted a position in Sales Management with Lever Brothers in upstate New York.  After several promotions with Lever Brothers, Ed served as Retail Information Technology Team Manager for Kraft Foods.

Ed founded Kiva Han Coffee in 1993, after returning to Pittsburgh from New York.  The company has expanded rapidly since its founding in Cranberry Twp.   Ed and his wife Robin have two children: Daniel and Katie. He is a member of the Cranberry Area Chamber of Commerce, Cranberry Lions and the Butler Agritour Product Alliance.  Ed enjoys all the amenities that Butler County offers and looks forward to promoting the attractions.

James L. Zanella
Marketing Director & Promotional Manager
North Washington Rodeo
- Owner of Zanella’s Auto Parts & Mini Mart; established 1977
- Born in Concord Twp. (Butler County) to American/Italian parents
- Has 4 siblings: One a twin, John, who owns Zanella Milling in West Sunbury
- Is a member of:  Petroleum Retailers & Auto Repair Assoc.
- MidAtlantic Automotive Aftermarket Assoc.
- Is a member for Oakland Township Planning Commission
- On the Board of Directors for the North Washington Vol. Fire Dept.
- Marketing Director & Promotional Manager for the North Washington Rodeo (Butler County)