Covelli grew up in the restaurant business. He worked his way up
from an entry-level position in the company to becoming the
owner/operator and the largest franchisee in McDonald's
history.
Covelli was the largest franchisee of McDonald's worldwide
maintaining 43 units at the end of 1997. As a McDonald's
owner/operator, Covelli earned the most awards ever in the
McDonald's system and received the highest honor within the
McDonald organization, "The McDonald's Golden Arch Award." This
award is given every two years to the McDonald's owner/operator who
exemplifies and consistently maintains the highest rated restaurant
operations and business practices.
His vast Panera Bread growth has all come in the past decade as
he began looking at phasing out of McDonald's looking at new
concepts during that time.
In 1997, Covelli sold all the McDonald's Restaurants he owned to
embark on a brand-new concept; Panera Bread Bakery Cafes. The first
Panera Bread bakery-café opened by Covelli Enterprises was
in Boardman in 1998. By the end of 2008, Covelli owned and operated
more than 155 Panera Bread bakery-cafes in four states: Ohio, West
Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Florida with gross sales revenues
exceeding $300 million.
Covelli Enterprises continually wins awards for exceptional
service, cleanliness, customer service and expansive growth of
their locations. Year after year, Panera Bread wins "Best of
Awards" in all of the communities that they are located.
In 2006, Covelli opened his first O'Charley's Restaurant in
Niles. Since then, he has built four additional locations in
Boardman (February 2008), Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, Erie, Pa. (November
2007), and Orlando, Fla. (April 2009).
It is anticipated that in 2010, 800 additional jobs will be
created within the corporation with an estimated 50 to 70
managerial promotions during that same time frame.
Covelli continues to believe that community involvement is the
backbone of his business.
In 2009 alone, Covelli Enterprises donated to local schools and
non-profit 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.
Additionally thousands of more donations were made through
monetary donations, food donations, sponsorships, raffle prizes,
golf outings, silent auctions, and our Operation Dough-Nation
program. A fund-raising program is also offered to help local
organizations meet their monetary needs.
Constant growth has enabled the company to compete and thrive in
the industry.
This past summer, Covelli Enterprises became the naming rights
sponsor of the $42 million, 7,000-seat Covelli Centre in downtown
Youngstown. The arena plays host to hockey games, basketball
contests, nationally-recognized circuses, chart-topping musicians,
as well as crowd-pleasing family shows.
Among the many awards Covelli has received some of the
highlights are the 2005 Entrepreneur of the Year for Northeast Ohio
by Ernst & Young, Northeast Ohio Business Hall of Fame in 2005,
YSU Alumni Association Distinguished Citizen of the Year,
Youngstown Area Restaurateur of the Year and the 2009 Ohio
Entrepreneur of the Year.
Covelli has received proclamations from the Mayors of Warren,
Niles, Youngstown and Sharon, Pa. Senator John Glenn, Congressman
Steven LaTourette, Senator Mike DeWine and he has received
recognition from George V. Voinovich as a governor and senator.
He has served on Boards for Mercyhurst College, Saint Vincent
Hospital, Saint Joseph Riverside Hospital, First National Bank,
NAACP, Warren/Youngstown Urban League, Easter Seals Society, The
Mahoning Valley United Way, Youngstown Health Foundation Board and
the American Red Cross. He was the founder of the Ronald McDonald
House Charities of Mahoning Valley and Western Pennsylvania and was
a founding sponsor of the Giant Eagle Ladies Professional Golf
Association Tournament Classic.
A graduate of Warren JFK High School, he earned his bachelor's
degree in Business Administration from Miami (Fla.). He has also
received an Honorary Doctorate from Youngstown State.
