| Born: | June 2, 1965 | Status: | CEO/President (Detroit Red Wings) |
| Hometown: | Detroit, MI, USA | Known For: | President and CEO of Ilitch Holdings, Inc. |
Christopher Ilitch (born June, 1965) is the president and CEO of Ilitch Holdings, a company founded by his father Mike in 1999 to oversee the family’s many business ventures. On top of the Detroit Red Wings, the family owns the MLB’s Detroit Tigers, Champion Foods, Olympia Entertainment, Olympia Development, Uptown Entertainment, Blue Line Foodservice Distribution, and Little Caesars.
Prior to joining the family business, Ilitch worked for IBM and Little Caesars. Ilitch’s father passed away in 2017, leaving the billion-dollar company to Christopher.
Red Wings Under Ownership
The Red Wings under the Ilitch family has been one of the most successful sports team in any of the big four leagues. He purchased the team in 1982 for $8 million. The team had 25-straight seasons making the playoffs, including four Stanley Cups. The team is worth $775 million (2020).
Christopher took on the team at the end of the 25-year playoff run and the Red Wings missed the playoffs in his first two full seasons as owner. The team is looking to bounce back quickly though, bringing back former captain and star Steve Yzerman as the team’s general manager in April of 2019.
Deeper Dive
Staff History
- Detroit Red Wings (President) 2000-current
- Detroit Red Wings (CEO) 2000-current
Achievements
- 2x NHL Stanley Cup Champion (2002, 2008)