Title: Owner
Company: Papa Joe’s Famous Meats
Education: College Coursework; Associate of Science, Criminal Justice and Corrections
Career History: Owner, Papa Joe’s Famous Meats (2022-Present); Federal Bureau of Investigation (Three Years)
John A. Aloi, Owner at Papa Joe’s Famous Meats, has been recognized as a Marquis Emerging Leader for their contributions and achievements in the field of food services.
Priding himself on hard work and providing high-quality Italian restaurant and deli products to support and serve his community in Fairmont, West Virginia, Mr. Aloi re-opened a family business in 2022 that honors the historic homemade sausages made by his great-grandfather, the original “Papa Joe,” out of his own store that operated from the 1960s up until the 1990s. Although “Papa Joe” passed away in 1982, Mr. Aloi maintained it afterward until he paused its operations to fulfill military service. It was in December 2021 that he got hold of the cherished sausage recipe concocted by his great-grandfather, which was always a staple across family gatherings. He made hundreds of pounds of sausage, which he distributed to his family members. It prompted his idea to resurrect the business and “sell nostalgia” to customers who can walk into a store and eat the same food their grandparents and great-grandparents used to make—while continuing his own family’s food-oriented legacy.
Mr. Aloi runs the new establishment, which stands five miles from the original spot, his father, Sam “Papa” Aloi, and his son, Timothy, and oversees daily operations, handles sales, and supplies ordering and inventory. A naturally gifted cook for as long as he can remember, he served in the U.S. Army for more than 20 years, between 1994 and 2018, and would even cook for others as a soldier. Over the course of his accomplished military career, he was active as an airplane pilot for seven years, a helicopter pilot for 11 years, an Arabic linguist, a combat engineer, and a military policeman. Upon retiring from the Army with numerous accolades, he spent three years working with the FBI. Outside of his primary endeavors, he has been a proud member of the American Legion and Disabled American Veterans, served as a Junior Vice Commander and Commander for the Local Veterans of World Wars, and volunteered, donated, taken part in fundraisers, and spoken in support of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. In addition, he has been heavily involved in his community as a speaker and a donor across local schools, drama clubs, local sports teams, and local halfway houses.
Looking toward the future, Mr. Aloi plans on continuing the business for another decade before slowing down and passing the reigns down to his son, Timothy. He still anticipates working around 40 hours per week at that point, although that would be a significant drop from the 85 to 90 hours he currently puts in weekly. Above all else, he wants to keep the business open, carry on the family’s name and legacy, and ultimately pass it on to the next generation of Alois.
