sweetingbios

MEET THE INNKEEPERS

SHARON HOWE SWEETING, is happy to return to her roots after nearly
40 years away. Sharon graduated from Pine Valley Central School and
received her A.B. in English from Syracuse University. She also holds a
MLS in Library Science from the Catholic University of America,
Washington DC. Sharon spent 15 years at the Smithsonian Institution
Libraries, where she was Gifts and Exchange Librarian, and Special
Assistant to the Director of Libraries for Programs. In 1983 Sharon
followed her husband to London, England, where she worked for
Ambassador Charles H. Price. Returning in 1987 to Washington, Sharon
joined the Internal Revenue Service. In 2005, she retired from the
position of Legislative Librarian in the Office of Legislative Affairs.

Sharon still has family in western New York, and is interested in
developing the Inn and especially her passion for all things related to Tea
through her new venture - Ambrosia Teas.

LESTER H. SWEETING was born and grew up in Syracuse, New York,
where he graduated from Marcellus Central School. He holds both an AB
in History and Political Science and a LL.B from Syracuse University.
Lester was admitted to the Bar in the District of Columbia in 1969. After
law school, Les joined the Internal Revenue Service in Syracuse,
transferring to the National Office in Washington, D.C., in 1968. He
worked in the IRS' International Division for 15 years before transferring
to London as Assistant Revenue Service Representative in 1983. He
served as Revenue Service Representative for South America south of
the Equator and Africa south of the Sahara, with more than 50 countries
in his territory, returning to the United States at the end of 1987. Les
then joined the staff of the Legislative Affairs Division of IRS in 1988, and
in 1993, he transferred to the United States House of Representatives,
where he worked as senior counsel to the Honorable Matthew G.
Martinez, D-CA, until his retirement in 1996. On June 1, 1996, Les
reported for duty as an employee of then KPMG Consulting, Barents
Group in Moldova (one of the former Soviet Republics) where he spent
the next three years as Chief of Party and tax advisor to the Minister of
Finance. He returned to the US in 1999, and spent two years based in
Washington but working in Latvia, Indonesia, Egypt, Macedonia, and
other countries. He became Chief of Party of the USAID-funded
Macedonia Fiscal Policy project in September 2001, and served there 3
years until October 2004. In July 2005, Les retired from BearingPoint,
Inc. He will do short term consulting for BearingPoint as the opportunity
and need arises, and the Inn activity allows.

Sharon and Les (when he was not wandering the world or living in some
distant land), spent most of their lives in the Prince George's County
suburb of Hyattsville, MD, where, from 1981 until 2005, they were the
proud owners of the Lewis F. Holden House. This unique Victorian house
is recorded in the Historic American Buildings Survey and is a designated
historic site under the Prince George's County Historic Sites and Districts
Plan. The house is one of the most prominent in the National Register
Historic District of Hyattsville. Les and Sharon were founding members
of the Hyattsville Preservation Association, of which Sharon served as
President for a number of years. Sharon also edited the HPA's
Preservation Quarterly for more than 10 years. The Sweetings are Life
Members of the Prince George's County Historical Society, where Les
served as President and Newsletter Editor and Sharon was Newsletter
Editor and a leading member of the Library committee managing the
Frederick S. DeMarr Memorial Library of County History from 1997 to
2005.

They acquired the Cherry Creek Inn in July 2005, and began entertaining
guests two short days after the moving van pulled away. As an attorney
and trained accountant, and self taught computer user, Les manages the
business side of the Inn, while Sharon is the people person and manages
the rooms. Both contribute to the preparation of breakfasts and teas.

Both Les and Sharon have fallen in love with the George N. Frost House,
and are ready to make your visit to the Cherry Creek Inn a truly
memorable experience.