Danny Wirtz Named Successor to Late Father’s Business Empire

Danny Wirtz will take the reins as chairman and president of the Wirtz Corporation’s business empire that includes buildings, booze and the Chicago Blackhawks following the death of his father Rocky Wirtz last week.

The late Wirtz, who helped lead the Chicago Blackhawks to three Stanley Cup championships from 2010 to 2015 as owner of the team, has left behind a real estate empire for his son to take over. The Wirtz Corporation’s board approved the succession over the weekend, Crain’s reported.

The family company, founded by Arthur Wirtz in 1926, owns and manages more than 80 residential properties and various commercial buildings in the Chicago area. The firm also has a hand in several other industries, including banking, alcohol distribution and, of course, professional sports, and thus owns a share of the United Center along with Chicago Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf.

The Wirtz family anointed Danny as successor due to his vast array of experience at 46 years old. Guy Chipparoni, who worked closely with Rocky Wirtz for many years, said the younger Wirtz served as a co-pilot with his father over the past decade.

Danny Wirtz was named CEO of the Blackhawks in 2020, and he’s been serving as vice chairman of Wirtz Beverage Group, one of the largest liquor distribution businesses in the country.

In the real estate realm, Danny Wirtz now has a number of ambitious real estate projects to see through. The Blackhawks are working on a $65 million, 135,000-square-square expansion of its practice facilities at Fifth Third Arena, which is just a few blocks south of the team’s game-day United Center venue. Rocky Wirtz sought approval last month to build up to 1,200 residential units and 663 hotel rooms surrounding Fifth Third Arena as part of a larger plan to ignite economic growth and new development in the area.

The Wirtz Corp. also recently broke ground on an 800-acre residential development in the northwest suburb of Mundelein. The firm’s plans call for 1,200 single-family houses, 600 townhouses and 1,400 multifamily units, along with retail, parks, a village center, light industrial buildings and possibly a school.

Danny Wirtz has also worked to add a sportsbook to the United Center, which is awaiting a license from the Illinois Gaming Board.

— Quinn Donoghue