Denise Ilitch (born November 1955) is a Detroit-area businessperson, lawyer, and member of the Board of Regents of the University of Michigan.
[citation needed] On November 5, 2008, Ilitch was elected statewide to an eight-year term on the Board of Regents of the University of Michigan.
[5] She was reelected in 2024, defeating anti-Israel activist Huwaida Arraf who challenged her for the Democratic nomination in August and going on to win the November general election alongside Republican Carl Meyers.
[6][7] After John Cherry dropped out of the campaign for governor of Michigan in January 2010, Ilitch met with senior advisors at the White House, including the President.
Ilitch also met with the Democratic Governors Association while in Washington D.C.[8][9] She announced the following month that she would not enter the race, citing the compressed campaign schedule.