Written with Stacy Sallinen, Contributing Writer
As a little boy, Jon Maniscalco always wanted to work in a pizza parlor. As drive and determination would have it, Maniscalco is GHOP’s most tenured employee with over 17 years of service.
A Gorham native, Maniscalco started working at GHOP in 1999 at the age of 16 through the Community Based Education program at Gorham High School. After his graduation from GHS in 2002, Angelo Sotiropoulos, owner of GHOP, hired him to continue working during his year of post graduate programming at GHS and at Portland Arts and Technology High School (PATHS) where he studied Food Service.
Maniscalco can be seen nearly every Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday afternoon washing dishes, cleaning tables, sweeping floors, helping to make pizza dough, and creating his own pizza and burgers – his favorites at GHOP. The only thing that keeps him out of the establishment is illness, family vacation, or inclement weather.
He spends the remainder of each week in vocational day programming and Strive, where he receives instruction on grocery shopping, meal planning and prep, bus navigation and independent living skills. Maniscalco has a job coach who periodically checks in, but the Sotiropoulos and GHOP family have taken him under their wings.
“Jon is a veteran and knows his duties by heart. He doesn’t require much guidance at all,” said George Sotiropoulos. “The only thing my dad and I do for him during work, besides give him a hug and tell him how much we love him, is to keep him focused as he likes to joke around with staff.”
Photo credit Roger MarchandJon Maniscalco, GHOP’s longest tenured employee, is pictured with George Sotiropoulos (left) and GHOP owner, Angelo Sotiropoulos.
Maniscalco, who recently underwent cataract surgery and no longer needs glasses, is a familiar face whose fondness for his customers is obvious in his unwavering brilliant smile. When he’s not with his extended family at Gorham House of Pizza, Maniscalco is pursuing one of his many passions. He enjoys sitting by luminous campfires and has a mission to watch every episode of Scooby-Doo, Seinfeld, and Cops.
He spends many Fridays and Saturday nights playing the drums while listening to his jukebox, YouTube, or Pandora. His preferred tunes exemplify his old soul: Beatles, the Four Seasons, Frankie Vallie, and the oldies.
Maniscalco is fascinated by weather patterns and fronts; he enjoys watching weather channels, soaking up the information, and keeping parents, Paul and Peggy Maniscalco, up to speed on the current weather condition.
His mom noted her son’s unique love of facts and dates, “living his life by a calendar.” Peggy explained that they watch “Stand by Me” every Labor Day since the movie takes place on Labor Day weekend; they watch “La Bamba” every February 3rd, the day Richie Valens died in a plane crash; and they watch “The Babe” every August 16th, the day Babe Ruth died.
Maniscalco is proud of the work he does, passionate about his hobbies, and he approaches life with a big smile and heart.