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Detroit Homecoming turns 10: Looking back at a decade worth of impacts

In 10 years, Detroit Homecoming has brought many metro Detroit expats back to their roots. And that’s helped make things happen in Detroit.

Homecoming is an annual event produced by Crain’s Detroit Business. Returning this week Wednesday-Friday, the gathering aims to bring successful Detroit natives back to their city with the aim of re-engaging them with their hometown. Over its 10 years of existence, Crain’s has told many of the stories of the more than 950 expats who have attended.

In the honor of the anniversary, this section looks back at 10 outcomes that arose from these gatherings. Some are huge and involve big names, including real estate developer Stephen Ross and former Microsoft Corp. CEO Steven Ballmer — both metro Detroit expats. Some are smaller. All were linked in some way to connections and experiences tied to Homecoming.

Putting a dollar figure on investments inspired by Homecoming is tricky, because every large investment has many inspirations and partners. But just the completed investments and donations identified in this section as having strong Homecoming ties top $1 billion. 

Planned projects by partners who linked up at Homecoming and countless smaller actions would bring the total to more than $4 billion.

The impact of those actions spans the city, based on a sample of Homecoming attendees surveyed.

A study commissioned by Detroit Homecoming and conducted by JFM Consulting Group quantified some of the impact. (View the complete report here.)

More than 90% of the 107 survey respondents reported taking some action on behalf of their hometown after attending the event, with more than half reporting taking multiple actions.

Among those actions: Nearly half of respondents reported making charitable contributions, 25% reported expanding their businesses to Detroit and 23% reported making a commercial investment in the city.

Asked where their actions were directed, expat respondents identified neighborhoods spanning the city, with a few in the suburbs, from downtown to Brightmoor to Jefferson Chalmers to the University District.

More about Detroit Homecoming here.

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Suzanne Perreault

Program Officer

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Suzanne Perreault is a Program Officer at the William Davidson Foundation and part of the Southeast Michigan Economic & Cultural Vitality team, leading the Foundation’s Good Jobs portfolio.  Suzanne is a highly accomplished leader in economic development with a distinguished career focused on fostering inclusive entrepreneurship across Michigan. She plays a key role in the development, refinement, and stewardship of grants and related strategies that support entrepreneurs and stimulates the creation, growth, and retention of new businesses in metropolitan Detroit. Suzanne excels in building collaborative partnerships and is committed to driving good jobs and promoting growth in vital industries to improve the livelihoods of individuals and families throughout the region.

Prior to joining the William Davidson Foundation, Suzanne served as the Director of Small Business Services at the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, where she was instrumental in developing and managing innovative programming, overseeing an $80 million portfolio of small business support contracts, and leveraged data-driven insights to support the launch, stabilization, and growth of microenterprises, place-based and early-stage businesses statewide.  

Suzanne brings small business and community development experience to her role at WDF having held other key roles including Vice President at Mercantile Events & Marketing, an industry leader in retail and consumer-based events, where she led implementation of the business’s strategic plan – achieving growth and enhancing profitability.  She served as Executive Director of the Downtown Development Authority in both Lake Orion, MI and Holly, MI, and led downtown revitalization efforts, managing a variety of initiatives including capital improvements, real estate development, and placemaking projects.  Suzanne is a Certified Economic Development Finance Professional and holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Public Administration from Central Michigan University.