Christopher Ilitch

Businessman

Christopher Ilitch
Born	Christopher Paul Ilitch (1965-06-02) June 2, 1965 (age 58) Detroit, Michigan, US
Education	University of Michigan
Occupation	Businessman
Title	President and CEO, Ilitch Holdings
Term	2010-
Spouse	Kelle Ilitch
Children	3
Parent(s)	Mike Ilitch Marian Ilitch
Relatives	Denise Ilitch (sister) Jim Lites (former brother-in-law)

Christopher Paul Ilitch (born June 2, 1965) is president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Ilitch Holdings, Inc., a holding company that provides services to businesses that were founded or purchased by his parents, Mike and Marian Ilitch. Ilitch companies include Little Caesars Pizza, Olympia Entertainment, MotorCity Casino Hotel, the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball, the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League, and numerous real estate holdings. In 2018, the organization's total combined revenue was $3.8 billion.^[1]

Through Ilitch Holdings, Ilitch is chairman and CEO of the Detroit Tigers, and governor, president, and CEO of the Detroit Red Wings.^[2]^[3]

Early life

Ilitch is the youngest son of Mike Ilitch and Marian Ilitch.^[4] His siblings are Denise Ilitch, Ronald "Ron" Tyrus Ilitch, Michael C. Ilitch Jr., Lisa M. Ilitch Murray, Atanas Ilitch (born Thomas Ilitch), and Carole M. Ilitch. He is the former brother-in-law of sports executive Jim Lites.^[5]

Ilitch attended high school at Cranbrook Kingswood in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, where he was captain of the baseball team, and a member of the 1983 state championship hockey team.^[6]^[7] He earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Michigan in 1987.^[8]

Career

Ilitch worked a short time at IBM before joining his family's business. He started managing a Little Caesars location in Walled Lake, Michigan, and later managing several stores in the Chicago area before returning to Detroit.^[8] In 2000, Ilitch and his sister Denise Ilitch were named co-presidents of Ilitch Holdings. Denise resigned in 2004, and Christopher was named sole CEO.^[9]

As president and CEO, Ilitch leads and provides oversight to the Ilitch companies, including Little Caesars Pizza, Blue Line Distribution, the Detroit Red Wings, Olympia Entertainment, the Detroit Tigers, Olympia Development of Michigan (real estate), Little Caesars Pizza Kit Fundraising Program, and Champion Foods (food manufacturing). The organization also has a joint venture interest in 313 Presents. Additionally, Christopher's mother Marian Ilitch owns MotorCity Casino Hotel. Under Major League Baseball rules, an owner or officer of a baseball club cannot own or operate a casino. Bob DuPuy, baseball’s chief operating officer, stated in 2006 that the arrangement was permissible, as Marian has no stake in the Tigers, and Christopher has no stake in the casino.^[10]^[11]

Ilitch has his name engraved on the Stanley Cup as a member of team management for the Red Wings NHL Championships in 1997, 1998, 2002, and 2008.^[12]

Civic roles

Ilitch is chairman of Ilitch Charities. He serves on the board of directors for Business Leaders for Michigan, the Downtown Detroit Partnership, and the Detroit Economic Club. Ilitch is also a member of the Detroit chapter of the Young Presidents' Organization.^[13]

Ilitch has served on the host committees for major sporting events held in Detroit, including the 2009 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, the 2005 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, and Super Bowl XL. Along with William Clay Ford Jr., he served as co-chair for the 2010 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament held at Ford Field in Detroit.^[14]

Personal life

He and his wife, Kelle, have three children and reside in metro Detroit.^[15]

Ilitch remains an avid hockey player and competes in an adult league in the Metro Detroit area.^[8]^[14]

Ilitch is a third generation Macedonian American, as both his mother and father were children of Macedonian immigrants to the Detroit area.^[16]

