On Wed, Roger Glass, the president and CEO of Marion’s Piazza, and major philanthropist died Wednesday at hospice. He was 80 years old.
Roger Glass was the 2nd generation owner of the business started by his father, Marion Glass, founded in 1965. He said “My dad realized that a quality product was important, so he already had a great reputation in town,” recounts Glass, who owned, the buiness with his two sisters. “The business was successful right away.”
In 1965, a local theater company initiated Summer Stock, bringing in big-name celebs to star in a play for 12 weeks. Each week of the production, from 1965 to 1995, Marion’s hosted the cast party, serving up pies to hundreds of entertainers—including Betty White, Mickey Rooney, Barbara Eden, Joan Rivers and Zsa Zsa Gabor—whose photos now fill the walls. Over the decades, Marion’s steadily expanded to nine locations, each with seating for hundreds, while maintaining a focus on quality ingredients, edge-to-edge toppings, and warm service and ambience.
In his later years, Glass became a philanthropist supporting causes across the community. Sponsoring the city of Dayton Fireworks, Chaminade Julienne High School’s athletic facility, which opened in August 2016, is named Roger Glass Stadium and most recently The University of Dayton’s first building dedicated to visual and performing arts which will be named for the 1967, president and CEO of Marion’s Piazza.
The Roger Glass Center for the Arts, at the southeast corner of Main and Stewart streets, will elevate the arts on campus and provide greater connection with the Dayton community through concerts, dance and theater performances, and art exhibits featuring students, faculty, visiting artists, and community members. Glass, who holds a bachelor’s degree in communication arts from UD, is the lead donor on the project.
The University of Dayton’s first building dedicated to visual and performing arts will be named for local entrepreneur and philanthropist Roger Glass ‘67, president and CEO of Marion’s Piazza.
The Roger Glass Center for the Arts, at the southeast corner of Main and Stewart streets, will elevate the arts on campus and provide greater connection with the Dayton community through concerts, dance and theater performances, and art exhibits featuring students, faculty, visiting artists, and community members. Glass, who holds a bachelor’s degree in communication arts from UD, is the lead donor on the project.
“When I went to UD, everything was scattered,” Glass said. “This is an opportunity for all of the arts at UD to come together and have an amazing place to display their talents. Not only the university but the community will be able to take advantage of the center for the arts.”
On August 19, 1965, after investing his life savings, Marion Glass opened a pizza restaurant at 460 Patterson Road in Dayton Ohio called 
Marion developed a thin crust pizza (now often referred to as “Dayton Style” pizza). By using only the finest ingredients on his pizzas, sandwiches, pastas and salads, Marion’s Piazza soon became a Dayton favorite!
