Ilitch School Announces Carolyn J. Cassin to receive Entrepreneurship and Innovation Hall of Fame Award
The Mike Ilitch School of Business has announced that Carolyn J. Cassin has been selected to receive the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Hall of Fame Award at the 43rd annual Recognition and Awards Program.
Cassin’s expertise lies in growing and scaling companies from $200,000 to $250 million with both top and bottom-line growth. She also has extensive regulatory compliance and public policy experience which she used to lead the team that wrote and vetted the development of national Medicare Hospice Rules and Regulations.
She started two hospice companies, one of which became publicly traded in 2005, and was instrumental in leading the turnaround of two failing hospice organizations into highly profitable exits.
Cassin is also a nationally recognized agent of social change. She launched three venture capital funds, the first of which in 2010 under the BELLE Michigan brand. She was the first woman General partner of a firm that invests in women-owned businesses with her own resources.
In 2017, Cassin created Michigan Women Forward a statewide microfinance program for women entrepreneurs which now invests in over 100 low-to-moderate income women annually. In 2018 she launched her third fund, BELLE Michigan Impact Fund along with 67 women investors.
Cassin will be honored on November 17, 2023, at the 43rd annual Recognition and Awards Program at the Roostertail. She will be honored next to the recipients of this year’s Michigan Executive of the Year Award, Emerging Leader Award, Distinguished Alumni Award, Outstanding Student Award, Inspirational Teacher Award, and the Corporate Mentorship Program Founders Awards.
To RSVP and purchase tickets, which are $150 each, please use the online reservation system.
For more information, to view past winners or to nominate someone for a future award please visit Signature Awards - Mike Ilitch School of Business - Wayne State University.