References

^ "Ilitch Holdings Inc". www.ilitchholdings.com.
^ "Business Operations".
^ "Front Office Directory". MLB.com.
^ "Ilitches make it official: Chris in line to lead family business empire". freep.com. Retrieved September 1, 2018.
^ ELLIOTT, HELENE (May 24, 1998). "Detroit-Dallas: Not Quite a Family Affair". Retrieved September 1, 2018 – via LA Times.
^ "Front Office Bios". MLB.com.
^ "From the Desk of the Athletic Director: Winter 2012 Season Wrap Up". cranbrook.edu. April 9, 2012. Retrieved September 1, 2018.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Chris Ilitch took low-key road to top leadership". freep.com. Retrieved September 1, 2018.
^ Gallagher, John. "Chris Ilitch took low-key road to top leadership". Detroit Free Press.
^ Chass, Murray (December 26, 2006). "A Marriage is a Partnership, Except in Baseball". The New York Times.
^ "MLB may alter rules on owners, casino gambling". ABC News.
^ "Detroit Free Press".
^ "Christopher Ilitch | Ilitch Holdings Inc".
^ ^a ^b Gerstner, Joanne C. (April 2010). "Scions of Ford and Ilitch Families Share Passion for Hockey". The New York Times. Retrieved September 1, 2018.
^ "Front Office Directory". MLB.com. Retrieved September 1, 2018.
^ "Marian Ilitch: Biography". NHL.com.

External links

Ilitch Holdings

Detroit Tigers

Established in 1894
Based in Detroit, Michigan

Franchise

Ballparks

Bennett Park
Tiger Stadium
Comerica Park

Culture

T206 Ty Cobb
Li'l Rastus
Paws
"Detroit Rock City"
"The Bird"
The Bird: The Life and Legacy of Mark Fidrych
One in a Million: The Ron LeFlore Story
Magnum, P.I. (reboot)
Tiger Town
Cobb
For Love of the Game
The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg
Bless You Boys
"The Singing Hot Dog Man"
"Roar (song)"

Lore

Rivalries

Chicago White Sox

Important figures

Hall of Fame members	Sparky Anderson Ty Cobb Mickey Cochrane Sam Crawford Charlie Gehringer Hank Greenberg Harry Heilmann Hughie Jennings Al Kaline George Kell Heinie Manush Jack Morris Hal Newhouser Alan Trammell
Ford C. Frick Award recipient	Ernie Harwell
BBWAA Career Excellence Award recipients	Joe Falls Tom Gage John Lowe H. G. Salsinger

Minor league affiliates

Key personnel

Owner: Christopher Ilitch
President of baseball operations: Scott Harris
General Manager: Jeff Greenberg
Manager: A. J. Hinch

World Series
championships (4)

American League pennants (11)

American League: 1907
1908
1909
1934
1935
1940
1945
1968
1984
2006
2012

Division titles (7)

East: 1972
1984
1987
Central: 2011
2012
2013
2014

Wild card berths (1)

2006

Broadcasters

TV: Bally Sports Detroit
- Matt Shepard
- Kirk Gibson
- Jack Morris
Radio: Detroit Tigers Radio Network
- WXYT-FM
- Dan Dickerson
- Jim Price
History: List of Detroit Tigers broadcasters

Seasons (122)
1900s	· 1900 1901 · 1902 · 1903 · 1904 · 1905 · 1906 · 1907 · 1908 · 1909
1910s	1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919
1920s	1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929
1930s	1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939
1940s	1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949
1950s	1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959
1960s	1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969
1970s	1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979
1980s	1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989
1990s	1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
2000s	2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
2010s	2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
2020s	2020 2021 2022 2023 2024

v t e Detroit Red Wings
Founded in 1926 Based in Detroit, Michigan
Franchise	Team General managers Coaches Players Captains Draft picks Seasons Current season
History	History (Original Six) Records Award winners Retired numbers Broadcasters
Personnel	Owner(s) Ilitch Holdings (Christopher Ilitch, chairman) General manager Steve Yzerman Head coach Derek Lalonde Team captain Dylan Larkin Current roster
Arenas	Windsor Arena Olympia Stadium Joe Louis Arena Little Caesars Arena
Rivalries	Chicago Blackhawks Colorado Avalanche Toronto Maple Leafs
Affiliates	AHL Grand Rapids Griffins ECHL Toledo Walleye
Media	TV Bally Sports Detroit Radio WXYT WXYT-FM
Culture and lore	Victoria Cougars Al the Octopus Grind Line Hockeytown Legend of the Octopus Production Line Red Wings–Avalanche brawl Hakan Andersson "Stanley's Cup" (South Park) Russian Five Karen Newman Budd Lynch Al Sobotka London Lions "Don't Stop Believin'" "Without Me" 1938 European tour 1954 prison game 2009 NHL Winter Classic 2014 NHL Winter Classic 2016 NHL Stadium Series NHL Centennial Classic
Category Commons

