LittleSis: Michael Ilitch

Emperor of Little Caesars pizza empire started off fielding ground balls in the Detroit Tigers farm system. Injury ended baseball career; opened first slice shop 1959. Modeled franchise on Ray Kroc's McDonald's: cheap ingredients, fast service, drive-up windows. Famous for "Pizza Pizza" 2-for-1 promotions. Trouble late 1990s; refurbished stores, ditched frozen cheese. Estimated annual sales: $1.6 billion. Detroit native bought Tigers 1992. Also owns pro hockey's Detroit Red Wings; team won Stanley Cup in June (fourth championship since 1997). Wife, Marian, owns Detroit's MotorCity Casino. Facing new competition from MGM Mirage; economic downturn depressing casino valuations. The son of Macedonian immigrants, Mr. Ilitch played baseball at Detroit’s Cooley High School and was signed by his hometown Tigers after his four-year stint in the US Marines, spending three years in the team’s farm system before a knee injury ended his playing career. But he found his niche in business. His family’s companies had combined revenues of $2.4 billion in 2011. Mr. Ilitch broke into sports ownership in 1982, when he paid a reported $8 million for the struggling Red Wings. Once a National Hockey League powerhouse, the team had bottomed out to mediocrity, but it began winning again under Ilitch. The Red Wings took home the Stanley Cup in 1997, 1998, 2002, and 2008. Ilitch also bought Olympia Entertainment, which manages several restaurants and sports and entertainment venues, in 1982. Husband and wife bought the downtown Fox Theatre five years later and started a massive, $12 million restoration. It reopened a year later and became a lucrative venue for musicals, plays, and other productions. Then, in 1992, the man who once dreamed of playing for the Detroit Tigers bought the team for $85 million. He moved it in 2000 from the storied but fading Tiger Stadium to Comerica Park, across from the Fox Theatre. All of Mr. Ilitch’s businesses have their headquarters in the Detroit metropolitan area. His son Christopher is president and chief executive officer of Ilitch Holdings. In addition to his wife Marian and his son Christopher, Mr. Ilitch is survived by his sons Michael Jr., Atanas and Ron; his daughters, Denise, Lisa and Carole; 22 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Donor	Common Recipients
Edward C Levy Jr	John Boehner, Daniel Inouye, Joseph Knollenberg, Carl Levin, Sander Martin Levin, Candice S Miller, Chuck Schumer, Bart T Stupak, Don Young, Barbara-Rose Collins, George W Bush, Republican National Committee, National Republican Senatorial Committee, National Republican Congressional Committee, Michigan Republican Party, New Jersey Republican State Committee, Republican Party of Minnesota, Massachusetts Republican State Congressional Committee, Republican Party of Wisconsin, Oklahoma Leadership Council, Mitt Romney, Idaho Republican Party, Bob Carr, Ronna Romney, Vermont Republican Federal Elections Committee, Dave Trott, Boehner for Speaker Cmte
E Llwyd Ecclestone Jr	John Boehner, Candice S Miller, George W Bush, Republican National Committee, National Republican Senatorial Committee, Rudy Giuliani, National Republican Congressional Committee, Arkansas Leadership Committee 2004 Fcrc, Michigan Republican Party, New Jersey Republican State Committee, Ohio Republican Party State Central & Executive Committee, Republican Federal Committee of Pennsylvania, Republican Party of Florida, Republican Party of Minnesota, Arizona Republican Party, Massachusetts Republican State Congressional Committee, Republican Party of Iowa, Washington State Republican Party, Republican Party of Wisconsin, 2004 Joint State Victory Committee, Oregon Republican Party, Missouri Republican State Committee-Federal, Nevada Republican State Central Committee, George H W Bush, Mitt Romney, Ronna Romney, Boehner for Speaker Cmte
Frank Fertitta III	John Boehner, Daniel Inouye, Harry Reid, Chuck Schumer, Mark Kennedy, George W Bush, Republican National Committee, National Republican Senatorial Committee, Rudy Giuliani, National Republican Congressional Committee, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, New Jersey Republican State Committee, Ohio Republican Party State Central & Executive Committee, Republican Federal Committee of Pennsylvania, Republican Party of Minnesota, New Hampshire Republican State Committee, Massachusetts Republican State Congressional Committee, Republican Party of Wisconsin, Rich Political Action Committee, Oklahoma Leadership Council, Missouri Republican State Committee-Federal, Nevada Republican State Central Committee, George H W Bush, Mitt Romney, Idaho Republican Party, Vermont Republican Federal Elections Committee, Boehner for Speaker Cmte
