The Detroit Tigers have launched the “Thank You Tuesdays” program to celebrate the dedication and sacrifice of frontline and essential workers throughout Detroit, our region and state. For every Tuesday home game at Comerica Park during the 2021 season, many of these incredible heroes will be invited to the ballpark, where their commitment to saving lives and helping Michigan recover from the COVID-19 pandemic will be recognized.

“We are honored to recognize the courageous frontline and essential workers of our region and the great state of Michigan at Comerica Park this season,” said Chris Granger, Group President, Sports & Entertainment. “We are grateful for their service and hope to bring a smile to their faces as they root on the Tigers this season.”

In partnership with Major League Baseball and the Commissioner’s Community Initiative, “Thank You Tuesdays” will officially launch at Tuesday’s home game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Over 1,200 frontline and essential workers will be honored during the series with Pittsburgh, with invited guests recognized on Tuesday, and throughout the season, on Comerica Park’s scoreboard, on social media @Tigers and during Bally Sports Detroit game broadcasts. “Thank You Frontline Heroes” base jewels will also placed on all four corners of first, second and third base. In addition, for select home games throughout the 2021 season, there will be virtual first pitches, National Anthem performances and pregame ceremonies in celebration of these workers.

Prior to Tuesday’s launch, the Tigers had already celebrated the efforts of more than 1,200 frontline and essential workers through the first six games of this season.

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Little Caesars, the global family-owned pizza chain, has named Jeremy Vitaro chief development officer. In a role responsible for new growth domestically and abroad, Vitaro will drive the organization’s efforts to capitalize further on the phenomenal global opportunity of the Little Caesars brand.

Vitaro most recently served as Vice President of U.S. Development at Dunkin’ Brands where, for the past 18 years, he held various franchise leadership positions. He brings this extensive development experience to Little Caesars at a time when the chain’s revolutionary Pizza Portal Pickup and delivery options have led to a surge in brand interest among consumers and franchise prospects.

“Little Caesars is experiencing one of its largest periods of domestic and international expansion in its 60+ year history,” David Scrivano, Little Caesars president and CEO, said. “With a very attractive business model, strong brand awareness and quality products, we are thrilled for Jeremy to join our team, continue our momentum and provide new growth opportunities for entrepreneurs all over the world.”

Now in 27 countries and territories, Little Caesars most recently entered Colombia, Singapore, Peru and Chile. Later this year, new stores are set to open in Portugal, Russia and the United Kingdom.

The brand is actively seeking to grow in new markets across Europe, Southeast Asia and South America, as well as in existing markets like Spain, Canada, Latin America and the Philippines. Opportunities also exist in New York City, Seattle, Portland, Tampa and other U.S. markets.

Before spending nearly two decades guiding both international and U.S. growth for Dunkin’, Vitaro lived in Italy, where he served companies including Casoni S.P.A. and the Benedict Group in various franchise leadership roles. Vitaro holds master’s degrees in business administration from Columbia Business School and economic history from Stanford University.

“I am grateful to have the opportunity to join a world-renowned brand primed for continued expansion,” Vitaro said. “Little Caesars is poised to experience further exponential growth due to its affordable prices, quality product and rewarding business model. I look forward to helping guide Little Caesars towards continued success and working with entrepreneurs interested growth opportunities.”

Those interested in opening a franchise in their area should visit Franchise.LittleCaesars.com.

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Little Caesars Pizza, the global family-owned pizza chain, has named Erin Martin chief of staff. In the newly created role, Martin will act as strategic advisor to Little Caesars president and CEO Dave Scrivano and its leadership team. Martin has been with Little Caesars since 2007, previously serving as vice president, business support services and general counsel.

“This is an exciting time for Little Caesars, marked by continued growth domestically and internationally, as well as an ongoing focus on tech and innovation that allows us to provide best-in-class service and value,” Scrivano said. “Erin’s extensive knowledge and experience in employment and franchise law, as well as her ability to successfully manage various departments within Little Caesars, will help us build on our incredible momentum.”

As the vice president, business support services and general counsel, Martin led the legal and business support teams, including real estate, construction, U.S. development, training and communications. Under her leadership, she provided counsel during several key initiatives for Little Caesars, including the chain’s new world headquarters expansion in downtown Detroit, and several projects designed to advance the company’s interests in the areas of diversity, government relations and corporate growth. Martin also supported the legal needs of several other businesses within the Ilitch Family of Companies, including Blue Line Foodservice Distribution, Champion Foods and the Little Caesars Fundraising Pizza Kit program.

