Oct 11, 2009 4 min read

Fayette Chamber of Commerce has named Mark Rafail of Uniontown as recipient of its Citizen of the Year award. Annually, the chamber honors two people with its Citizen of the Year and Herman M. Buck awards. This year, however, the chamber awarded only the Citizen of the Year honor, which dates to 1968. It is presented to an individual who has contributed extensively and consistently to the Fayette community voluntarily and without recompense.

“I was very much surprised,” Rafail said.

“I’m very honored. It was not something I expected or was trying to receive,” he said.

Rafail is chief operating officer of Kingfish WorldWide Inc., a multi-media company based on Romeo Lane in Uniontown with emphasis on video production, audio visual rental and disc jockey services. At Kingfish WorldWide, he has served as production manager for the “Heroes All,” World War II video in 2005; the 2006 colon cancer informational videos; and has conceived and written many TV and radio commercials for local and national companies, organizations and individuals. He also works as a disc jockey and emcee in the area for international, national and local groups.

Rafail is a past president of the Uniontown Mall Merchants Association where he volunteered his free time. He became a member of the board of the Uniontown Downtown Business District Authority, where he serves as chairman. Rafail’s focus is on seeing more events occurring in the downtown business district, neighboring merchants having contacts with local and state government and a cleaner main street.

According to the chamber. Rafail has “volunteered many hours of his time to make these goals a reality, working at and arranging concerts, street events, farmers markets and other events in downtown Uniontown. He also has helped secure several millions of dollars of state and federal money to help downtown businesses with renovations either through grants or low interest loans.”

Rafail recommends becoming involved in service to the community.

“Instead of talking down the community, we need to look for the positives. If we don’t see them, then we should make the positives out of negative things and let everyone know that we have a gem here in Fayette County.

“I would hope that people would see that, if you do what you feel is right in your heart, and not strive for an award, that more people would follow through and the community would become a much better place for all of us,” he said.

Born Aug. 29, 1962, Rafail is the ninth of 10 children to Elias and the late Harriet William Rafail. He was raised in and continues to live in Uniontown. A member of St. George Maronite Catholic Church, Rafail said that is where he developed his spirit of volunteerism as an altar boy.

Rafail attended Gallatin Elementary School, Lafayette Junior High School and graduated from Uniontown High School in 1980. He attended California University of Pennsylvania where he majored in industrial arts education.

Rafail also has donated his services to local and national charities, such as The East End United Community Center, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Light the Night event, the Fayette County Colon Cancer Network, the Relay for Life, The American Heart Association and local school groups.

After several years in the Uniontown Lions Club, where he served as the club treasurer, Rafail joined the Uniontown Chestnut Ridge Rotary in the late 1990s. He is a past president and now is the assistant district governor of District 7330. While a member of both organizations, he received many awards and citations including club, district and international levels.

Rafail currently sits on several other boards and committees, including serving as a member of the Fayette County Zoning Hearing Board, a position he has held since 2005; the board of directors of the Fayette Chamber of Commerce; SPCA of Fayette County; and the Fayette County Republican Committee.

The chamber will honor Rafail at its annual dinner, which will begin at 5:15 p.m. Thursday at Nemacolin Woodlands Spa and Resort, Farmington. Dinner will begin at 6 p.m. In addition, the chamber will present its Fayette County Educators of the Year awards.

For more information, call the chamber at 724-437-4571.