SEPTEMBER 21 • 2023 | 13

OUR COMMUNITY

f you talk to Mark Davidoff 
about his accomplishments 
— Federation leader for 
many years, Michigan man-
aging partner at Deloitte 
LLP
, Detroit Symphony 
Orchestra Board chair, 
champion for Israel, presi-
dent and CEO of The Fisher 
Group, just to name a few 
— he almost visibly cringes 
and tries to deflect the praise 
to “other, smarter” people 
who helped him along the 
way. He honestly believes 
his successes have come as a 
result of working with some 
amazing people.
So, when he received a call from Jewish 
Federation of Metropolitan Detroit 
President Matt Lester informing him that 
he’
d been chosen as this year’s winner of 
the Fred M. Butzel Memorial Award for 
Distinguished Community Service — 
Federation’s highest honor — he was truly 
shocked. “I was choked up and speechless. 

It’s not a phone call I would ever have 
imagined I would’ve received,
” he said. 
But if you ask those who know Mark, 
they say the recognition is overdue.
“This award is better deserved by him 
than probably every other person who has 
ever received it, present company includ-
ed,
” said philanthropist and community 
leader Jane Sherman, who won the award 
in 1998. “The Butzel Award is for those 
who serve the Jewish community and the 
general community,
” she said. “From his 
work with the Michigan Israel Business 
Accelerator to the DSO to the Chamber of 
Commerce and taking non-Jewish leaders 
to Israel and bringing Israeli business here 
— he’s done more for the community than 
anyone else I know. He is so well-deserving 
of this.
”
Penny Blumenstein worked with 
Mark during her tenure as president of 
Federation and the two struck up a lasting 
friendship. “When I heard Mark was going 
to be the Butzel Award winner, I was so 
thrilled,
” she said. “We’ve had wonderful 
Butzel Award winners in the past, but no 

one that fulfills the whole spectrum of 
qualifications that Federation looks for. Not 
everybody can check off every single thing 
— but Mark can.
”
The Butzel Award will join a host 
of other accolades Mark has received: 
Outstanding Business Leaders Award 
from Northwood University in 2019; 
Outstanding Leadership Award from 
Yeshiva Beth Yehudah in 2018; Impact 
Award Honoree from the Michigan Israel 
Business Bridge in 2017; Wade Hampton 
McCree Award for the Advancement 
of Social Justice in 2017; Distinguished 
Alumni Award from the Mike llitch School 
of Business at Wayne State University in 
2016; and Michiganian of the Year from 
the Detroit News in 2016.
As for Mark? He says, “I’m not big on 
being honored, but the Butzel is the highest 
honor that the Jewish Federation gives in 
the community for a lifetime of work. It’s 
touching, and I appreciate it. But it’s not 
just for me. It’s for my family, too, as we 
shared much of this journey together.
”

JACKIE HEADAPOHL EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

ON THE COVER

Federation names Mark Davidoff 
as this year’s Butzel Award winner.

continued on page 14

