YSU to honor Covelli

vindicator staff report

BOARDMAN — Sam Covelli, owner/operator of Covelli Enterprises, Inc., will be honored as the 2010 Penguin of the Year on Monday during Youngstown State University’s annual Scholarship/Ring Dinner at Mr. Anthony’s.

Covelli, a Warren native, had 155 Panera Bread bakery caf s in December 2008 and is opening more than 50 O’Charley’s Restaurants.

Covelli grew up in the restaurant business. In 1997, Covelli was the largest franchisee of McDonald’s worldwide, maintaining 43 units.

His Panera Bread growth has come in the past decade.

In 1997, Covelli sold all of his McDonald’s Restaurants to embark on Panera Bread Bakery Cafes. The first Panera Bread opened in Boardman in 1998.

In 2006, Covelli opened his first O’Charley’s Restaurant in Niles. Since then, he has built four additional locations in Boardman, Cuyahoga Falls, Erie, Pa., and Orlando, Fla.

In 2009, Covelli Enterprises donated to local schools and nonprofit organizations such as the United States Marine Corps. Toys for Tots; Relay for Life; Second Harvest Food Bank; Beatitude House; Junior Achievement; the Boys and Girls Club of America; American Red Cross; Youngstown State University; the United Way; and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

Last summer, Covelli Enterprises became the naming-rights sponsor of the $42 million, 6,000-seat Covelli Centre in Youngstown.

A Warren JFK High School graduate, Covelli earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Miami. He also has an honorary doctorate from YSU.

Sam and his wife, Caryn, have three children.