“I care deeply about Little Caesars and am honored to take on this new role to help guide the strategic direction of the business and closely support Dave,” Martin said. “I look forward to continuing to work alongside my talented colleagues to achieve unprecedented success for the company in areas such as growth, expansion, innovation and service.”

Martin has more than 20 years of experience in corporate and franchise law. Before joining Little Caesars, she was an attorney at Bodman PLC.

A Michigan native, Martin earned a B.A. in political science from Michigan State University in 1997, a J.D. from Detroit’s Wayne State University Law School, and was admitted to the Michigan bar in 2001. She resides in Grosse Pointe, Mich. with her family.

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As the new vice president of information security, Afia Phillips handles cyber security for all business units throughout the Ilitch companies, from box office ticket sales to network-connected screens at venues and beyond. With a strong background composed of 20 years’ experience working in multiple sectors, Afia offers a strong foundation for the companies in a world increasingly reliant on IT.

After she earned her Bachelor of Arts in computer science from Wayne State University, Afia started working as a network administrator for the City of Detroit, where she applied and broadened her general IT knowledge. From there, she sharpened her focus to cyber security. She began consulting at KPMG before working at Daimler, where she was promoted several times in 11 years.

Afia also works hard to promote diversity in the male-dominated field. In her spare time, she mentors younger family members to help them with life skills and preparation for higher education. Her passion for uplifting those like her inspired her to create Girls Get IT, her “prized possession,” a program which seeks to close the gender gap in the field. “Knowing that we could make a positive difference and help students be confident, intelligent future leaders in IT was amazing and very rewarding. Impacting the younger generation is near and dear to me,” she said.

Additionally, Afia is also a member of the Michigan Council of Women in Technology Foundation and a former co-chair for the Professional Membership Services Committee of the National Association of Black Accountants (NABA). Additionally, she served as Audit Committee Member for the St. John Providence Health System. In 2019, she received a Crain’s honor for Notable Women in STEM.

Afia said that her short time at Little Caesars has exceeded her expectations. “Whenever I meet with people, they understand the importance of information security and want to know how we can make things better. Having that support is invaluable.”

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Olympia Development of Michigan welcomes Warner Norcross + Judd LLP to The District Detroit with the opening of their new Detroit office at 2715 Woodward Ave. Warner is the first tenant to occupy the state-of-the-art new-construction building located between Little Caesars Arena and the Mike Ilitch School of Business. Boston Consulting Group will also move into the new facility later this year.

Warner plans to move up to 60 attorneys and staff into the building when in-person office workplace restrictions are lifted and it can safely do so. The firm continues to comply with COVID-19 workplace safety rules and regulations.

“Although this is our first Detroit address, Warner has been active in Southeast Michigan for nearly 25 years,” said Linda Paullin-Hebden, executive partner of the Detroit office. “This new Detroit office is the culmination of this history and is a catapult to our future, allowing us to continue serving clients with premiere legal services in an engaging, welcoming environment.”

The sole tenant of the building’s third floor, Warner’s office features a lounge overlooking Woodward Avenue, amazing downtown skyline views, a 40-seat cafe and a media center.

“The striking five-story, $70-million building offers 127,000 square feet of business and retail space that further enlivens The District Detroit,” Keith Bradford, senior vice president, Olympia Development of Michigan, said. “With these types of developments, The District Detroit will continue to attract world-class companies, address market demands and bring new jobs, opportunities and vitality to our city.”

The advanced design of 2715 Woodward offers tenants access to an abundance of natural light with floor to ceiling glass, enhanced light quality features and sound attenuation which encourages collaboration and improves the ability to focus. It was also engineered with state-of-the-art indoor air-quality systems, allowing for 50 percent more fresh-air circulation than standard systems, as well as enhanced air/particle filtration.

“This building is a timely delivery to the market and exactly what people need and expect in today’s workplace. We have designed for flexibility and inspiration in an environment that moves us in the direction of health and well-being,” Stefan Stration, vice president of development for Olympia Development of Michigan, said.

2715 Woodward joins other recent Olympia Development projects such as the Little Caesars world headquarters building and Little Caesars Arena, and other projects expected to be completed this year such as the historic restoration of the former Eddystone Hotel into residential apartments and retail, as well as the historic restoration of the former Women’s City Club into office and retail.