David P Mehney	Joseph Knollenberg, George W Bush, Republican National Committee, Rudy Giuliani, National Republican Congressional Committee, Arkansas Leadership Committee 2004 Fcrc, Michigan Republican Party, Ohio Republican Party State Central & Executive Committee, Republican Federal Committee of Pennsylvania, Republican Party of Florida, Republican Party of Minnesota, New Hampshire Republican State Committee, Arizona Republican Party, Massachusetts Republican State Congressional Committee, Republican Party of Iowa, Washington State Republican Party, Republican Party of Wisconsin, 2004 Joint State Victory Committee, Oregon Republican Party, Oklahoma Leadership Council, Missouri Republican State Committee-Federal, Nevada Republican State Central Committee, Maine Republican Party, Mitt Romney, Idaho Republican Party, Ronna Romney, Vermont Republican Federal Elections Committee
Robert McNair	John Boehner, George W Bush, Republican National Committee, National Republican Senatorial Committee, Rudy Giuliani, National Republican Congressional Committee, Arkansas Leadership Committee 2004 Fcrc, Michigan Republican Party, New Jersey Republican State Committee, Ohio Republican Party State Central & Executive Committee, Republican Federal Committee of Pennsylvania, Republican Party of Florida, Republican Party of Minnesota, New Hampshire Republican State Committee, Arizona Republican Party, Republican Party of Iowa, Washington State Republican Party, Republican Party of Wisconsin, 2004 Joint State Victory Committee, Oregon Republican Party, Oklahoma Leadership Council, Missouri Republican State Committee-Federal, Nevada Republican State Central Committee, Maine Republican Party, George H W Bush, Mitt Romney, Boehner for Speaker Cmte
Robert H Castellini	John Boehner, George W Bush, Republican National Committee, National Republican Senatorial Committee, Rudy Giuliani, National Republican Congressional Committee, Arkansas Leadership Committee 2004 Fcrc, Michigan Republican Party, New Jersey Republican State Committee, Ohio Republican Party State Central & Executive Committee, Republican Federal Committee of Pennsylvania, Republican Party of Florida, Republican Party of Minnesota, Arizona Republican Party, Massachusetts Republican State Congressional Committee, Republican Party of Iowa, Washington State Republican Party, Republican Party of Wisconsin, 2004 Joint State Victory Committee, Oregon Republican Party, Missouri Republican State Committee-Federal, Nevada Republican State Central Committee, Maine Republican Party, Office of the Commissioner of Major League Baseball Political Action Committee, George H W Bush, Mitt Romney, Boehner for Speaker Cmte
Ronald Weiser	John Boehner, Joseph Knollenberg, Candice S Miller, Mark Kennedy, Bill Schuette, George W Bush, Republican National Committee, National Republican Senatorial Committee, National Republican Congressional Committee, Arkansas Leadership Committee 2004 Fcrc, Michigan Republican Party, New Jersey Republican State Committee, Ohio Republican Party State Central & Executive Committee, Republican Federal Committee of Pennsylvania, Republican Party of Florida, Republican Party of Minnesota, Washington State Republican Party, Republican Party of Wisconsin, 2004 Joint State Victory Committee, Oregon Republican Party, Missouri Republican State Committee-Federal, George H W Bush, Mitt Romney, Ronna Romney, Susan Heintz, Dave Trott, Boehner for Speaker Cmte
Helen DeVos	Joseph Knollenberg, Bill Schuette, George W Bush, Republican National Committee, National Republican Senatorial Committee, Rudy Giuliani, National Republican Congressional Committee, Arkansas Leadership Committee 2004 Fcrc, Michigan Republican Party, Ohio Republican Party State Central & Executive Committee, Republican Federal Committee of Pennsylvania, Republican Party of Florida, Republican Party of Minnesota, New Hampshire Republican State Committee, Arizona Republican Party, Republican Party of Iowa, Washington State Republican Party, Republican Party of Wisconsin, 2004 Joint State Victory Committee, Oregon Republican Party, Missouri Republican State Committee-Federal, Nevada Republican State Central Committee, Maine Republican Party, George H W Bush, Mitt Romney, Ronna Romney, Dave Trott
Thomas L Williams	John Boehner, George W Bush, Republican National Committee, National Republican Senatorial Committee, National Republican Congressional Committee, Arkansas Leadership Committee 2004 Fcrc, Michigan Republican Party, Ohio Republican Party State Central & Executive Committee, Republican Federal Committee of Pennsylvania, Republican Party of Florida, Republican Party of Minnesota, New Hampshire Republican State Committee, Arizona Republican Party, Massachusetts Republican State Congressional Committee, Republican Party of Iowa, Washington State Republican Party, Republican Party of Wisconsin, 2004 Joint State Victory Committee, Oregon Republican Party, Oklahoma Leadership Council, Missouri Republican State Committee-Federal, Nevada Republican State Central Committee, Maine Republican Party, Mitt Romney, Idaho Republican Party, Vermont Republican Federal Elections Committee, Boehner for Speaker Cmte
