In 1922 Roy Leggat opened the family’s very first car dealership in Hamilton. This flagship business was made possible through a $3000.00 loan from Roy’s mother. Three generations later, and the Leggats have used this family-focused approach to grow the business from a single location into the Leggat Auto Group, which currently employs 500 people at nine dealerships in southern Ontario.
Roy’s unparalleled work ethic and dedication ushered the company through the Great Depression. He was a role model for his children, especially his son Doug, who is the current President of Leggat Auto Group. Doug opened his first dealership in 1956 and has worked hard over the past six decades to imbue each new dealership with Roy’s family and customer-focused business style.
Doug and Maryella’s three children have also been instrumental in advancing the Leggat legacy. All three have dedicated their time and support to the Burlington community with their son Brian following in his father’s and grandfather’s footsteps.
The Leggat’s entrepreneurial spirit is matched by the family’s commitment to philanthropy and Doug was instrumental in supporting the community and charities. In 2004, the Leggat Care Foundation was formalized and the fund now supports over 65 charities across Southern Ontario. Doug’s dedication to community growth was recognized by the Burlington Foundation in 2011, when Doug was named Philanthropist of the Year. Furthermore, in 2012 he was awarded a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, and in 2017 he was the recipient of the Burlington Chamber of Commerce’s Distinguished Entrepreneur Award.