Gary Grewal leads family business in building strong communities

Just one year after graduating from Wayne State University with his bachelor’s in finance, Gurmale “Gary” S. Grewal (’72) co-founded a family development business and became its CEO. In the nearly 50 years since, he has helped Singh Development Company succeed while staying true to its values. To recognize Grewal’s leadership in business and philanthropy, Wayne State awarded him an honorary degree at the spring 2022 commencement ceremony on May 7.

After immigrating to Detroit from India with his brothers in 1961, Grewal pursued his education and learned the inner workings of real estate from his grandfather, who owned and operated the 450-room Hotel Wolverine in Detroit. In 1973, Grewal and his brothers founded Singh Development, now one of the largest Indian-owned companies in the United States.

Singh Development is a real estate development, property management and construction company headquartered in West Bloomfield, Michigan. With more than 1,000 employees, the company’s diverse portfolio includes apartments, commercial real estate, senior living communities and more.

Grewal family members—several of whom are Wayne State alumni—are committed to enhancing their communities both personally and professionally. Singh Development gives back by supporting nonprofit organizations focused on education, healthy aging and Alzheimer’s disease.

Through a generous philanthropic commitment, the company recently established the Grewal Family Endowed Support Fund at Wayne State’s Mike Ilitch School of Business. The fund will support Ilitch School programming focused on first-generation college students and women excelling in business. In recognition of this generous gift, a classroom on the third floor of the Ilitch School has been named the Singh Development Company classroom.

Grewal believes that learning is a process that never ends, and by creating an endowed fund, he has provided the Ilitch School with financial support that will never end. The Grewal family legacy will continue on through the communities they have built, both literally and figuratively.

To learn more about making a financial contribution to the Mike Ilitch School of Business, please visit ilitchbusiness.wayne.edu/giving or contact Director of Philanthropy Carol Hill at chill313@wayne.edu or 313-577-9212.

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