Mike and Chris Ilitch named top Newsmakers of the Year for 2015

Mike and Chris Ilitch have been named Newsmakers of the Year by Crain’s Detroit Business. In addition to pledging $40 million to Wayne State University’s business school, Mike will also be building a new state-of-the-art, 20,000-seat arena for the Detroit Red Wings. The plan, known as District Detroit, will be orchestrated by son Chris Ilitch. "That (Ilitch donation) is really important for us because it moves us much closer to the heart of economic activity in Detroit," said Robert Forsythe, dean of the Wayne State business school. The Mike Ilitch School of Business will be a 120,000-square-foot multistory building of classrooms, offices and other spaces for about 4,500 students. It will be built next to the new arena, and is expected to open sometime in 2018. WSU business school alumnus and Lear Corporation CEO Matt Simoncini was also honored as a Newsmaker of the Year. 

Crain's Detroit Business

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