Cheri DeVos VanderWeide	Joseph Knollenberg, Bill Schuette, George W Bush, Republican National Committee, National Republican Senatorial Committee, National Republican Congressional Committee, Arkansas Leadership Committee 2004 Fcrc, Michigan Republican Party, Ohio Republican Party State Central & Executive Committee, Republican Federal Committee of Pennsylvania, Republican Party of Florida, Republican Party of Minnesota, New Hampshire Republican State Committee, Arizona Republican Party, Massachusetts Republican State Congressional Committee, Republican Party of Iowa, Washington State Republican Party, Republican Party of Wisconsin, 2004 Joint State Victory Committee, Oklahoma Leadership Council, Missouri Republican State Committee-Federal, Nevada Republican State Central Committee, Maine Republican Party, George H W Bush, Mitt Romney, Idaho Republican Party, Vermont Republican Federal Elections Committee
Martin D Gruss	John Boehner, Chuck Schumer, Mark Kennedy, George W Bush, Republican National Committee, National Republican Senatorial Committee, Rudy Giuliani, National Republican Congressional Committee, Arkansas Leadership Committee 2004 Fcrc, Michigan Republican Party, New Jersey Republican State Committee, Ohio Republican Party State Central & Executive Committee, Republican Federal Committee of Pennsylvania, Republican Party of Florida, Republican Party of Minnesota, New Hampshire Republican State Committee, Washington State Republican Party, Republican Party of Wisconsin, 2004 Joint State Victory Committee, Oregon Republican Party, Missouri Republican State Committee-Federal, Nevada Republican State Central Committee, Maine Republican Party, George H W Bush, Mitt Romney, Boehner for Speaker Cmte
Bradford M Freeman	John Boehner, Hillary Clinton, George W Bush, Republican National Committee, National Republican Senatorial Committee, Rudy Giuliani, National Republican Congressional Committee, Arkansas Leadership Committee 2004 Fcrc, Michigan Republican Party, New Jersey Republican State Committee, Ohio Republican Party State Central & Executive Committee, Republican Federal Committee of Pennsylvania, Republican Party of Florida, Republican Party of Minnesota, Arizona Republican Party, Massachusetts Republican State Congressional Committee, Republican Party of Iowa, Washington State Republican Party, Republican Party of Wisconsin, 2004 Joint State Victory Committee, Oregon Republican Party, Missouri Republican State Committee-Federal, Nevada Republican State Central Committee, George H W Bush, Mitt Romney, Boehner for Speaker Cmte
Geoffrey T Boisi	Chuck Schumer, George W Bush, Republican National Committee, National Republican Senatorial Committee, Rudy Giuliani, National Republican Congressional Committee, Arkansas Leadership Committee 2004 Fcrc, Michigan Republican Party, Ohio Republican Party State Central & Executive Committee, Republican Federal Committee of Pennsylvania, Republican Party of Florida, Republican Party of Minnesota, New Hampshire Republican State Committee, Massachusetts Republican State Congressional Committee, Washington State Republican Party, Republican Party of Wisconsin, 2004 Joint State Victory Committee, Oregon Republican Party, Oklahoma Leadership Council, Missouri Republican State Committee-Federal, Nevada Republican State Central Committee, Maine Republican Party, George H W Bush, Mitt Romney, Idaho Republican Party, Vermont Republican Federal Elections Committee
Barney Ebsworth	George W Bush, Republican National Committee, Rudy Giuliani, National Republican Congressional Committee, Arkansas Leadership Committee 2004 Fcrc, Michigan Republican Party, Ohio Republican Party State Central & Executive Committee, Republican Federal Committee of Pennsylvania, Republican Party of Florida, Republican Party of Minnesota, New Hampshire Republican State Committee, Arizona Republican Party, Massachusetts Republican State Congressional Committee, Republican Party of Iowa, Washington State Republican Party, Republican Party of Wisconsin, 2004 Joint State Victory Committee, Oregon Republican Party, Oklahoma Leadership Council, Missouri Republican State Committee-Federal, Nevada Republican State Central Committee, Maine Republican Party, George H W Bush, Mitt Romney, Idaho Republican Party, Vermont Republican Federal Elections Committee
