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Building on a long history of philanthropic support for health care and research at the University of Michigan, Kenneth Eisenberg has made an additional $40 million gift to the University of Michigan.

The gift will support Michigan Medicine’s first facility in Oakland County, which the U-M Board of Regents today approved naming the Frances and Kenneth Eisenberg Troy Center for Specialty Care in honor of the donor and his late wife. Additionally, part of the gift will support mental health research through a U-M center that already bears their name, the Frances and Kenneth Eisenberg and Family Depression Center.

Eisenberg lives in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., and Palm Beach, Fla., and is the former chairman and CEO of Kenwal Steel of Dearborn, Michigan. His wife of nearly 60 years, Frances, died in November. The gift is made through the Frances and Kenneth Eisenberg Charitable Foundation.

“Our family and our foundation believe in the power of investing in a healthier future for all,” Kenneth Eisenberg said. “We continue our deep commitment to service through this gift to our community and the people of Michigan, and in honor of Frances’s life and mission.”

New outpatient center to bring specialty services to Oakland County residents

Eisenberg designated $25 million to support the construction of the multidisciplinary clinical facility that will be located at the former Kmart headquarters site at West Big Beaver and Coolidge roads. On Monday, the Troy City Council approved the proposed Somerset West development, of which the facility is part.

Expected to open in spring 2027, the facility will enhance access to specialty clinical services provided by U-M clinicians for patients in Oakland County and across southeast Michigan. Programs planned in the facility include advanced cancer care services, musculoskeletal/sports medicine and reproductive medicine. Additional diagnostic and therapeutic services will include an ambulatory surgery and procedure center, infusion suite and imaging services including CT, MRI and mammography.

“Philanthropic giving is often at the heart of our progress, and that is especially true in this case,” said David Miller, M.D., M.P.H., president of University of Michigan Health and executive vice dean for clinical affairs at the Medical School. “The Eisenbergs, for years, have recognized significant opportunities to make a difference, and they have helped ensure we can advance science and medicine for the benefit of all. We are honored to celebrate Frances’s memory and are grateful to Kenneth for his longtime partnership.” Miller will become U-M’s executive vice president for medical affairs and CEO of Michigan Medicine on July 1. 

Investment in depression research to focus on prevention

Bolstering the family’s commitment to advancing mental health, $15 million of the new gift will build upon the work at the Frances and Kenneth Eisenberg and Family Depression Center, adding to the $30 million the Eisenbergs have given to depression research and scholarship.

“The University of Michigan is making great progress in better understanding depression, which will help us prevent it and improve so many people’s lives,” Eisenberg said. “We are grateful to support that commitment and believe U-M is the best place in the world to do this critical work.”

Depression is a leading cause of death and disability. The number of people receiving treatment for depression has grown substantially in recent years, with more than one in 10 Americans now on antidepressant medications. However, depression has continued to affect more and more people, with the prevalence growing more than 50 percent over the past decade.

“The mental health field has not invested deeply in complementing treatment with prevention. With incredible researchers across U-M schools and departments and exciting advances in mobile technology, generative AI, genomics and other modern research tools, we have the potential to identify modifiable root causes and personalized solutions to help prevent depression before it begins. This transformational gift offers the University of Michigan an unprecedented opportunity to lead this work. We are profoundly grateful to Kenneth and the Eisenberg family for their incredible support,” said Srijan Sen, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Frances and Kenneth Eisenberg and Family Depression Center. 

The gift will fuel research awards, policy initiatives, educational events, and facilitate the launch of a large-scale research initiative to identify, target and prevent the drivers of depression in populations at high risk, including students, health care workers and patients with medical diseases.

The new gift will also create two new Medical School professorship funds for the Frances Aftel Eisenberg Research Professorship, in memory of Frances, and the Sue Ellen Eisenberg Research Professorship, in honor of Kenneth Eisenberg’s sister. Sue Ellen Eisenberg has been integrally involved in the development of the depression center, is a U-M Law School graduate, and is managing partner of the Sue Ellen Eisenberg and Associates law firm in Bloomfield Hills, Mich. Both endowed professorships will support faculty research in depression in perpetuity. 

Frances and Kenneth Eisenberg’s giving to the university now totals more than $80 million and includes support for the Eisenberg Institute for Historical Studies in the U-M College of Literature, Science, and the Arts and for biomedical research scholars at the NeuroNetwork for Emerging Therapies.

“The Eisenbergs have made incredibly impactful investments in our university, especially in the critical area of mental health,” said Domenico Grasso, president of U-M. “With their support for the Troy center, we will continue to create the future of health care in our state and bring Michigan Medicine-level care to more people.”

“This generous contribution will fuel our statewide network strategy of bringing our world-class care close to home for patients throughout Michigan and make an important difference in advancing research and care for depression,” said Marschall S. Runge, CEO of Michigan Medicine, dean of the Medical School, and executive vice president for medical affairs.

About the donor

Kenneth Eisenberg was chairman and CEO of Kenwal Steel, the family business he took over in the 1960s, for five decades. Under his leadership, the company became a full-service steel processing company with locations in the U.S. and Canada. His wife of nearly 60 years, Frances Aftel Eisenberg, died in November 2024 at the age of 82. 

Kenneth and Frances Eisenberg earned bachelor’s degrees from U-M in 1964, Kenneth from LSA, and Frances from what is now the Marsal Family School of Education. Frances also completed her teaching certification at U-M. As active volunteers across the university, both served on the steering committee of U-M’s Victors for Michigan campaign.

Kenneth Eisenberg serves on the Michigan Medicine Advisory Group, the LSA Dean’s Advisory Council, and the Taubman Medical Research Institute Advisory Board; Frances served on the Marsal Family School of Education’s National Advisory Board. The Eisenbergs’ two sons, Stephen and Brian, and their families give generously of their time and resources to a range of U-M areas.

About the Look to Michigan campaign 

This gift is being made during the University of Michigan’s Look to Michigan campaign, which merges philanthropic impact with U-M’s innovative Vision 2034. Made possible by U-M’s momentum and vast expertise to tackle the world’s most pressing challenges, the Look to Michigan campaign will raise funds for a sustainable future, civic engagement, health and wellness, and quality education for all. Look to Michigan includes all three U-M campuses, Michigan Medicine, Athletics, and all university units. Partnering with our passionate donor community, we are committed to supporting all students, fostering inclusivity, and recognizing the arts as a creative catalyst for learning. With this foundation, we boldly move forward, dedicated to serving the public good and discovering what’s next for a better tomorrow. Learn more about the Look to Michigan campaign.

For more information about the Troy location visit https://michmed.org/TroyCSC