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Baseball’s back — and so are the fans! Comerica Park welcomed just over 8,000 fans for Opening Day on Thursday, April 1. Hear from some of the attendees on what made them feel comfortable returning to the ballpark for the 2021 season:

For everyone’s safety, please remember this season’s safety measures:

• All attendees must complete a Gameday Wellness survey within 24 hours of entering Comerica Park.
• Only medical and diaper bags are permitted inside the park.
• Fans will be seated in pods with at least six feet of physical distance between other groups.
• Facemasks are required, except when actively eating or drinking at your assigned seat.
• Only cashless payment methods are accepted at points of sale.
• Fans must download their mobile ticket using the MLB app before arriving.

Learn more about the new health and safety measures at Comerica Park at MLB.com/Tigers.

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Elyssa Biederman, a 16-year-old forward from Franklin, Mich., and in her fourth year with Little Caesars AAA hockey program, recently scored a goal which has spread across social media and made it to the No. 2 spot on ESPN SportsCenter’s Top 10 Plays of the Day.

https://player.vimeo.com/video/527457034

Elyssa says that she did not expect footage of her recent goal, which was shot by her mother in the stands, to spread like it did.

After previously playing in boy’s hockey programs, Elyssa joined Little Caesars AAA, which is one of just four Tier 1 girls’ hockey programs in Michigan.  “AAA hockey, especially with Little Caesars, has very good resources,” Elyssa said. “They provide a lot for us — the rink downtown, great coaches. It’s all-around a great organization.”

In addition to scoring goals, Elyssa helps others in need.  She recently participated in a Little Caesars Pizza Kit virtual fundraiser to help cover the cost of equipment for players whose families might otherwise be struggling.

Elyssa plans to attend Colgate University, one of six on her team to commit to a college so far. With state and national tournaments on the horizon, Elyssa says she’s focused on enjoying her time with her teammates, who’ve decided to stick together for 19U. “We have such a good group of girls,” she said. “They’re my best friends forever.”

Learn more about the premier Little Caesars AAA girls’ hockey program and how it supports young athletes at LittleCaesarsHockey.com.

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The Detroit Tigers have partnered with Kroger to donate over 41,000 meals to Forgotten Harvest’s Detroit Summer Lunch Program, a program which provides nourishment for at-risk kids who’ve lost access to school meals during the summer.

Formed in 1990, Forgotten Harvest helps metro Detroit families who struggle with the cost of basic life necessities. By rescuing food surpluses from grocery stores, markets, restaurants, caterers and more, Forgotten Harvest helps bridge the income gap for thousands of families in need.

On Opening Day, the Detroit Tigers and Kroger are donating to the Summer League Program 41,083 nutritious lunches, one lunch for every seat at Comerica Park. The meals will support more than 1,000 children throughout metro Detroit.

Last year, the Ilitch companies donated to Forgotten Harvest 6,500 lbs. of food from Little Caesars Arena and 23 pallets of food from MotorCity Hotel, all to support Detroiters in need impacted by the pandemic.

To learn more about Forgotten Harvest and how you can help, visit ForgottenHarvest.org.

In honor of Women’s History Month, the Detroit Tigers connected with local female photographers to highlight their work through #WallpaperWednesday. Fans can view and download images from these posts to use as digital wallpaper. Learn more about these inspiring women below.

Courtney Welch

Courtney has been capturing moments as a social media and communications manager for FOX Sports Detroit since 2012. Her photography is a blend of production shoots with professional Detroit athletes, special events, game coverage and behind-the-scenes moments, including fans and broadcasters. She loves the creative process and the way photos connect us. Courtney’s passion for photography goes beyond the sports world into nature, where her photos freeze a moment in time to tell a story and invoke a feeling.

Allison Farrand

Allison, a photojournalist and photographer based in Detroit, got her start in sports photography at The Michigan Daily, the University of Michigan’s student newspaper. She came to love the challenge and adrenaline of covering live sports, and first came to baseball photography as an intern for Cleveland in 2017. Allison considers herself lucky to spend springs in Lakeland, Fla. and summer nights at Comerica Park.  

Monica Bradburn

Monica is a live content creator for Major League Baseball. A native Michigander, she’s ecstatic to work for her home team and call Comerica Park her office. She graduated from Central Michigan University, majoring in photojournalism. She loves to photograph the action, special achievements and personalities of the athletes. “Intensity, hard work, drive and passion are words I would use to describe sports,” she says. “I’d also use those same words to describe my journey as a sports photographer.” Her advice to young women who choose creative careers: set goals, push limits and follow your dreams. “The dream may be challenging, but it’ll always be worthwhile.”

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