When Basil Bacall left Baghdad, Iraq, for Michigan in 1981, he was looking for more than just opportunity. Like many in the Chaldean community, he sought safety, freedom, and the chance to build a life in stability. His brother had petitioned for him to come to Southeast Michigan and join what is now the largest Chaldean community outside of Iraq, and Livonia became his new home. The transition was not without challenges, language barriers, cultural differences, and the need to adapt to a new way of life. But Basil is quick to point out that compared to political persecution and the threat of violence as a religious minority in Iraq, these obstacles felt surmountable.
Determined to succeed, Basil charted a path that began far from the boardrooms he occupies today. He worked while completing his education, earning a GED, attending Schoolcraft College, and later graduating from the University of Michigan. His dream was to fly. With persistence and long hours, working full-time while studying full-time, he became a commercial pilot, flight instructor and later an airline pilot for Northwest Airlines.
After marrying, Basil decided to trade the skies for stability at home. He shifted into the hospitality industry, beginning not as an owner but by cleaning hotel bathrooms and working front desks to fully understand every role within the hotel business. That commitment to hard work and respect for others’ contributions laid the foundation for his success. His first hotel in Lansing was a struggling property he turned into an award-winning operation. From there, he went on to build, renovate and reposition more than 35 hotels and other real estate projects across Michigan, including his current work on a 139-room Residence Inn by Marriott in Ann Arbor.
For Basil, business has never been solely about financial success. His values as an immigrant and a Christian guide him to lead with honesty, integrity, and service. He founded the nonprofit Adopt a Refugee Family in 2006, which has since helped more than 600,000 persecuted people from the Middle East and beyond. “Before being businesspeople, before anything else, we are human beings,” Basil explains. “If we forget our humanity, we have nothing.”
That sense of gratitude and responsibility is also what drew him to Global Detroit more than 15 years ago. He recognized in the organization a deep appreciation for immigrant talent and contributions. Supporting Global Detroit and the Michigan Global Talent Initiative (MGTI), Basil emphasizes how essential immigrant workers are to Michigan’s economy, from construction trades to entrepreneurship. He has seen firsthand how immigrants help fuel job creation, growth, and revitalization across the state.
His leadership and philanthropy have been widely recognized, including a feature in Time magazine in 2019 highlighting his business achievements and community impact. Yet Basil resists personal accolades. He is quick to credit his employees, associates, and the sacrifices of those who came before him.
Looking back, he says his proudest accomplishment is not the hotels he has built, but the lives he has been able to touch through giving back. His advice to new immigrants is simple but powerful: “This is the greatest country in the world. If you can come here, don’t miss the opportunity. Play by the rules, work hard, and God will bless you immensely.”
