It is with great pleasure to announce that the United Macedonian Diaspora will honor Mr. John L. N. Bitove, C.M. with the UMD Lifetime Achievement Award at the upcoming Global Conference in Toronto, Canada - a truly distinguished Canadian Macedonian leader of the highest order. The award will be given at a Gala on June 5, 2010 at the Sheraton Centre Hotel.

In 1919, Nicholas and Vana Bitove immigrated to Canada from Gabresh, Kostursko, Aegean Macedonia, and John was born in 1928. As a young man growing up in Toronto's East End, John's parents instilled in him the work ethic that would serve him well throughout his life. From an early age, John displayed a special energy and charisma, actively involved in a wide variety of community activities and sporting events. He married his wife Dotsa in 1949 at Toronto's St. George Macedonian Orthodox Church, and they went on to have five children, Vonna, Tom, Nick, John Jr. and Jordan, and they were later graced with fifteen grandchildren.

John first entered the business world as an apprentice to his father, who ran a small butcher shop on Queen Street East. In 1949, at the age of 21, John opened his first restaurant called The Java Shoppe, on Avenue Road. He quickly expanded it into a chain of five family-oriented restaurants under the same name.

In the early 60s, Bitove entered a restaurant fixtures business, while also developing and financing a number of restaurants in Toronto and across Canada, including familiar names like the Gaslight Tavern and Mr. Tony's in Yorkville, Cava Bob on Yonge Street, the Mississippi Belle in Don Mills and Diamond Jim's in Hamilton. In 1969, John sold the fixtures business and acquired the Canadian franchise rights to Big Boy Family Restaurants, developing it into 32 restaurants over 10 years. In 1968, Mr. Bitove joined the Board of Goldale Developments Ltd., a large developer of subdivisions and catalyst for the City of Brampton's impressive growth.

In the 80s, Bitove diversified into various areas, including oil and gas properties in southern Texas. In 1983, John and his children founded York County Quality Foods Ltd., which acquired the food and beverage concessions at Lester B. Pearson International Airport in Toronto, North America's fourth-busiest airport. In 1986, Bitove formed CitiDome Corp, which acquired vending rights to the Skydome (Rogers Centre), the world's largest retractable roof stadium. One year later, York County Quality Foods and CitiDome Corp were amalgamated to form The Bitove Corporation.

In 1991, Bitove founded Great Moments in Catering, which specialized in large, outdoor sporting events like Polo For Heart, the Sun Life National Tennis Championships, and the Toronto Molson Indy. GMIC's client list includes blue chip companies like Coca Cola, Labatt, IBM, Sony, Seagram, Xerox and Cadillac Fairview. In 1992, the Bitove family and Canadian hockey superstar Wayne Gretzky teamed up to open Wayne Gretzky's Restaurant on Blue Jays Way, a Toronto landmark. In 1993, Bitove and partners were awarded an NBA franchise for Toronto, the first ever NBA team outside of the U.S., and, in 1995, the Toronto Raptors were born.

Bitove Corporation always found ways to innovate and push into new areas. With Public Health Care food services, Bitove Corp allowed hospitals to become "kitchen-less", receiving patient and non-patient food services directly from a remote location. The first hospitals to take advantage of this approach were Toronto General and Toronto Western, with a total of over 1,000 beds. Bitove also obtained the contract to provide passenger meals to first-class VIA passenger trains, originating out of Toronto's Union Station.

Today, John Bitove is Chairman of the Board of Directors, and Chief Executive Officer of The Bitove Corporation, with operations including catering, restaurants and other hospitality services, and employing over 1,200 people.

Despite the demands of a business empire and commitment to family, John Bitove has always managed to find time to give something back to the greater community in his beloved Toronto. Former Mayor June Rowlands described him as, "extremely generous and very civic minded, a businessman with heart."

