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Gilbert Family: Nick, in foreground; Gracie, Jennifer, Nash, AJ, Dan, Grant.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ROCKET COMPANIES

Gilbert have teamed up
on The Detroit Center for
Innovation. The U-M-
anchored undertaking is
expected to be a $300 million
development.
In a 1992 article in the
Jewish News, Gilbert, then age
30, remarked that fulfilling the
goal of being a self-made man
takes more than good ideas
and hard work. “Drive, deter-
mination and focus are neces-
sary ingredients in growing a
successful business.
”
And that drive has served
Gilbert well. As of this
writing, Forbes lists him as
the 15th-richest person in
America and one of the 20
most successful self-made
individuals globally.

BUILDING AN EMPIRE
Daniel Bruce Gilbert was born
in Detroit on an unusually
cold day, Jan. 17, 1962, to par-
ents Shirley and the late Sam
Gilbert. They lived in a mod-
est apartment before moving
to Southfield.
“He was bright from the
day he was born, a go-getter
from an early age and always
a giver,
” his mother told the
JN. She and the Gilbert family
recently visited Israel together.

“Helping your hometown is like helping your
family. If you can ... I think you should do it.”

— DAN GILBERT

OCTOBER 1 • 2020 | 13