YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - Sam Covelli, whose company is the world's single largest franchisee of Panera Bread restaurants and employs more than 35,000 people, received an honorary degree while speaking at Youngstown State University's Fall Commencement Sunday.

Covelli is owner/operator of Covelli Enterprises, headquartered in Covelli's hometown of Warren, Ohio. 

The company operates more than 260 Panera bread bakery-cafés in Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Kentucky, Florida, and Ontario, Canada.
 
He also operates five O'Charley's Restaurants in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Florida, as well as nine Dairy Queen stores in Northeast Ohio.

The company has a long history of giving back to the community. 

In December, Covelli celebrated more than 30 years as the largest local contributor to the U.S. Marine Corps Toys for Tots program, with a $15,000 donation. 

This past August, the company hosted the area's largest fundraising event, the 7th annual Panerathon, which has hosted more than 50,000 people and raised over $1.6 million for the Joanie Abdu Comprehensive Breast Care Center at St. Elizabeth Health Center over the past seven years.

Covelli Enterprises also supports the Salvation Army, the Disabled American Veterans, the Animal Welfare League, the American Heart Association, Akron Children's Hospital of the Mahoning Valley and Second Harvest Food Bank. 

For his commitment to the community, Covelli was recognized in 2012 with the Salvation Army's Distinguished Community Service Award, the American Red Cross Spirit of the Mahoning Valley Award, and was named 2013 Corporate Philanthropist of the Year in the Mahoning Valley. 

In 2014, Covelli received the Salvation Army Project Bundle up Award and the 2014 Association of Fundraising Professionals of Greater Cleveland Corporate Leadership Award.

The company donated more than $27 million in unsold bread product to local food banks and hunger relief agencies in 2016. In addition, Covelli donated $10 million to the Ohio State Athletics Department – the largest in the department's history – to assist in funding the construction of a multi-sport arena.

Covelli has earned numerous awards, including Ohio Entrepreneur of the Year, Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year for Northeast Ohio, YSU Alumni Association Distinguished Citizen of the Year and Youngstown Area Restaurateur of the Year. He was most recently inducted into the Beta Gamma Sigma honor society and received the Medallion Award for Entrepreneurship at YSU. 

He was the founder of the Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Mahoning Valley and Western Pennsylvania, and was a founding sponsor of the Giant Eagle LPGA Tournament Classic.

He currently serves on the Board of Trustees for the Cleveland Clinic; The Ohio State Athletics Campaign Committee; Velosano Steering Committee; Mercy Health Foundation of the Mahoning Valley Board; W.D. Packard Music Hall Board of Trustees; Better Business Bureau Board of Directors; Warren Economic Development Foundation Board; Diocese of Youngstown Blue Ribbon Executive Committee; Northeast Ohio Development and Finance Authority; Ohio Association of Commodores; as well as the Urology Care Foundation of the American Urological Association.