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John A. Pritzker (born 1953), the grandson of A.N. Pritzker and son of Jay Pritzker is an American billionaire and investor. He is a member of the Pritzker family.

Early life and education

Pritzker was born to a Jewish family in Chicago, Illinois, the daughter of Jay and Marian "Cindy" Pritzker. His father diversified the Chicago-based family business, the Marmon Group - along with his brothers Robert Pritzker and Donald Pritzker - building it into a portfolio of over 60 diversified industrial corporations. They also created the Hyatt Hotel chain in 1957 and owned Braniff Airlines from 1983–1988. The family has been divesting its assets: in 2006, the family sold Conwood, a smokeless tobacco company, for $3.5 billion to cigarette company Reynolds American Inc; in 2007, the family sold control of the Marmon Group to Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway for $4.5 billion; and in 2010, the family sold its majority stake in Transunion, the Chicago-based credit reporting company, for an undisclosed amount to Chicago-based private-equity firm Madison Dearborn Partners. Pritzker graduated with a B.A. from Menlo College.

Career

In 1972, Pritzker started his career working in the family business, Hyatt Hotels, where he in 1984, he rose to become Managing Director and Divisional Vice President. In 1988, he left Hyatt to pursue his own entrepreneurial activities including become a founding member of Ticketmaster. In 1990, he formed Mandara Spa, a chain of 72 resort spas, which he hoped to pair up with Hyatt Hotels, but ended up being located entirely in competitors to Hyatt. Mandara was subsequently sold to Steiner Leisure. In 2005, Pritzker founded the private equity firm Geolo Capital with his Mandara business partner Dan Gottleib; Geolo Capital focused on investments in hospitality, entertainment, and health & wellness companies. In 2010, he sold his ownership interest in Hyatt back to his family and used the funds, via Geolo Capital, to purchase a majority interest in the Joie de Vivre boutique hotel chain. In October 2011, he merged the 30 hotel Joie de Vivre chain with the Pomeranc family's 12 hotel Thompson Hotel Group to form Commune Hotels & Resorts. He co-chairs Commune Hotels with Thomson Hotels' owner Jason Pomeranc In 2012, Commune operated 46 hotels and had $450 million in revenues.

Personal life and philanthropy

Pritzker is married to Lisa Stone and they three children. Pritzker donated $15 million to the University of California at San Francisco for new pediatric emergency room facilities at the UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital. The Lisa and John Pritzker Family Fund funds programs focused on children's health and education, civic activities, and Jewish affairs.

References

1. ^ Forbes: The World's Billionaires - John Pritzker March 2013
2. Monterey County Weekly: "Hyatt heir John Pritzker's vision of turning Carmel Valley Ranch into an always-open, everyone-welcome version of summer camp" By Josh Sens may 16, 2013
3. ^ Chicago Tribune: "Pritzker family could soon own less than half of Hyatt" By Julie Wernau April 19, 2011
4. Geolo Capital: John Pritzker - Founding Partner and Director retrieved July 21, 2013
5. ^ W Magazine: "Pritzker's Prize by Jane Larkworthy August 2010
6. ^ Hotel Management Magazine: "One on One with John Pritzker" By Ruthanne Terrero January 21, 2011
7. ^ Chicago Tribune: "The Pritzker family tree" By Melissa Harris and Julie Wernau December 18, 2011
8. San Francisco Gate: John Pritzker, Hyatt heir, likes boutique hotels" by Nadja Brandt February 19, 2012
9. San Francisco Business Journal: "Commune is all inn" by Renée Frojo November 30, 2012

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• American people of Ukrainian-Jewish descent
• American billionaires
• American Jews
• Menlo College alumni
• Pritzker family