ZOM’s roots in the Netherlands run long and deep. Our founder, Joost Zyderveld, built a successful energy business in Rotterdam in the 1960s, funded by local Dutch investors. He then turned to real estate, and moved to Central Florida in 1977, carrying over the ZOM name, and investing in local projects with his loyal Dutch partners. Zyderveld sold the company in 1997 to Hans van Veggel, another successful Dutchman, and ZOM’s apartment production and industry reputation grew quickly. ZOM’s investor base transitioned from private Dutch capital to U.S. institutional investors, solidifying a foundation for future growth.

ZOM’s success through the years is largely owed to the trust placed in us by our shareholders and capital partners. This trust was built project by project over decades, with our first priority being to preserve the capital entrusted to us, and ultimately to deliver above-average risk-adjusted returns to our owners and partners. The lessons of our day-today experience have accumulated over the years, bringing us a good measure of both wisdom and perspective. This has enabled further expansion of our capital relationships to include the leading investment firms and banks in the industry.

As we enter ZOM’s fifth decade in real estate, we are optimistic about the future. Our projects are more about experience and emotion than bricks and mortar. Demographic trends continue to deliver a steady flow of new renters into the housing market, primarily millennials and aging baby boomers, who find rental housing more attractive than homeownership. Recent changes in U.S. tax law will further encourage renting instead of owning. We have also moved confidently into senior housing, as the leading edge of the baby boomers are now in their 70s. These aging seniors are also attracted to urban living, and are looking for higher levels of service and lifestyle amenities, which is what ZOM Senior Living is all about. We are proud of our Dutch roots and grateful to our shareholders, employees, and capital partners, each of whom has played an important role in ZOM’s success. We strive to reach higher, and to enhance ZOM’s tradition of delivering well-conceived, design-driven living spaces that stir the emotions of our residents and make a lasting contribution to the cultural fabric of the neighborhoods where our residents live and work.