For 45 years, the Ilitch organization has invited colleagues and their families to celebrate together a year of great work and the joy of the season. The tradition continued this year, as close to 4,000 colleagues from the 13 Ilitch companies and their families gathered at Little Caesars Arena at the celebration hosted by CEO Christopher Ilitch and company founder Mrs. Marian Ilitch.
“The holiday event is an opportunity to celebrate our incredible colleagues,” said Christopher Ilitch, President and CEO of Ilitch Holdings, Inc. “We are thankful for their dedication and enjoy being able to offer them and their families a memorable evening of fun and festivity.”
The family-friendly event featured traditional holiday activities, including pictures with Santa, cookie decorating, caricature drawings, a rock-climbing wall, arcade games, as well as ice skating on the same ice where the Detroit Red Wings play.
Darrell Syngg has worked for Little Caesars for 34 years, and says Ilitch holiday gathering has become a tradition for his family. “It’s a special time to spend with my family, where we have created many fond memories together. The caricature drawings and pictures with Santa have allowed us to capture how our family has changed over the years, and I am so grateful for the experiences we’ve shared.”
Mary Jackson-Mitchell has attended every holiday gathering since 2015 and this year, was able to bring her 5-year-old granddaughter Milyn for the first time. “Being able to bring my family and see the magic through my granddaughter’s eyes as she took pictures with Santa, explored the arena, ate holiday treats met so many of my colleagues was really special. Lifetime memories were made.”
New colleague Bryan Fenster brought his wife and two young children to the event and had a blast. “Having only joined the Ilitch Holdings team two months ago, it was really special to get a fun night out with my family and introduce them to my new colleagues,” said Fenster, Production Manager for Ilitch Holdings. “The hospitality was plentiful, and we were really blown away by the detail and choices for the kids! More than a week later, my kids were still talking about it.”
Ilitch company colleagues work together all year long to bring joy to others, and we wish them a happy holiday season!
