Sarnia’s Steeves and Rozema Group to become two separate companies

Changes at Steeves and Rozema Group, a Sarnia company formed in 1963 by Don Steeves and John Rozema, will see two separate companies moving forward.

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The Steeves family has established a new company named MillDon Enterprises Ltd., in honor of Don and Millie Steeves, focused Soley on residential properties that will own and operate eight multi-residential sites, according to a news release. It will be led by David and Linda (Steeves) Scapillati.

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The Rozema family will own and operate senior living homes, including S&R Nursing Homes, along with multi-residential and commercial properties under the name S&R Group, the release said.

“We are committed to ensuring that our homes will continue to be managed with the same dedication, values, and quality of care we have worked to provide to residents and their families,” Ralph Rozema said in the news release.

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In Sarnia, S&R Group will continue to operate three long-term care homes, four retirement homes and the St. Clair Corporate Centre, along with properties elsewhere in Ontario.

Rozema and Steeves, who met while working in Chemical Valley six decades ago, started out as partners constructing apartment buildings and then long-term care homes. Today, the company operates commercial, multi-residential, retirement and long-term care homes at 39 locations in southern Ontario with more than 1,800 employees.

“Both companies are committed to a smooth transition for the residents, their families, and the staff at all 39 locations,” Linda Scapillati said in the release.

“Obviously there’s a long relationship between the two families and that I don’t think that will change but legally they will be two separate companies,” said John Scotland, CEO of S&R Group.

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Steeves died in 2011 and Rozema in 2018.

Members of the second generation of each family have been involved “at the board level for quite a number of years,” Scotland said.

“It was not a sudden decision,” he said. “The planning and processes have been going on for a few years now to make sure it happened as smoothly and efficiently as possible.”

The changes are expected to be completed before the end of April and the news release was issued in conjunction with notices to tenants and employees at properties being transferred to MillDon Enterprises, Scotland said.

“There will be a very limited number of staff associated with the properties transferred and all of those will be retaining their employment under the same terms and conditions,” Scotland said.

“It really has been done with a mind to ensure the continuation of the companies, and the continuation of their fathers’ legacy, is enabled by this step” and “to see this through well into the third and fourth generation,” Scotland said.

S & R will operate properties across southwestern Ontario but its head office will remain in Sarnia, Scotland said.

There will also be a “continued large presence” of MillDon in Sarnia, he said.

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