Michael Ilitch

Founded Little Caesars pizza, owns Detroit Tigers baseball team and Detroit Red Wings hockey team

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.

Relationships Interlocks Giving Data

Donors to Common Recipients

Recipients of donations from Michael Ilitch also received donations from these orgs and people

Donor	Common Recipients
William A. Cooper	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, Ohio Republican Party State Central & Executive Committee, 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
Miriam Adelson	John Boehner, Carl Levin, Harry Reid, Don Young, George W Bush, Republican National Committee, National Republican Senatorial Committee, Rudy Giuliani, National Republican Congressional Committee, Michigan Republican Party, New Jersey Republican State Committee, Ohio Republican Party State Central & Executive Committee, Searchlight Leadership Fund, Republican Party of Minnesota, Massachusetts Republican State Congressional Committee, Republican Party of Iowa, Republican Party of Wisconsin, Missouri Republican State Committee-Federal, Nevada Republican State Central Committee, Maine Republican Party, Mitt Romney, Susan Heintz, Boehner for Speaker Cmte
Larry Ruvo	Harry Reid, George W Bush, Republican National Committee, Rudy Giuliani, 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, Searchlight Leadership Fund, 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
Richard M Ferry	George W Bush, Republican National Committee, National Republican Senatorial Committee, 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, 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
Albert E Heekin III	George W Bush, Republican National Committee, National Republican Senatorial 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, 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
Brenda L Johnson	George W Bush, Republican National Committee, Rudy Giuliani, 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
Howard H Leach	John Boehner, Debbie Stabenow, 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, Arizona Republican Party, Republican Party of Iowa, Washington State Republican Party, Republican Party of Wisconsin, Oregon Republican Party, Missouri Republican State Committee-Federal, Nevada Republican State Central Committee, George H W Bush, Mitt Romney, Boehner for Speaker Cmte
Pamella G DeVos	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, 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 N Merkin, MD	John Boehner, Harry Reid, 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, 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
Ronald Krancer	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, 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
Ann L Johnson	John Boehner, Mark Kennedy, 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, New Hampshire Republican State Committee, Washington State Republican Party, Republican Party of Wisconsin, 2004 Joint State Victory Committee, Missouri Republican State Committee-Federal, Nevada Republican State Central Committee, Maine Republican Party, Mitt Romney, Boehner for Speaker Cmte, Trump Make America Great Again Committee
Edyth Bailey Lindner	John Boehner, Hillary Clinton, Mark Kennedy, George W Bush, Republican National Committee, National Republican Senatorial Committee, National Republican Congressional Committee, 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, Arizona Republican Party, Massachusetts Republican State Congressional Committee, Republican Party of Iowa, Washington State Republican Party, Oklahoma Leadership Council, George H W Bush, Mitt Romney, Idaho Republican Party, Vermont Republican Federal Elections Committee, Boehner for Speaker Cmte
Donald J Hall, Jr	Bill Schuette, George W Bush, National Republican Senatorial 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, 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, George H W Bush, Mitt Romney
John J Schiff Jr	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, 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, Boehner for Speaker Cmte
Christy R Walton	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, 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
Elaine P Wynn	Harry Reid, George W Bush, Republican National Committee, National Republican Senatorial Committee, Rudy Giuliani, 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, 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
Todd J Christie	Chuck Schumer, George W Bush, Republican National Committee, National Republican Senatorial Committee, Rudy Giuliani, 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, Massachusetts Republican State Congressional Committee, 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, Mitt Romney, Idaho Republican Party, Vermont Republican Federal Elections Committee
William U Parfet	George W Bush, Republican National Committee, National Republican Congressional 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, Arizona Republican Party, Massachusetts Republican State Congressional Committee, Republican Party of Iowa, Republican Party of Wisconsin, 2004 Joint State Victory Committee, Oregon Republican Party, Oklahoma Leadership Council, Missouri Republican State Committee-Federal, George H W Bush, Mitt Romney, Idaho Republican Party, Ronna Romney, Vermont Republican Federal Elections Committee
Brady W Dougan	Hillary Clinton, Chuck Schumer, George W Bush, 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, 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
Belinda VanderSloot	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, Mitt Romney, Idaho Republican Party

Michael Ilitch

Founded Little Caesars pizza, owns Detroit Tigers baseball team and Detroit Red Wings hockey team

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