My first couples of months in Detroit have been a rush of excitement, from conquering our first challenge to attending my first Tiger’s game; I’ve been more than inspired by what this city has to offer. But my favorite event I have attended thus far might have been the Detroit Young Professional Group – Rock Ventures tour – meet and greet with the famous Dan Gilbert.

It’s not every day that you get to meet a man having such a huge impact on a big city like Mr. Gilbert. The Rock Ventures tour introduced us to some of the Quicken Loans family of companies including: Quicken Loans, Bedrock Real Estate Services, Rock Connections, Rock Gaming, Rock Ventures, Bizdom, and Fathead. The properties we toured included: The Madison Building, Chase Tower, Chrysler House, One Woodward, and Compuware. In addition, Mr. Gilbert has several other properties he has purchased, renovated, or is making plans for renovation.

At the end of the tour, the moment I had been waiting for all day, the tour group gathered in an auditorium in the Madison Building where we observed, asked questions, and learned while Mr. Gilbert was interviewed. He explained his interest in revitalizing Detroit, his good intentions, and revealed some of the projects he hopes to accomplish within the next couple of years. Two projects he shared included a parking garage where every floor will be color coded, walls will be designed by artists from all over the world, and the ground floor will have commercial shops. Also, he shared his idea of connecting the two sides of the casino to create an entertainment center for downtown Detroit in Greek town.

All in all, Dan Gilbert and company are doing great things for this city and are helping kick-start one of the biggest revitalization efforts in the world. Personally, I am glad to be a part of Challenge Detroit where we share the same drive, plan, and passion for doing our part to revitalize Detroit.

Stay tuned for more exciting action as the weeks fly bye…

– Roy  Yewah