OCEAN CITY, Md. - Steve Pappas, an Ocean City businessman who helped grow the Greene Turtle from a local pub into a regional sports bar chain, has died, according to Salisbury University.
The university announced his passing Thursday, remembering Pappas as a former student-athlete, assistant coach, and longtime supporter whose contributions reached beyond campus.
Pappas attended what was then Salisbury State College, playing on the men’s soccer team in 1975 and 1976 and the men’s lacrosse team in 1976 and 1977. He also served as an assistant coach, according to the university.
His ties to Salisbury continued through decades of service and philanthropy. Pappas served on the Salisbury University Foundation Board of Directors from 2007 to 2015, helping support the university’s mission and opportunities for students.
The university also recognized his civic involvement, business leadership, and charitable work in Ocean City.
“Steve’s life reflected a genuine commitment to service, leadership and giving back,” said Dr. Gerry DiBartolo, a close friend and former Salisbury athletics director and men’s soccer coach.
Pappas also helped shape one of the region’s best-known restaurant brands. According to the Greene Turtle’s company history, he and college friend Tommy Dickerson bought the original Ocean City pub in 1981, five years after it opened, and transformed it into a sports bar.
The business expanded to Baltimore’s Fells Point neighborhood in 1986 and Laurel, Maryland, in 1990. Franchising began in 2002, helping spread the Greene Turtle across the Mid-Atlantic. The company marks its 50th anniversary this year.
Salisbury University extended condolences to Pappas’ family, friends, and former teammates.
