Stephen Reed Ulrey was born in Columbus, Ohio on January 17, 1951, to Wayne and Esther Ulrey. The family lived in the Linden area of Columbus before moving to a new neighborhood, Georgian Heights, on the westside of Columbus in 1955. He attended several elementary schools, while his junior high years were spent at Westmoor Junior High. He began his years at West High School in the fall of 1967. While at West, Steve was involved with sports, Hi-Y, Spanish Club, Drama Club, Student Council, and the 1969 Talent Show. The Senior Class later selected him as “The Most Talented.”

After graduating in 1969, Steve earned his Bachelor of Science Degree from The Ohio State University in 1973. Four years later, he earned his Master of Arts Degree from there as well. While in high school and college he worked several jobs: Burger Chef, Lincoln Van Lines, Rinks, and K&G Contracting. These jobs would afford him the possibility of attending Ohio State.

In 1971, he married Ellen Marie Kendall (West, 1970). After their marriage, they continued to live on the Westside of Columbus. Ellen worked at the Department of Transportation for the State of Ohio and Steve worked two jobs while attending OSU. In 1978, their first son, Matthew, was born followed by the birth of their second son, Michael, in 1982. Ellen has been very loving, supportive, and encouraging to Steve and his many endeavors over the course of their 53 years of marriage. Fast forward to 2014. Mike (their son), married Traci, and they now have Steve and Ellen’s two grandchildren; Kendall (9) and Jacob (5).

Steve began his teaching career in 1973 at Roosevelt Junior High School. In addition to being a teacher, he was a baseball and basketball coach, an intramural director, and a Move Ahead Coordinator. Move Ahead was a unique program developing students who were behind in school into a position of graduating with other students their same age. Due to the closing of Roosevelt in 1977, he took the same position at Medina Junior High where he also initiated the Move Ahead program.

At the start of the 1978-79 school year, Steve decided to take a sabbatical from teaching and relocate his young family to Orlando, Florida and begin his experience as VP of Operations for RAX Restaurants of Florida. RAX of Florida became the largest RAX franchisee in the South and the second largest franchisee in the entire RAX Corp. system. In 1983, RAX Corp. purchased RAX of Florida and Steve moved on to another area of the state and he assisted in the startup of RAX South, building stores along the east coast of Florida.

From 1985 to1991, Steve joined another restaurant venture back in Columbus, Ohio, as he became VP of Operations for Snapp’s Restaurants, a unique double-drive-thru concept to Central Ohio. During the next five years, Snapp’s built 50 restaurants in the Columbus, Dayton, Toledo, and Cleveland markets. It was one of the largest double-drive-thru systems in America. In time, Snapp’s was purchased by Rally’s.

In 1991, Steve joined his father, Wayne, and three brothers; Mark (West 1978), David (West 1981), and Scott (West 1984) to take his dad’s pizza concept and make it into a chain. The pizza concept, Tonni’s, began in1976 by his father and was expanded into two other stores by his brothers, primarily, David. With his father, brothers, and Steve as a team, they began to develop the ideas, ideals, concepts, and guidelines for what it is today, Flyers Pizza and Subs. Approximately – 2000, Steve’s Dad stepped down as President and Steve became the President/CEO of Ulrey Foods. The company continued to expand in the Central Ohio market with West Jefferson being the original store followed by Galloway, Hilliard. Grove City North, Powell, Blacklick, Groveport, Grove City South, Hayden Road, and the newest store, Pickerington.

During the 2000 – 2019 years, Flyers Pizza & Subs was recognized by several publications for great food and service. Pizza Today magazine, which ranks the Top 100 Independent Pizzerias in America, printed that Flyers was ranked in the Top Ten throughout those years and ranked as high as #4 in 2017. Due to COVID, the Top 100 was discontinued. Flyers was also on the cover of Pizza Marketing Quarterly, another national magazine. The Columbus Dispatch’s C-Bus Top Picks rated Flyers in the Top Five Pizzeria’s from 2014 -19. Again, the Top Picks were discontinued because of COVID. Flyers’ Southwestern Chicken Pizza was selected “the Best in the Midwest” by Pizza Today Magazine and competed in Vegas for the national title. Flyers has won several pizza contests throughout Central Ohio, highlighted by being selected the Best Pizza in Hilliard for four consecutive years and receiving a special award by State Senator, Stephanie Kunze.

In 2016, the Ulrey family sold Ulrey Foods, Inc. to their employees (ESOP). The employees now own Flyers Pizza & Subs. Currently, the administrative leaders of Flyers are Co-Presidents, Doug May and brother, Scott Ulrey (’84); and VP, brother, Mark Ulrey (’78). Steve retired from day-to-day operations and now has the title of Chairman of the Board.

Over the years, Steve oversaw Flyers’ donations to the many charities and causes they supported, which included donations to several high school scholarship programs. They have also supported several needs within the communities where a Flyers store is located. Ulrey Foods has contributed over $100K to the Malawi Talent Fund (an African country and one of the poorest nations in the world), given over $75K to Autism Speaks, sponsored the entire Grove City Little League (11-12) Program, and numerous Golf Tournaments, sponsored Christmas Baskets (United Disability Services, UDS), has been a member of several local Chambers, the Conway Family Business Center, Agonis Club, donated to many Community Food Pantries, and all the high school athletic programs where any of their stores were located.

Other honors, selections, and achievements by Steve are: Board member, VP, and President of the Westland Area Business Association; Board member of the Hilliard Chamber; member of the Southwestern City Schools Education Foundation; member of the Hilliard Business Advisory Board; member of the Ohio Health Development Board; member of the Amity Road EC Board; recipient of the WABA Enabler Award and the President’s Award for Community Involvement; Hilliard Chamber Business Award; Grove City Operator of the Year Award; Grand Marshall of the WABA and West Jefferson Independence Day Parades;

Ohio Restaurant Association Tenue Award; and a Presidential Letter of Commendation for Community Service, presented by State Senator, Chris Widner.

Steve currently serves as the Chairman of the Board for the Malawi Talent Fund, and he serves as a volunteer and a Board Member for the Country Closet Thrift Store in Plain City, which is currently beginning a $1M expansion in 2024. Steve also volunteers in the Jonathon Alder School District for the nationally known Life Wise Academy.