Steven Freysz
Owner-Innkeeper, Spencer House Bed & Breakfast

I'm the owner-innkeeper of Spencer House, a six-room Victorian bed and breakfast on Millionaires' Row in Erie, Pennsylvania. My wife Lisa and I have run the property together since August 2018, with Lisa handling breakfast and me taking care of marketing, guest communications, and the local history presentations I share with visitors.

Before innkeeping, I spent years in transportation safety. I'm a Certified Director of Safety through the North American Transportation Management Institute, and in 2014 I received the Gogolin Award from the Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association as Safety Director of the Year, an award given to a safety professional who consistently demonstrates outstanding leadership and achievement in transportation safety across the state. In 2015, the company I worked for, Lester R. Summers, Inc., won the Association's President's Award for maintaining a top-level safety program grounded in strong policies, procedures, and safety culture. I also served on the Board of Directors for the PMTA Safety Management Council from 2008 to 2018.

That background turned out to be better preparation for hospitality than you'd expect. Attention to detail and a genuine concern for people's wellbeing carry over more than you'd think. I'm also a mentor through the Pennsylvania Association of Bed & Breakfast Inns, and in 2023 I received an Outstanding Entrepreneur Award from Paramount Pursuits.

Under my and Lisa's care, Spencer House has earned seven consecutive TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice Awards. I write here about the history of this 1876 house, the Millionaires' Row neighborhood, and what makes a good stay in Erie.