Ellen Braun’s hospitality story started with a detour. “I graduated from Penn State in 1984 with a degree in English and quickly realized that I was so shy and introverted that I wasn’t emotionally prepared for any of the career paths I’d dreamed of,” she said. So, to overcome it, she got what she calls “assertiveness training” — a job at The All American Rathskeller. The job turned out to be a crash course, not only in confidence, but also in her career path.

Mount Nittany Winery is a family farm winery nestled in the side of Mount Nittany. The winery produces exceptional, locally-produced wine from their 65-acre mountainside setting that’s just minutes from State College. With breathtaking views across Penns Valley to the Tussey Mountain Range, you’ll find the perfect setting for gatherings with family and friends. This fall, try one of their wine and food pairings to make your visit even more memorable.

Joe Belle and the rest of the Clean Team is the reason that you and I get to enjoy a beautiful downtown State College. But he wants to get one thing straight: “We aren’t grouchy garbagemen — we’re pretty cool guys. So stop and talk to us! Everyone on my team is involved in artistic endeavors in the community after work — I am a musician, Damian Cabrera is an artist, and Michael David is into juggling. We’re anything but grouchy.”

Thirty years ago, Lance Shaner and his brother Fred were looking for a new home for their progressive hospitality business. They explored Atlanta, Durham, Chapel Hill and Austin, but it was Happy Valley that caught their eye. “It was hard to beat the quality of life that we saw here,” Lance said.

Prior to joining the Chamber of Business and Industry of Centre County (CBICC) as President and CEO in September of 2021, Greg Scott spent 25 years leading large-scale business operations for major universities.

Third-year Penn State student Hunter Porcano is studying Biological Engineering with a focus in Food and Bioprocessing. This year, a love for kombucha, a spontaneous Instagram message and a job as a brewer assistant has changed the course of her career.

Forty years ago, Greg Woodman spent his tuition money to print Penn State T-shirts to sell at tailgates. It was a move that wasn’t very popular with his parents, but it paid off, big time.

For Fritz Smith, president and CEO of The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau, the love for hospitality started at a very early age, in a place fueled by tourism.

“I grew up in Washington, D.C., a place where the two major industries were government and tourism,” he said. “You saw thousands of people visiting the Washington Monument and going in and out of the Smithsonian Museum buildings almost year-round. Something inside me said, “I bet those people are spending a whole lot of money while they are here!”

Zach Lorber lived the transient chef life before coming to State College. “My wife, Megan, grew up in State College and is a Penn State alum of the hospitality program. We met while both working at Bedford Springs Resort, fell in love, and knew we wanted to spend the rest of our lives together. I moved here in the winter of 2009 and Happy Valley has been home since. In just a few more years, this will be the longest I've lived anywhere and that makes me happy.”