Food business mogul lived for his family
Giving back and aiding Macedonia big parts of legacy
John Bitove Sr., the Toronto businessman who built a food, beverage and catering empire, died this week surrounded by his children and grandchildren.
Bitove Sr., 87, was not only an accomplished Canadian businessman but a philanthropist whose work included the founding of the Canadian Macedonian Place for elderly seniors and a charity called ProAction that was dedicated to helping at-risk youth, in partnership with the Metropolitan Toronto Police.
Most recently, Bitove, working with Toronto General Hospital and York University, helped set up the Dotsa Bitove Wellness Centre, a day facility for people with Alzheimer’s. It was a labour of love for him, created to honour his wife, who suffers from the disease.
“He raised an incredible family with 16 loving grandchildren,” says his son John Bitove Jr. “He was a very successful businessman. He was involved with the church. He was involved with the community. . . . My father was one of those who never really cared to sit and fish.”
Bitove Sr. was born in Toronto in 1928 after his parents came to Canada from Gabresh, formerly part of Aegean Macedonia but now in Greece. He worked as a helper in his father’s butcher shop, before building a restaurant business and then a food and catering empire that had contracts with Toronto International Airport as well as SkyDome, now known as the Rogers Centre. He served as chairman and CEO of the Bitove Corporation from 1987 to 1996 before passing the torch.
One of his proudest moments was opening night of SkyDome in 1989, said Bitove Jr. “We had all the restaurants and the family business in there. It brought everything together. It was a family business. He was a sports fan and it was in a city he loved so much.”
But business and sports weren’t his only passions. For him, giving back was very important, says his son.
Bitove Sr. helped raise funds and medical supplies when needed as well as organizing and leading an international campaign to have the Republic of Macedonia recognized as an independent state. As well he helped get off the ground an organization of professionals — Macedonia 2025 — to work on the economic development of Macedonia.
“It’s part of the mantle we have to carry,” said Bitove Jr.
In 1989, he was made a member of the Order of Canada. Macedonia also recognized his efforts, awarding him the September 8th Medal of Honour for his “lifelong dedication” to supporting Macedonia.
Bitove Sr. “loved Macedonia both with words and deeds,” Dr. Gjorge Ivanov, the president of the Republic of Macedonia, said in a news release, praising his efforts “for its international recognization, especially in the relations with friendly Canada.”
Bitove was a good corporate citizen, a great father and a great friend, says Jim Nikopoulos, chief legal officer at Element Financial Corp. “I’m tremendously honoured to have called him a friend and mentor.”
“John to me personally was a kind, generous man, a sound business leader, a great family man,” said George Markou, a Toronto businessman, adding he was “a giant in the Macedonian community.”
Bitove Sr. is survived his five children, 16 grandchildren and his wife. A private funeral service is to take place Saturday, with a celebration of his life for family and friends to be held after Labour Day.