metro
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High-Energy Homecoming
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Many Jewish leaders among 150 expats rallying around Detroit.
Dan Doctoroff, keynote speaker at the reception for the Detroit Homecoming, talks
on stage with businessman and philanthropist Eli Broad.
Quicken Loans Inc. founder Dan Gilbert interviews billionaire investor Warren
Buffett about why he is bullish on Detroit.
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Snyder, General Motors CEO Mary Barra,
Roger Penske, Chris Ilitch and Detroit
Mayor Mike Duggan.
"I think this is a wonderful moment for
Detroit, but it's a moment that also requires
a lot of persistence, patience, creative think-
ing and good governance over a very long
period of time Doctoroff said. "Recoveries
in cities like Detroit that have had such
trouble for so long don't happen overnight:'
The businessman and civil servant was
once deputy mayor for economic develop-
ment in New York City. He grew up in
Birmingham and is a graduate of Seaholm
High School, Harvard University and the
University of Chicago Law School. He's been
an expat for nearly four decades.
"This event is a real demonstration that
you never really let Michigan or Detroit out
of your heart:' Doctoroff continued. "The
ties we all have, which for each of us are
different, are all very strong. People want to
help in any way they can:'
Some participants traveled a long way
because of those strong ties. Bernie Sucher,
an entrepreneur and investor who was born
in Detroit, came all the way from Moscow.
"It's pretty remarkable to see what's hap-
pened in a short period of time he said.
"But there's more work to do:'
Brian Tauber, president and CEO of CPP
Global, a plastic injection molding company
in North Carolina, points out Detroit is
still in the midst of bankruptcy and faces
other formidable challenges. He served as
a former assistant to Detroit Mayor Dennis
Archer for economic development in the
1990s before he moved away.
Robin Schwartz
Contributing Writer
T
he brassy sounds of a horn section
blared along with the boom, boom,
boom of the drums as members of
Detroit's Martin Luther King Jr. High School
marching band strutted into a crowded
room to welcome 150 of the city's expatri-
ates.
The successful business, civic and phil-
anthropic leaders from across the country
and the globe came together Sept. 17-19
for an invitation-only gathering billed as
"Detroit Homecoming:' The marching band
helped kick off the three-day conference
organized by Crain's Detroit Business meant
to bring former Detroiters back to their
roots to reconnect and even invest in the
city's future.
"It's just great to see so many Detroit
expats come to town:' said Dan Gilbert,
chairman and founder of Rock Ventures
and Quicken Loans Inc. and one of the
major event sponsors, along with the
William Davidson Foundation, A. Alfred
Taubman and others.
"There are so many successful people all
around the country and world from Detroit.
It's our job to convince them to move back
here, and if that doesn't work, at least get
them to invest here:'
The opening reception was held in
the lobby of the 19-story David Whitney
Building on Woodward Avenue, currently
under renovation. Just outside, construction
of the M-1 Rail project is also under way.
Josh Scott, 38, of Colorado, an expat from
12 October 2 • 2014
Huntington Woods, felt the energy right
away. He's the founder of craftsy.com, an
online hub for quilters, woodworkers and
other craft-makers of all kinds.
"Things are happening; that's the part
that's exciting" he said. "It feels like there's
a groundswell of momentum building in a
really exciting way:'
Before the conference was over, Scott
pledged $100,000 and proposed raising $5
million from Detroit expats and finding a
local bank or foundation to match the sum.
He said he views the city as a giant do-it-
yourself project in the making.
"It's a blank canvas:' Scott said. "There's
opportunity for creativity, for inexpensive
real estate and to build up something in a
way you don't have in a more-established
market. I think it's going to take young
people coming back to the city, job oppor-
tunities and fostering an entrepreneurial
ecosystem to bring Detroit back:'
Who's Who
An impressive list of expats, many of them
Jewish, took part in a whirlwind 48 hours
of discussions and events. Gilbert moder-
ated a conversation with billionaire inves-
tor Warren Buffet titled "Why I'm Bullish
on Detroit:' Bloomberg President and CEO
Dan Doctoroff spoke about what makes a
successful city. Other participants included
Eli Broad, philanthropist and founder of
two Fortune 500 companies; Daniel Levin,
a prominent Chicago-based real estate
developer; Bob Shaye and Gary Gilbert,
Los Angeles filmmakers; and many others.
Local supporters included Gov. Rick
"I think the bankruptcy was an impor-
tant thing for the city:' Tauber said. "I think
it was a realization and acceptance of the
status of the city, and it has to go through
that in order to begin a rebirth:'
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Moving Forward
Tauber, like the rest of the expats, believes
Detroit will someday make a triumphant
comeback. He says the seeds of revitaliza-
tion have already been planted.
"The fact that there are people moving
Homecoming on page 14
Below: Mike Posner, formerly of
Southfield, performs for the Detroit
Homecoming crowd on Friday.
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