September 10, 2018 – After nearly 40 years, Liteline founder and president Steve Silverstein has announced he is retiring.

Silverstein started the company in 1979 with his wife, Helen, when he saw an opportunity to provide aftermarket lens replacements for fluorescent lighting fixtures. He offered small-run custom fabrication, often from the back of his own truck, and specialized in quick delivery to distributors.

Today, Liteline has 130 employees and operates a 160,000-square-foot office and warehouse facility in Richmond Hill, Ont., from which it serves businesses throughout Canada and the U.S. The company offers more than 650 product lines for commercial and residential applications, including lenses, louvres, lamps, fixtures, wiring devices and die-cast aluminum outdoor boxes.

Since 2004, Silverstein has groomed his three children–Daniel, Mark and Sarah–to take over the family-owed business. With the transition, they will succeed him as principals.

“I have observed the tendency of company founders to stay on-board for too long and not make room for fresh leadership,” he says. “Being completely hands-off won’t be easy, but I am looking forward to enjoying my retirement.”