Marian Ilitch

Marian Ilitch and her husband, Mike, who died in February 2017, cofounded Little Caesars Pizza in 1959.Mrs. I, as she's known, now owns the pizza chain, which hauls in more than $4 billion in annual systemwide sales.She also owns the Detroit Red Wings and MotorCity Casino Hotel; Mike's Detroit Tigers are now in a family trust. Ilitch is helping build a $1.4 billion sports and entertainment district in Detroit that includes new headquarters with pizza shaped windows.She had to keep her husband from giving away free pizzas in the early days.