Some of his philanthropic achievements include:
- Honorable Citizen of Metropolitan Toronto (1979);
- Ontario chairman of the British Commonwealth Games (1986);
- Member of the Order of Canada (1989);
- Chairman of the ProAction Cops and Kids Program (1990), named Honorary Police Chief for his efforts;
- Fellow of the Ontario Hostelry Institute (1991);
- Commemorative Medal for the 125th Anniversary of Canadian Confederation (1992);
- Distinguished member of the Toronto General Hospital, chairman of a fundraising dinner for their Cardiac Care Unit, and Companion of St. Michael's Hospital, funding an important kidney dialysis program;
- Distinguished member of the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, University of Western Ontario, Weizmann Institute of Science, and former director of the Royal Ontario Museum;
- Mason of King Solomon's Lodge and a founder of the Armour Heights Rotary Club;
- Sponsored and assisted several organ recipients to Canada for successful transplants;
- With Dennis Timbrell and the Salvation Army, provided over 50,000 Christmas baskets to the needy.

A proud Canadian, Bitove never forgot his Macedonian heritage. As a respected leader of the Canadian Macedonian community in Toronto, he furthered humanitarian causes in the Republic of Macedonia, in Aegean Macedonia and around the globe. As past chairman of the Canadian Macedonian Federation and the Macedonian World Congress, Bitove worked relentlessly behind the scenes, devoting countless hours lobbying the Canadian and U.S. governments as well as other countries to recognize the fledgling Republic of Macedonia.

Notably, Bitove took an active role in assisting the citizens of Skopje after the massive 1963 earthquake (the first foreigner to visit Skopje after the earthquake), and in 1993, he organized the SkyDome Medicine for Macedonian campaign, which raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for the purchase of much-needed medical equipment and medicine in the Republic of Macedonia. Over the years, he has sponsored more than 150 displaced persons from the Balkans, making it possible for them to immigrate to Canada. He arranged food, clothing and shelter until they could become self-sufficient contributing members of their new country. Bitove is a founder and Chairman of the Board at Canadian Macedonian Place, a well-known senior citizen's complex that takes care of the elderly of Toronto's Macedonian community. Bitove provided founding support of the Macedonian Language Program at the University of Toronto, and is a long-time supporter of building Macedonian Orthodox Churches, recently helping to establish St. Mary's in Cambridge and St. Ilija in Mississauga.

UMD is proud to recognize John L. N. Bitove, C.M., an inspiration, a community leader, a successful businessman, and a proud husband, father and grandfather, a philanthropist, and a patriotic Macedonian.

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Join us in honouring John L. N. Bitove, C.M.!!!

Gala proceeds will help establish the John L. N. Bitove Macedonian Heritage Scholarship Fund, which will benefit Canadian and international students based on need and merit.  

Ken Shaw - National Editor and Anchor Weekdays of CTV News Toronto - will Emcee the Gala!

The Macedonian ethno jazz group Synthesis will entertain guests.

Attire: Cocktail/Business Professional

UMD Gala Table Patron Recognition Levels

Gold Table Patron - $5,000

• Ten tickets to VIP Cocktail Reception with special presentation to John L. N. Bitove C.M.
• Table of Ten Prominently Positioned at Gala Dinner
• Recognition on all Table Cards and Video Screen
• Recognition in Conference Journal
• Enhanced dinner service at Closing Night Gala
• Complimentary Valet Parking Pass for table purchaser
• Tax receipt for maximum amount in accordance with Canada Revenue Agency guidelines (minimum $1,500)
• Access to Business Expo exhibitors 

Silver Table Patron - $3,500

• Ten tickets to VIP Cocktail Reception with special presentation to John L. N. Bitove C.M.
• Table of Ten Prominently Positioned at Gala Dinner
• Enhanced dinner service at Closing Night Gala
• Complimentary Valet Parking Pass for table purchaser
• Access to Business Expo exhibitors 

Bronze Table Patron - $1,750

• Table of Ten at Gala Dinner
• Access to Business Expo exhibitors 

VIP Individual Ticket - $350

• Ticket to VIP Cocktail Reception with special presentation to John L. N. Bitove C.M.
• Seating Prominently Positioned at Gala Dinner
• Enhanced dinner service at Closing Night Gala
• Access to Business Expo exhibitors 

Individual Ticket - $175

• One ticket for Gala Dinner
• Access to Business Expo exhibitors

If you would like to buy a table at the Gala, please call us at 1-800-UMD-9583 or e-mail us at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .  To buy individual tickets, please click HERE.  To download the Gala reply card to fill out and mail to us, click HERE.

We hope you will join us as we honour Mr. Bitove and his accomplishments!