YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – AVI Foodsystems and the Payiavlas family donated $1 million to The Kilcawley: Centered on the Future Campaign at Youngstown State University.
In recognition of the gift, the main dining area in Kilcawley will be recognized as the Payiavlas Family Dining Commons.
“We thank the entire Payiavlas family for their continued commitment to the Mahoning Valley and Youngstown State University and our students,” YSU President Bill Johnson said. “This gift by one of the Valley’s most prominent and generous families means that thousands of students will enjoy the benefits of an exceptional dining experience.”
AVI recently announced it will take over YSU culinary and hospitality services.
“We are deeply honored to support Youngstown State University through this gift,” said Anthony Payiavlas, president and CEO of AVI Foodsystems. “As good citizens of our community, our family believes we have an obligation to support the causes that matter most – those that will significantly impact the quality of life in our community. The Kilcawley campaign and YSU are, without a doubt, these types of causes.”
Scott Schulick, chairman of the Kilcawley campaign, said a big part of student life includes dining services provided across campus.
“It allows students to socialize with their friends and nourish themselves with healthy options,” he said. “We are grateful that the Payiavlas family and AVI will continue to feed the student experience.”
AVI Foodsystems is the largest independently owned and family-operated food service company in the nation, providing hospitality and food services in 49 states and Canada. AVI serves thousands of clients and millions of customers daily through cafés, micro markets, state-of-the-art vending programs, health care patient dining and catering, concessions and refreshment services.
With thousands of team members, AVI provides services to business and industry, colleges and universities, health care facilities, leisure and entertainment venues and other institutions.
The company started in 1960, when John Payiavlas, the son of a working-class Greek immigrant family, bought a small, local vending company, Automatic Vendors. The company began with a few vending machines as a side business to Payiavlas’ first business venture, the Village Café, a small bar and restaurant located in downtown Warren.
In the 1980s, the company evolved by venturing into additional types of food and hospitality services and expanded into new geographic markets. In 1988, the company’s name was changed to AVI Foodsystems.
John Payiavlas and his wife, Marisa, have two children, Patrice Payiavlas Kouvas and Anthony. John is founder and chairman of the board; Patrice is vice chair; and Anthony is president and CEO.