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Though his name is now attached to libraries, medical centers, and various other philanthropic efforts across Maryland, Philip Zaffere’s story began in a small family bakery in Federalsburg.
Philip Andrew Zaffere was born in Federalsburg on November 12, 1930, to Francis Donato Zaffere and Anna Mabel Huhn. His family operated Zaffere’s Bakery, a business founded by his father in 1912. During his college years, Zaffere’s education was interrupted when his father became ill and he returned home to help run the bakery. Rather than split at the first opportunity, Zafferre turned this temporary blip into a legacy literally worth millions.
Under Zaffere’s leadership, the family bakery evolved far beyond its original offerings of pies, sweet rolls, and Sally Ann bread. Guided by instinct and experimentation rather than formal training, Zaffere developed innovative food production methods that helped modernize the company and drastically expand its reach.
Eventually renamed Shoreman Food Technologies, the Federalsburg-based operation became a major supplier for nationally known food brands. He engineered specialized ovens and equipment to improve consistency and efficiency in production, and even developed the process for manufacturing the bread crumb used in Stove Top stuffing, which was at one point produced at his plant in Federalsburg. Shoreman Food Technologies also supplied breading products for Mrs. Paul’s frozen foods. One newspaper article famously referred to him as the “Crumb King.”
In 1988, Zaffere sold Shoreman Food Technologies to the PET Food Corporation and retired. Thankfully he was not just known for his professional achievements, but for being a philanthropic, funny, down-to-Earth guy. Described as playful, mischievous, and deeply loyal to friends and family, Zaffere made it a point to assist those in need, visiting shut-ins and supporting others without seeking recognition.
Zaffere died on January 4, 2016, at the age of 85. He was still living on the Eastern Shore.
Today, much of his lasting impact can be seen through the work of the Philip A. Zaffere Foundation, Inc., a Towson-based private foundation that supports education, philanthropy, voluntarism, grantmaking, and human services initiatives. According to publicly available filings, the foundation holds more than $18 million in assets and continues to distribute funding to organizations and institutions across the region.
Among the most visible examples of that legacy is the Philip A. Zaffere Library at Stevenson University’s Owings Mills North campus. In 2018, Stevenson University announced it had received a $2 million gift from the Philip A. Zaffere Foundation toward construction of the university’s new library, one of the largest gifts in the institution’s history. The academic facility serves as a hub for study, research, collaboration, and campus events. University officials noted that the library was intended to reflect the same qualities that defined Zaffere’s life and career: determination, vision, creativity, and innovation. “Philip Zaffere’s life demonstrates so many of the characteristics that Stevenson works to develop in our students – determination, vision, and innovation,” said Stevenson University President Elliot Hirshman. His name also lives on through the Philip A. Zaffere Digestive Disease and Multidisciplinary Procedure Center at University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center.
Longtime friend Phyllis Friedman said, “Phil was someone who not only could see into the future, but had the courage to act on it.”
