Marian Ilitch

Marian Bayoff Ilitch (born January 7, 1933) is an American billionaire businesswoman, and the co-founder of Little Caesars Pizza with her late husband, Mike Ilitch. As of March 2018, Ilitch was one of the world's seven richest women, according to Bloomberg.

Personal life She was born in 1933 and raised in Dearborn, Michigan, the daughter of Macedonian immigrants from the village of Bouf (modern day Akritas, Florina, Greece).

She met her future husband Mike Ilitch, also a child of Macedonian immigrants, in 1954 when the two went on a blind date arranged by his father. A year later, they married. The couple has seven children together.

Business The Ilitches founded Little Caesars Pizza in 1959, which they expanded as a franchise. They have since expanded their interests to include restaurants, entertainment, sports and gaming.

Casinos and Native American gaming One of the original investors in Detroit's MotorCity Casino, Ilitch realized an opportunity to purchase total interest in the casino resort complex from various minor stakeholders and Mandalay Resort Group in 2005. Marian solely paid $600 million to buy MotorCity Casino from the other investors and for subsequent renovations. Michigan gaming laws prohibit one company from owning more than one Detroit casino property. With Ilitch as owner, MotorCity Casino is reportedly one of the largest independently owned casino enterprises in the United States—likely the largest woman-owned casino in the U.S.

Ilitch and a partner, Michael J. Malik, Sr., have pursued other casino gambling interests outside of Detroit, and from coast to coast. They have acted as a developer of casinos for federally recognized tribes of Native Americans, who have started to use this as a means of generating revenues. They have worked with the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, developing Little River Casino Resort in Manistee, Michigan. Ilitch has partnered with the Shinnecock Indian Nation in Hampton Bays, New York on plans to develop a casino on Long Island. Ilitch also partnered with Barwest, LLC and the Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla and Cupeno Indians to develop casinos in Barstow, California.

Ilitch Holdings, Inc. Ilitch served as vice chairwoman and secretary-treasurer of all of her family's various holdings until 1999, when Ilitch Holdings, Inc. was formed as the parent company for her family's widespread interests. She became chairwoman upon her husband's death.

Ilitch Holdings includes Little Caesars Pizza, Blue Line Foodservice Distribution, Little Caesars Pizza Kit Fundraising Program, Champion Foods, Detroit Red Wings, Detroit Tigers, Olympia Entertainment, Olympia Development and various food service and entertainment venues within these businesses.

Marian and Mike bought the Red Wings for $8 million in 1982.

Legacy and honors

1988, Ilitch received the Roundtable for Women in Foodservice Pacesetter Award. 1994, the Greater Detroit Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners recognized Ilitch as one of Michigan's Top 25 women business owners. 1996, recognition from American Red Cross of Southeastern Michigan for aiding emergency services and the work of the Red Cross friends. 1997, Hospice of Southeastern Michigan Council Crystal Rose Award 1999, Michigan Executive of the Year by the Wayne State School of Business Administration 2001, inducted into Michigan Women's Hall of Fame 2004, she was named one of Detroit's Enterprising Women by the Detroit Historical Society in partnership with the Women's Economic Club, National Association of Women Business Owners, Greater Detroit Chapter and Crain's Detroit Business. 2005, Crain's Detroit Business Top Women in Business Honoree. 2008, she was elected to the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame and inducted in 2010.