v t e Principal owners of the Detroit Tigers franchise
George Vanderbeck (1894–1900) James D. Burns (1901) Samuel F. Angus (1902–1903) Bill Yawkey (1904–1908) Bill Yawkey and Frank Navin (1908–1919) Frank Navin (1919–1927) Frank Navin and Walter Briggs Sr. (1927–1935) Walter Briggs Sr. (1935–1952) Walter Briggs Jr. (1952–1956) Fred Knorr and John Fetzer (1956–1960) John Fetzer (1960–1983) Tom Monaghan (1983–1992) Mike Ilitch (1992–2017) Christopher Ilitch (2017–present)

Principal owners of the Detroit Tigers franchise

George Vanderbeck (1894–1900)
James D. Burns (1901)
Samuel F. Angus (1902–1903)
Bill Yawkey (1904–1908)
Bill Yawkey and Frank Navin (1908–1919)
Frank Navin (1919–1927)
Frank Navin and Walter Briggs Sr. (1927–1935)
Walter Briggs Sr. (1935–1952)
Walter Briggs Jr. (1952–1956)
Fred Knorr and John Fetzer (1956–1960)
John Fetzer (1960–1983)
Tom Monaghan (1983–1992)
Mike Ilitch (1992–2017)
Christopher Ilitch (2017–present)

v t e Detroit Tigers presidents
Bill DeWitt (1959–1961) John Fetzer (1961–1977) Jim Campbell (1978–1990) Bo Schembechler (1990–1992) Mike Ilitch (1993–1994) John McHale Jr. (1995–2001) Mike Ilitch (2001) Dave Dombrowski (2001–2015) Christopher Ilitch (2016–present)

v t e Olympia Entertainment
Founded in 1982 Division of Ilitch Holdings
Teams	Detroit Red Wings (NHL) (1982–present) Detroit Tigers (MLB) (1993–present)
Venues	Fox Theatre City Theatre Joe Louis Arena (operator) Comerica Park (operator) Little Caesars Arena (operator) DTE Energy Music Theatre (joint manager) Freedom Hill Amphitheatre (joint manager) Meadow Brook Amphitheatre (joint manager)
Ventures	313 Presents
People	Marian Ilitch Christopher Ilitch Mike Ilitch (1929 – 2017)
Olympia Entertainment

Team presidents of the National Hockey League

Eastern Conference

Metropolitan Division	Atlantic Division
Don Waddell (Carolina Hurricanes) Michael Priest (Columbus Blue Jackets) Jake Reynolds (New Jersey Devils) Lou Lamoriello (New York Islanders) Chris Drury (New York Rangers) Keith Jones (Philadelphia Flyers) Kevin Acklin (Pittsburgh Penguins) Dick Patrick (Washington Capitals)	Cam Neely (Boston Bruins) Terry Pegula (Buffalo Sabres) Christopher Ilitch (Detroit Red Wings) Matthew Caldwell (Florida Panthers) Geoff Molson (Montreal Canadiens) Steve Staios (Ottawa Senators) Steve Griggs (Tampa Bay Lightning) Brendan Shanahan (Toronto Maple Leafs)

Western Conference

Central Division	Pacific Division
Xavier Gutierrez (Arizona Coyotes) Jaime Faulkner (Chicago Blackhawks) Josh Kroenke (Colorado Avalanche) Brad Alberts (Dallas Stars) Matt Majka (Minnesota Wild) Michelle Kennedy (Nashville Predators) Chris Zimmerman (St. Louis Blues) John Olfert (Winnipeg Jets)	Aaron Teats (Anaheim Ducks) John Bean (Calgary Flames) Stew MacDonald (Edmonton Oilers) Luc Robitaille (Los Angeles Kings) Jonathan Becher (San Jose Sharks) Tod Leiweke (Seattle Kraken) Michael Doyle (Vancouver Canucks) Kerry Bubolz (Vegas Golden Knights)