Anthony Gioia	John Boehner, Chuck Schumer, George W Bush, Republican National Committee, National Republican Senatorial Committee, Rudy Giuliani, National Republican Congressional Committee, Arkansas Leadership Committee 2004 Fcrc, Michigan Republican Party, Ohio Republican Party State Central & Executive Committee, Republican Federal Committee of Pennsylvania, Republican Party of Florida, Republican Party of Minnesota, Massachusetts Republican State Congressional Committee, Washington State Republican Party, Republican Party of Wisconsin, 2004 Joint State Victory Committee, Oregon Republican Party, Oklahoma Leadership Council, Missouri Republican State Committee-Federal, Nevada Republican State Central Committee, George H W Bush, Mitt Romney, Idaho Republican Party, Vermont Republican Federal Elections Committee, Boehner for Speaker Cmte
Paula Kent Meehan	John Boehner, Mark Kennedy, George W Bush, Republican National Committee, National Republican Senatorial Committee, Rudy Giuliani, National Republican Congressional Committee, Arkansas Leadership Committee 2004 Fcrc, Michigan Republican Party, Ohio Republican Party State Central & Executive Committee, Republican Federal Committee of Pennsylvania, Republican Party of Florida, Republican Party of Minnesota, New Hampshire Republican State Committee, Massachusetts Republican State Congressional Committee, Washington State Republican Party, Republican Party of Wisconsin, 2004 Joint State Victory Committee, Oregon Republican Party, Oklahoma Leadership Council, Missouri Republican State Committee-Federal, Nevada Republican State Central Committee, Maine Republican Party, Mitt Romney, Idaho Republican Party, Vermont Republican Federal Elections Committee
Audrey Butvay Gruss	Kirsten Gillibrand, Mark Kennedy, George W Bush, Republican National Committee, National Republican Senatorial Committee, Rudy Giuliani, National Republican Congressional Committee, Arkansas Leadership Committee 2004 Fcrc, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Michigan Republican Party, New Jersey Republican State Committee, Ohio Republican Party State Central & Executive Committee, Republican Federal Committee of Pennsylvania, Republican Party of Florida, Republican Party of Minnesota, New Hampshire Republican State Committee, Arizona Republican Party, Republican Party of Iowa, Washington State Republican Party, Republican Party of Wisconsin, 2004 Joint State Victory Committee, Oregon Republican Party, Missouri Republican State Committee-Federal, Nevada Republican State Central Committee, Maine Republican Party, Mitt Romney
Richard L Chilton, Jr	Chuck Schumer, George W Bush, Republican National Committee, National Republican Senatorial Committee, Rudy Giuliani, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Michigan Republican Party, New Jersey Republican State Committee, Ohio Republican Party State Central & Executive Committee, Republican Federal Committee of Pennsylvania, Republican Party of Florida, Republican Party of Minnesota, New Hampshire Republican State Committee, Arizona Republican Party, Massachusetts Republican State Congressional Committee, Republican Party of Iowa, Washington State Republican Party, Republican Party of Wisconsin, 2004 Joint State Victory Committee, Oregon Republican Party, Oklahoma Leadership Council, Nevada Republican State Central Committee, Maine Republican Party, Mitt Romney, Idaho Republican Party, Vermont Republican Federal Elections Committee
George L Argyros Sr.	John Boehner, George W Bush, Republican National Committee, National Republican Senatorial Committee, Rudy Giuliani, National Republican Congressional Committee, Arkansas Leadership Committee 2004 Fcrc, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Michigan Republican Party, Ohio Republican Party State Central & Executive Committee, Republican Federal Committee of Pennsylvania, Republican Party of Florida, Republican Party of Minnesota, New Hampshire Republican State Committee, Massachusetts Republican State Congressional Committee, Washington State Republican Party, Republican Party of Wisconsin, Oregon Republican Party, Oklahoma Leadership Council, Missouri Republican State Committee-Federal, Nevada Republican State Central Committee, Maine Republican Party, George H W Bush, Mitt Romney, Idaho Republican Party, Vermont Republican Federal Elections Committee
Alfred Hoffman Jr	John Boehner, Don Young, George W Bush, Republican National Committee, National Republican Senatorial Committee, National Republican Congressional Committee, Arkansas Leadership Committee 2004 Fcrc, Michigan Republican Party, New Jersey Republican State Committee, Ohio Republican Party State Central & Executive Committee, Republican Federal Committee of Pennsylvania, Republican Party of Florida, Republican Party of Minnesota, Arizona Republican Party, Massachusetts Republican State Congressional Committee, Republican Party of Iowa, Washington State Republican Party, Republican Party of Wisconsin, 2004 Joint State Victory Committee, Oregon Republican Party, Missouri Republican State Committee-Federal, Nevada Republican State Central Committee, George H W Bush, Mitt Romney, Bob Carr, Boehner for Speaker Cmte

Donor

Common Recipients

Edward C Levy Jr