David White

President

White began a life in the restaurant business during college summers, managing Cedar Point’s Silver Dollar in his hometown of Sandusky, Ohio. The time at Cedar Point was pivotal; he learned the business, and he met his wife of forty-plus years, Mary Carol. In 1967, David purchased a Kentucky Fried Chicken franchise in Utica/Rome, NY. White opened more units in upstate New York, developed twenty-seven KFC units in the Mid-Atlantic region, and expanded into Dunkin Donuts. The White Management Group continues to own and operate KFC, Dunkin Donuts and Subway units in northern New York.

In 1975, David ventured into full-service restaurants with the Plattsburgh, NY Butcher Block, an authentic steak and seafood concept wrapped by a large, simple barn. Sister restaurants followed in Raleigh, NC and Albany, NY. In 1988, David bought the Log Jam restaurant, a busy Adirondack style restaurant in Lake George, NY.

A devoted runner, White routinely passed an old gas station on his morning workouts and on those runs, he began mulling over a concept to re-use the prime Slingerlands location. Inspiration for an Italian concept came during a trip to Italy. The simple dishes, fresh ingredients, and old-world flavors appealed. He returned from Italy and created Mangia – a comfortable, simple restaurant anchored by an artisan, Wood-fired oven. Additional Mangia restaurants followed in Stuyvesant Plaza, Albany, NY and Plattsburgh, NY in 1992 and Clifton Park in 1995.