Opportunity Detroit

June 8, 2025 ~ Chris Rizik is the Managing Partner of Renaissance Venture Capital and was recently honored by the Venture Capital Association as one of the top venture capitalists in the world. He joins the show to talk about his work.

June 8, 2025 ~ Dave Egner, president and CEO of the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation, continues to work to make a difference in the region, and joins the show to discuss to work his organization does.

June 8, 2025 ~ Kim Blair, vice president of operations and development of Rebel Nell, talks to host Ann Thomas about the store's limited edition jewelry line that uses pieces cut from caddie bibs from past Rocket Classic tournaments.

Opportunity Detroit ~ Full Episode ~ Mackinac Policy Conference 2025

June 1, 2025 ~ Host Ann Thomas talks about the city of Detroit preparing for major upcoming events like the 100th America’s Thanksgiving Parade in 2026 and the 2027 NCAA Men’s Final Four.

June 1, 2025 ~ Host Ann Thomas talks to Detroit Sports Commission Chair Terry Rhadigan, WJR's Mark Hollis, and Parade Company CEO Tony Michaels Detroit is hosting numerous major events this year, including the electronic music Movement Festival, the Detroit Grand Prix, Ford Fireworks, Rocket Mortgage Classic, and the Detroit Jazz Fest. This episode's guests discuss how these events enhance the city’s appeal and economic impact.

June 1, 2025 ~ Host Ann Thomas talks live from the Mackinac Policy Conference about upcoming Detroit events and the amount of money generated from the NFL Draft in Detroit.

Opportunity Detroit ~ Full Episode ~ May 18, 2025

May 18, 2025 ~ There was a grand opening for the Residences at St. Matthew on May 7, and this development project on Detroit’s East Side has an interesting backstory. Paul Propson, the CEO of Catholic Charities of Southeast Michigan, joins Opportunity Detroit to share it.

May 18, 2025 ~ Jeanette Pierce, president of City Institute, is the person to talk to when people from out of town are looking for a place to eat or a place to have a cocktail. Pierce joins Opportunity Detroit to talk about her agency's work.

May 17, 2025 ~ Michigan’s largest plant-based event is coming up on June 1 at Eastern Market in Detroit. It’s called VegFest, hosted by VegMichigan, featuring over 100 vendors, cooking demos, and of course, plant-based foods. Kim Korona is the Program Manager for VegMichigan, and she joins Opportunity Detroit to preview the event.

Opportunity Detroit ~ Full Episode ~ May 11, 2025

May 11, 2025 ~ The 2025 Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix kicks off at the end of the month on May 30, and Detroit Grand Prix President Michael Montri is here now to talk about the details.

May 11, 2025 ~ Detroit has been a quiet but powerful force in shaping comic book history. Detroit Historical Museum Curator Billy Winkle joins Opportunity Detroit to talk about a new exhibit at the museum called "Heroes vs Villains: Detroit’s Comic Book Story."

Opportunity Detroit ~ Full Episode ~ May 4, 2025

May 5, 2025 ~ The Detroit Opera has announced its 2025-26 season, so Yuval Sharon, the Gary L. Wasserman artistic director for the Detroit Opera, joins the show to discuss the opera's next season!

May 5, 2025 ~ The Ford Fireworks kicks off summer in Detroit, and this year they are scheduled for Monday, June 23 at dusk. Paul W. Smith and Tony Michaels, president and CEO of The Parade Company, join the show to discuss the big event.

It’s been over a year since Detroit set attendance records for the NFL Draft, and as part of that major event, several organizations launched a variety of youth programs in the city. Pat Sharrow, director of Project Play, checks in with Opportunity Detroit to share how his effort to help Detroit’s kids is going.

Opportunity Detroit ~ Full Episode ~ April 27, 2025

April 27, 2025 ~ Detroit’s Campus Martius Park was named the top public square in America for the third consecutive year in the USA Today's 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards. Eric Larson, CEO of the Downtown Detroit Partnership, David Cowan, chief public spaces officer with the DDP, and Aaron Velthoven, Detroit Free Press Marathon executive director, talk about what makes Campus Martius stand out.